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Phillip Brashear, the son of the Navy’s first Black Master Diver Carl Brashear, is scheduled to give a presentation on his father’s legacy to the crew of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7).
The event will be held on Feb. 7 at 9:00 am. in the Redeemer auditorium in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Phillip Brashear served in the Army as a Chief Warrant Officer and retired after 40 years of service on July 29th, 2022.
In 1954, Carl Brashear completed the U.S. Navy Diving and Salvage training, becoming the first African-American to attend and graduate from the school and the first African-American U.S. Navy diver.
During the recovery of a submerged nuclear weapon, Carl Brashear was badly injured in an accident, and as a result, surgeons had to amputate his left leg below the knee.
In April 1968, Carl Brashear became the first amputee to be a certified diver. Two years later, he became the first African-American U.S Navy master diver.
Carl Brashear is played by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the Hollywood movie Men of Honor.
Phillip Brashear has shared his first-hand account of his father’s story with Sailors and members of the Navy Chiefs Mess to inspire them to keep pushing forward in the face of adversity and accept responsibility beyond the call of duty.
Highlighting his contributions to the Navy, Phillip Brashear was appointed as an Honorary Navy Chief Petty Officer by the former Master Chief Petty officer (MCPON) of the Navy, Russell Smith, for his relentless dedication to the United States Navy.
USS Iwo Jima’s Multicultural Heritage Committee organized the event to celebrate Black History Month and Navy heritage.
USS Iwo Jima is at General Dynamics, NASSCO Shipyard in Norfolk for a scheduled maintenance period.
Amphibious assault ships, such as USS Iwo Jima, project power and maintain presence by serving as the cornerstone of the Amphibious Readiness Group / Expeditionary Strike Group.
Amphibious Readiness Groups provide the Marine Corps with a means of ship-to-shore movement by helicopter in addition to movement by landing craft.
USS Iwo Jima has supported major humanitarian-assistance and combat operations in which the United States has been involved.
USS Iwo Jima is named for the battle of Iwo Jima fought in 1945, in which three divisions of U.S. Marines took control of a tiny island from more than 20,000 enemy defenders.
The ship’s motto is a quote from Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz: “Among the Americans who served on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”
Twenty seven U.S. service members were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroic actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima, more than any other single operation during World War II.
| Date Taken: | 01.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 01.31.2023 13:34 |
| Story ID: | 437546 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 168 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Phillip Brashear to Speak to USS Iwo Jima Crew for Black History Month, by SCPO Elliott Fabrizio, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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