Keith Brubaker
Encyclopedia
Keith M. Brubaker was a member of the United States Coast Guard
who lost his life in service to his country in 1967.
, born March 24, 1945 lost his life on July 11, 1967 while in service to his country when he fell overboard a Coast Guard
boat in Grand Marais, Minnesota
and drowned.
He is only the second Coast Guard
member in Minnesota or on Lake Superior
to be killed in service to his country, the other being Edgar Culbertson
in Duluth, Minnesota
. Brubaker and his newlywed had just moved to Grand Marais, Minnesota
after being transferred to Station North Superior earlier that year. The Brubakers were expecting their first child in just a few months. Previously, Brubaker had served on board the USCGC Bramble (WLB-392)
and Devils Island Light Station since joining the service in 1964.
At approximately 1900 hours on July 11, Brubaker got into the station small boat and started out through the Grand Marais harbor. His wife recalled that he had seen some logs blocking the channel – a common occurrence, and decided to try to clear this obstruction. As he neared the break wall, alone in the boat, the boat was sent straight up into the air after it presumably struck one of these logs. Brubaker was thrown from the small boat and struck his head on either the boat or a log as he fell into the water. He was knocked unconscious and drowned. A friend of his had witnessed this from a nearby pier and swam out to try to save Brubaker but was unable to find him below the surface.
A Grand Marais resident looked out his window and noticed the Coast Guard
boat circling uncontrollably without anyone in the craft and called the Cook County Sheriff's Office
, who responded. The boat was stopped by rescuers and the local sheriff dive team went to work right away searching for Brubaker, he was found the next morning. Keith Brubaker was laid to rest in Troy, Michigan
with full military honors. His daughter was born two months later.
Engineman Third Class had been awarded the National Defense Service Medal
and Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon
.
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
who lost his life in service to his country in 1967.
Biography
Coast Guardsman - Engineman Third Class (EN3) Keith Michael Brubaker, 22, of Warren, MichiganWarren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
, born March 24, 1945 lost his life on July 11, 1967 while in service to his country when he fell overboard a Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
boat in Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais is a city in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,351 at the 2010 census. It is also the county seat of Cook County...
and drowned.
He is only the second Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
member in Minnesota or on Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
to be killed in service to his country, the other being Edgar Culbertson
Edgar Culbertson
Coast Guardsman - Boatswain Mate First Class "Ed" Edgar A. Culbertson, 32, of Ferndale, Michigan, born October 13, 1935 lost his life on April 30, 1967 while trying to rescue three teenagers in Duluth, Minnesota. He was a Korean War Veteran, and had served in the Coast Guard since 1952.-Rescue:The...
in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. Brubaker and his newlywed had just moved to Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais is a city in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,351 at the 2010 census. It is also the county seat of Cook County...
after being transferred to Station North Superior earlier that year. The Brubakers were expecting their first child in just a few months. Previously, Brubaker had served on board the USCGC Bramble (WLB-392)
USCGC Bramble (WLB-392)
USCGC Bramble is one of the 39 original seagoing buoy tenders built between 1942-1944 for the United States Coast Guard. Bramble is currently a museum ship, part of Port Huron Museum, located in Port Huron, Michigan. She will be closed to the public effective August 14, 2011, owing to a lack of...
and Devils Island Light Station since joining the service in 1964.
At approximately 1900 hours on July 11, Brubaker got into the station small boat and started out through the Grand Marais harbor. His wife recalled that he had seen some logs blocking the channel – a common occurrence, and decided to try to clear this obstruction. As he neared the break wall, alone in the boat, the boat was sent straight up into the air after it presumably struck one of these logs. Brubaker was thrown from the small boat and struck his head on either the boat or a log as he fell into the water. He was knocked unconscious and drowned. A friend of his had witnessed this from a nearby pier and swam out to try to save Brubaker but was unable to find him below the surface.
A Grand Marais resident looked out his window and noticed the Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
boat circling uncontrollably without anyone in the craft and called the Cook County Sheriff's Office
Cook County Sheriff's Office
The Cook County Sheriff's Office is a local law enforcement agency that serves Cook County, Illinois. It is the second largest Sheriff's department in the United States, with over 6,900 members. It is headed by the Sheriff of Cook County, currently Thomas Dart...
, who responded. The boat was stopped by rescuers and the local sheriff dive team went to work right away searching for Brubaker, he was found the next morning. Keith Brubaker was laid to rest in Troy, Michigan
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
with full military honors. His daughter was born two months later.
Engineman Third Class had been awarded the National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
and Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon
Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon
The Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was established in 1942. Originally known as the Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon, the decoration recognized those who had been presented a Distinguished Marksman Badge through exceptional...
.