Carl M. Brashear, the first black U.S. Navy diver, has died at 75. Brashear's story about battling racism in the newly desegregated U.S. military of the late 1940s was told in the 2000 film Men of Honor. Brashear was portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.
After more than 30 years of service, Brashear retired from the Navy in 1979. He is also the first Navy diver to be restored to full active duty as an amputee -- he lost his leg during the salvage operation of a hydrogen bomb in 1966.
Brashear died of heart failure at a Navy Medical Center in Portsmouth Virginia. NPR's Michele Norris talks with retired Navy Capt. Hattie Elam. Elam and Brashear were married for four years.
Audio transcript
MICHELE NORRIS, Host:
Carl Brashear, the U.S. Navy diver whose story was made famous by the 2000 film Men of Honor, has died. Brashear was the Navy's first black diver. Actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. portrayed Brashear in the movie. He joined the Navy in 1948 at the age of 17, shortly after the U.S. military desegregated. Although the Navy was desegregated, Brashear faced tremendous racisim.
In an October, 2000 interview, Brashear told member station WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi that he didn't know what to expect when he joined the Navy at such a young age.
CARL BRASHEAR: I worked as a cook. That involved preparing and serving meals to Naval officers, plus maintaining officers' living quarters. And one day in my life in the United States Navy in Key West, Florida, I wanted to go swimming with the white guys, with the white people. So, I did that. Got in a little bit of trouble, but not much.
NORRIS: Brashear retired from the Navy in 1979 after more than 30 years of service. He is also the first Navy diver to be restored to full active duty as an amputee. He lost his leg during a salvage operation of a hydrogen bomb in 1966. Brashear was 75. He died at a Navy medical center in Portsmouth, Virginia, of heart failure.
Joining us now is Hattie Elam. She's a retired Navy captain and Brashear's ex- wife. They were married for four years and she was a Navy nurse while they were married. Ms. Elam, thank you so much for talking to us.
HATTIE ELAM: Sure.
NORRIS: We heard in that clip there someone who had strong will, quite a bit of determination. What is it, do you think, that was in his background and in his character that made for that?
ELAM: Well, I called him the gentle giant because he was quiet with what he did, but he was effective. And he was persistent. That's the thing that gets you with him. He was very persistent. And he got along so well with his troops. The fellows that were around him just admired him to the highest.
NORRIS: The Navy's diving program is very difficult to get into and yet that's where he set his sights. Why was it so important for him to be a diver?
ELAM: I think, you know, when he came in, most blacks were stewards, that's all. It's awful. You know, if you look at Navy history, the people that came in in 1945, they couldn't wait to get out of the Navy, just looking back at the history, and I could certainly identify with that. And he didn't want to do that, be a cook or clean rooms like they did. And he just wanted to do something different. He got in trouble lots of times, but he took his punishment and he moved on. And that's just the kind of man he is.
NORRIS: Was it, for him was it more about personal achievement or did he feel the weight of history on his shoulders? Did he understand or feel in some way that he was breaking down doors for others?
ELAM: I guess he did. I always felt that way, that, you know, we're making it better for people coming after us. I consider us kind of opposite, because he was just quiet and doing what he had to do and giving kids advice to help him. And we all did that.
NORRIS: Hattie Elam, thank you very much for speaking with us.
ELAM: You're welcome.
NORRIS: That was Hattie Elam. She's a retired Navy captain and the ex-wife of Carl Brashear. He was the Navy's first black diver and he died this week at the age of 75.
FAQs
Knowing his prosthesis cannot bear the extra weight, Brashear stands and takes all 12 steps with the full weight of his body and the suit on his right leg.
How did Carl Brashear pass away? ›
Master Diver Carl Brashear died of heart and respiratory failure on July 25, 2006, at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. His family was with him when he died, including his son Phillip, an Army warrant officer who flew home from Iraq on emergency leave to be at his father's side.
How long did Carl Brashear stay in the Navy? ›
Brashear retired after 48 years of military service on April 1,1979. But he still was tied to the Navy, becoming a civilian employee for the government, working at Naval Station Norfolk. Brashear died at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth on July 25, 2006 and was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Norfolk.
How many steps did Carl Brashear take? ›
Brashear was required to walk 12 steps unaided, wearing nearly 300 pounds of equipment. He took the steps, and was returned to active duty as a diver. In 1970, after more grueling tests, Mr. Brashear became a master diver, the highest designation a Navy diver can attain.
How true is Men of Honor? ›
Carl Brashear's journey in Men of Honor is closely based on his real-life story, a remarkable tale of resilience and determination. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1948 (via The New York Times), and despite facing racial discrimination, Brashear pursued his ambition to become a diver.
Who was the first black man Navy diver? ›
Kentucky's man of honor: 5 things to know about war hero and master diver Carl Brashear. Knowing when, and where, Carl Brashear grew up might make you pause when you learn he became the first Black master diver in the U.S. Navy. But Brashear never let adversity stand in his way.
Is Carl Brashear still living? ›
Was Carl Brashear at Pearl Harbor? ›
In June 1958, Brashear received orders to the Ship Repair Facility on Guam. In September 1960, he was promoted to Chief Boatswain's Mate and reported to USS Nereus (AS-17). Less than a year later, he had shore duty at Fleet Training Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he qualified as a Second Class Diver.
Who was the first black navy seal? ›
William Harvey Goines (September 10, 1936 – June 10, 2024) was a United States Navy SEAL and the first African-American Navy SEAL, though Engineman Second Class Fred "Tiz" Morrison has often been credited as being the first African-American Navy SEAL. Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Who was the most famous Navy diver? ›
Carl Maxie Brashear (January 19, 1931 – July 25, 2006) was a United States Navy sailor. He was a Master Diver, rising to the position in 1970, despite having his lower left leg amputated in 1966. The 2000 film Men of Honor was based on his life.
Williams (DDG-95) proudly bears the name of Chief Petty Officer James E. Williams—the most decorated enlisted Sailor in U.S. Navy history—who received the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War in October 1966. Williams was born 13 November 1930 in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
How much does a Navy master diver make? ›
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Master Diver Jobs
| City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|
| San Jose, CA | $76,936 | $36.99 |
| Jackson, WY | $76,367 | $36.72 |
| Oakland, CA | $76,333 | $36.70 |
| Vallejo, CA | $75,044 | $36.08 |
6 more rowsBorn into a sharecropping family in 1931, Carl Brashear rose from little to become the first African American Master Diver and first amputee diver in the U.S. Navy. Brashear's path to success was difficult and unlikely given the many obstacles that barred his way.
Who was the first black Navy chief? ›
Description: Photo #: NH 89471 John Henry (Dick) Turpin, Chief Gunner's Mate, USN (retired) (1876-1962) One of the first African-American Chief Petty Officers in the U.S. Navy.
Where did Carl Brashear go to dive school? ›
In 1954, more than three years after Carl Brashear's first request, the Navy granted him permission to attend Salvage Diving School in Bayonne, New Jersey, to train as a salvage diver.
Was Master Chief Billy Sunday real? ›
Men of Honor explores themes of perseverance, courage, and breaking racial barriers in the U.S. Navy during a time of segregation and discrimination. The character of Master Chief Billy Sunday is fictional but serves as a narrative device to depict the racial and institutional challenges faced by Carl Brashear.
Was Carl Brashear a real person? ›
Carl Maxie Brashear (January 19, 1931 – July 25, 2006) was a United States Navy sailor.
