Men of Honor

[Tycho]

This is another great true story about a US Navy master diver overcoming racism and tremendous challenges to prove himself capable of being an elite underwater rescue and salvage master. Cuba Gooding stars with Robert DeNiro as his chief and training officer.

This is such a powerful drama with some harrowing and exciting moments. Carl Brashear even returned to full active duty after a terrible accident rendered him an amputee. In real life, he served up to being the first Master Chief in the United States Navy (the highest ranking enlisted officer) until the 1980's. No kidding!

"I want my 12 steps!" There's some ironic double-meaning to that reference to Brashear walking in court in a 200+ pound brass diving suit, to his washed-up alcoholic training officer Chief Sunday (DeNiro's character).

This is a really powerful and inspirational story everyone should see.

[2-1B]

DeNiro played a composite of several officers, from what I recall.

[Tycho]

I was watching the DVD extra footage, including the interview with the real Master-Chief Brashear, and Sunday was never mentioned. An alternate ending showed he died jumping off a bridge into a river to successfully save a drowning child, his young wife a witness, and Brashear and his wife attending Sunday's funeral, but I don't know if there was any truth to that. The commentary by the director didn't say either. He just cut that out of the original theatrical release because he felt the story was too long and Brashear's part really ended in the courtroom after he got reinstated, allowing him to serve until he was about 50 years old in 1980. As far as I know, he's still alive today, and about 77 years old. Truly another hero.

I wonder if the commander who lived in the "tree house" with his dog being raised up in the bucket each day was a real life character?