Carl Brashear

Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear (center)

Carl Maxie Brashear ( born January 19, 1931 in Tonieville, LaRue County, † July 25, 2006 Portsmouth ( Virginia) ) was the first African-American diver and the first certified diver with an amputation in the U.S. Navy.

On February 25, 1948 Carl Brashear joined the U.S. Navy, where he and May 1948 basic training in the Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois, graduated. He finished his training in June 1950. After that he was stationed on multiple ships, where he did a variety of dipping jobs - from repairs to the bomb. At times, he was an instructor in a diving school. From June 1956 to June 1958 he was even on the escort for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mid- 1964, he was awarded the rank of a diver first class ( " First Class Diver ").

On March 23, 1966, came during the recovery of a bomb lying due to a serious accident on board, was hit in the Brashear below its left knee by a pipe that was needed for recovery. To avoid gangrene, his leg was removed below the knee. After healing of the wound he spent the convalescence period from May 1966 to March 1967 at the Naval Regional Medical Center, Portsmouth ( Virginia). He then trained for a full year to get back into the full active duty as a diver and so became the first certified divers with an amputated limb. In his career, Carl Maxie Brashear received many awards and decorations:

• Good Conduct Medal ( total 8x)
• Navy Commendation Medal
• Navy Achievement Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• China Service Medal
• Korean Service Medal
• United Nations Medal
• Navy and Marine Corps Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Presidential Unit Citation
• Navy Occupation Service Medal

Mid- 1970, he won the highest title of " dive master " ( " Master Diver "). On April 1, 1979, he retired with honor from the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and lived in the official retirement, but was as a diving expert and specialist continues to be a sought-after consultant. On July 25, 2006 Brashear died of a heart defect and was buried with honors at the Navy - Navy - cemetery " Woodlawn Memorial Gardens ."

Brashear lived in his own words always after two guidelines: "It is not a sin to fall But it's a sin not to get up again. " And " I'll take me by anyone my dreams. "

The extraordinary life story of Carl Brashear Maxie was established in 2000 with Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carl Brashear and Robert De Niro as his instructor, Chief Sunday, brought to the screen in the film Men of Honor. Brashear himself worked as a consultant here. The film was indeed nominated for nine awards, but has not won.