Date: 17:24:48 on Thursday, July 27, 2006
Name: American Patriot
Subject: Man Of Honor Dies

From Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Public Affairs

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS) -- Retired Navy diver Carl Brashear died July 25 at 2:35 p.m. at Naval Medical Center portsmouth of respiratory and heart failure.

The retired master chief was 75, and became known throughout the world after actor Cuba Gooding Jr. portrayed Brashear in the movie, "Men of Honor."

Brashear joined the Navy in 1948 at the age of 17. He was a pioneer in the Navy as the first black deep sea diver, the first black master diver and the first person in naval history to be restored to full active duty as an amputee, the result of a leg injury he sustained during a salvage operation.

He was the first amputee to be advanced to the rank of master chief petty officer. Brasher became the only amputee deep-sea diver to reach the status of master diver, and he was the only black man to ever become Master Diver of the U.S. Navy, a position he held from 1975 to 1977.

"Carl Brashear was a man of integrity. He was well-loved and admired by the hospital staff," said Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Commander Rear Adm. Thomas Cullison. "It was an honor to provide the care for the American hero. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family members."

Brashear's son, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Phillip Brashear, a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army, is on emergency leave from Iraq and was with his father in his final hours.