(Template Courtesy of Minnesota National History Day) Diving Past Barriers Carl M Brashear

by Brandt Reints

This is images of the whole project completed for World History Day. The theme for the completion was Breaking Barriers THESIS

Thesis

Carl M. Brashear became the first African-American Master Diver in the and the first amputee to gain full, active duty. He faced many obstacles including discrimination and racism throughout this time but continued to push toward his dream. He changed the way the Navy is today and he showed the world what is possible if you let nothing get in your way. OVERALL EXHIBIT LEFT PANEL OF EXHIBIT: OVERALL LEFT PANEL: TOP

United States Marines Button

Medals: “Life story was made into movie, -2000.” “Outstanding Public Service Award for 42 years in the military and federal civilian service-October 2000.” “Newport News Fire Department named a rescue boat after him, the , is used by the Dive & Marine Incident Response Teams-October 24, 2007.” “USNS Carl Brashear (a dry cargo ship) was christened in his honor in -September 18, 2008.” “The completed USNS Carl Brashear was taken to the United States Navy-March 4, 2009.” “ (a science and maritime museum) opened the first full-scale exhibit called ‘Dream to Dive: The Life of Master Diver Carl Brashear’-February 21, 2009.” “The Chief Petty Officer Club (on the Naval Station Little Creek, VA) was renamed The Carl Brashear Center-2009.” “The Commonwealth of Kentucky dedicated the ‘Carl M. Brashear Radcliff Veterans Center.’ The center took 7,000 signatures and was only 30 miles from Sonora which was Brashear’s hometown-November 9, 2017.” “Lincoln Parkway Bridge (outside Tonieville, KY) was renamed, ‘The Master Chief Petty Officer Carl Maxie Brashear Memorial Bridge’- July 25, 2018.” “Sons, DeWayne and Philip, started the Carl Brashear Foundation-carlbrashear.org.” (Military Hall of Honor, LLC, http://militaryhallofhonor.com, 2020)

Photo- (usnhistory.navylive.dodive.mil)

“His story is one of the American spirit, nurtured on a farm in Kentucky-and one that will live forever on the deckplates of the his ship and in the heart of every Sailor. The character of our Navy change the day Carl Brashear decided nothing was going to stop him from pursuing his dreams.” (Joe Campa, Jr., America’s Navy)

Photo- (Diving Heritage) LEFT PANEL: TOP LEFT PANEL: BOTTOM

Photo- (Naval History and Heritage Command)

“My father overcame racism, poverty, illiteracy, physical disability, and alcoholism during his lifetime only to pass away with no malice in his heart and a feeling of accomplishment for his work.” (Philip Brashear, American History and Heritage)

“Not in my wildest dreams did I think this would happen, even after I lost my leg I was just doing my job.” (New York Times)

Photo- A replica diving suit used in the movie, Men of Honor. This suit is at the University of Texas. (site.utexas.edu)

Photo- October 2000, Carl M Brashear at the premiere of the movie, Men of Honor. (archive.defense.gov)

“The USNS Carl Brashear embodies the spirit and character of this remarkable individual. This is a statement of our beliefs and an affirmation of our values and those of Carl Brashear. I could not be more pleased to have his spirit on this ship.” (Joe Campa, Jr., America’s Navy)

Photo- (SLCC Celebrates Black History Month) LEFT PANEL: BOTTOM MIDDLE PANEL OF EXHIBIT: OVERALL MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: TOP

Photo- (ussnastilus.org)

Diving Past Barriers- January 19, 1931-July 25, 2006- Carl M. Brashear

Photo- (divingheritage.org) MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: TOP

Carl M. Brashear became the first African-American Master Diver in the United States Navy and the first amputee to gain full, active duty. He faced many obstacles including discrimination and racism throughout this time but continued to push toward his dream. He changed the way the Navy is today and he showed the world what is possible if you let nothing get in your way. MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: TOP

