Quote: Carl M. Brashear, the first black U.S. Navy diver who was portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the 2000 film "Men of Honor," died Tuesday. He was 75. Brashear died at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth of respiratory and heart failure, the medical center said.
Brashear retired from the Navy in 1979 after more than 30 years of service. He was the first Navy diver to be restored to full active duty as an amputee, the result of a leg injury he sustained during a salvage operation.
"The African-American community lost a great leader today in Carl Brashear," Gooding said of the man he played alongside Robert DeNiro, who was Brashear's roughneck training officer in "Men of Honor." "His impact to us as a people and all races will be felt for many decades to come."
Pretty amazing story....it's tough to comprehend that depths of a man's character and difficult to fathom what he went through. Quite a movie too, and his legacy is impressive.
DL021 From United States of America, joined exactly 9 years ago today! , 11433 posts, RR: 81 Reply 1, posted (6 years 10 months 9 hours ago) and read 1353 times:
He was tops in my book not just for being the first, but for being the best at what he did. He was so highly regarded that when the Navy needed to look for the H-Bomb lost by that BUFF over Spain they sent him down where he lost his leg as the result of a deck accident after he found the weapon and initiated the recovery.
He was so dedicated to his job that he returned with a prosthetic device to be the first amputee Navy diver.
He was a hero, and his service life is an inspiration to servicemen and women everywhere.
Slider From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6518 posts, RR: 37 Reply 2, posted (6 years 10 months 9 hours ago) and read 1348 times:
I'm glad you responded to this.
I was starting to think cynically given all the responses to the vapid threads here on a daily basis, but not a peep about a true hero and inspiration.
Drgreen757 From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 155 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (6 years 10 months 7 hours ago) and read 1336 times:
I'm sorry to hear that...It's always a shame when I hear about a real hero that has past away. What really is a shame is how this thread only has a couple replies and the kid from nsync that came out of the closet has nearly 40. A lot of human beings nowdays make me sick...I think thats why my best friend is a dog.
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