Timeline- “February 25, 1948-enlisted in the U.S. Navy” February 1948-May 1948- recruitment training in Illinois.” 1948-1951- Beachmaster Unit and Deck deviation.” 1951- temporary part of the salvage dive unity.” “1954-Became the 1st African-American to attend U.S. Navy Diving and Salvage School in Bayonne, New Jersey.” “1955- graduated from diving school.” “1959- became Chief Petty Officer.” “1960- earned his high school equivalency diploma and entered the Deep Sea Diving Program.” “1960- failed the Deep Sea Diving Program three times.” 1964- March 23, 1966- left leg seered while trying to recover a nuclear bomb off the coast of .” “May 1966-March 1967- spent time recovering from the amputation of his left leg.” “March 1967-March 1968-assigned to Harbor Clearance Unit 2 Diving School preparing to return to active duty and diving.” “1968- first amputee to be (re) certified as a U.S. Navy Diver.” “1970- first African-American U.S. Navy Master Diver.” “1979- retired from the U.S. Navy as Master Chief Petty Officer and Master Diver.” “1979-1993- employed by , in Norfolk, VA until he retired.” (http://www.history.navy.mil) MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: TOP

Historical Impact- Carl Maxie Brashear left a historical “It’s not a sin to get knocked What Happened- Carl M. Brashear grew up in Kentucky impact on the world by being an example. He broke down, it’s a sin to stay down. before going to the Navy where he experienced barriers as he became the first African-American Master My dad believed whatever discrimination, racism, and threats from the dive crew. Diver in the U.S. Navy while facing discrimination and life gave you, you used that Immediately after diving school, he began salvage diving. racism during the Civil Rights Era. He took a stand to make you stronger. If life While looking for a nuclear bomb near Spain, a cable during a critical point in history. He was hurt on duty and gives you lemons, make snapped on ship and severed his left leg. He was told he told he would never dive again but became the first lemonade. Whatever hand would never dive again. The Navy was ready to amputee to obtain full, active duty in the Navy. He faced you’re dealt, use that hand to discharge him but he proved he was able to dive. He poverty, illiteracy, and alcoholism but proved that if you be whatever you want to be.” became the first African-American U.S. Navy Diver and have the heart, anyone can achieve their dreams. (CBS News) the first amputee to be released to full, active duty in the Navy. MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: BOTTOM

Photo- (Oral History. Brashear, Carl M. Master Chief Boatman’s Mate)

“He just felt that if he continued and pressed on, ignored some of the backlash and racism that was thrown his way, then he could overcome. My father never thought of himself as less than a person.” (CBS News)

Photo- (Carl M. Brashear. Navy History and Heritage Command.)

“Why do you want it?” “Because they said that I couldn’t have it.” (Men of Honor)

“We don’t want any n----- divers.”

“We’re gonna drown you today n-----.”

“I would say he was a great educator. Just by the way he lived his dreams was an example, and maybe he changed some viewpoints for the better.” (Phillip Brashear, The Virginia Post)

Display items: replica diving helmet rope US Navy Officer Hat replica prosthetic left leg (I made this item) distressed crate MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: BOTTOM MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: BOTTOM MIDDLE PANEL & TEXT: BOTTOM RIGHT PANEL OF EXHIBIT: OVERALL RIGHT PANEL & TEXT: TOP

“I ain’t gonna let nobody steal my dream.” (Men of Honor, 2000)

replica of metals and badges- metals made from cardboard wrapped with string badges made from hot glue and paint

Metals- “Master Diver Badge, Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Good Conduct Medal (7 awards), , Navy Occupation Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal (2 awards), , Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Korean War Service Medal.” (Military Hall of Honor, LLC, http://militaryhallofhonor.com, 2020) RIGHT PANEL & TEXT: TOP RIGHT PANEL & TEXT: BOTTOM

Photo- (Diving Heritage)

“My father is a true example of the American dream in the fact that whoever you are, or where ever you come from, anyone can achieve their dreams if they work hard and believe in themselves.” (Phillip Brashear, American History and Heritage)

“‘Go ahead and amputate,’ he told the doctors, ‘I can’t be tied up that long. I’ve got to go back to diving.’” (New York Time, 2006)

“‘I can’t be tied up that long,’ he is quoted as saying in the interview. ‘I’ve got to get back to diving.’ They just laughed. ‘The fool’s crazy. He doesn’t have the chance of a snowball in hell of staying in the Navy. And a diver? No way! Impossible!’” (The Virginia Plot)

Photo- (http://www.history.navy.mil)

“Sometimes I would come back from a run, and my artificial leg would have a a puddle of blood from my stump. I wouldn’t go to the sick bay, they would have written men up. I’d go somewhere and hide and soak my leg in a bucket of hot water with salt in it, an old remedy. Then I’d get up the next morning and run.” (USNI) RIGHT PANEL & TEXT: BOTTOM