Johnston Davis named Navy Diver of the Year

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - ND1 Johnston Davis has been named Navy Diver of the Year by the Carl Brashear Foundation.

Davis currently works at the dive locker aboard the USS Emory S. Land stationed in Guam.

Tuesday military members from across the world gathered at Gulf Coast State College for the annual event which highlights one diver for going above and beyond. This year Davis had the privilege of receiving the 2021 Navy Diver of the Year award.

Davis says he is honored.

“Carl Brashear award is typically presented to someone who is a good representation of military diving and it’s special to me because it shows that the community believes I am a good representation of them moving forward,” said Davis. “I believe this award really represents more the people that were ahead of me and the people that I work for more than myself and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them and for them allowing me to have the opportunities that I did and all I did was capitalize on them.”

The award was presented by Phillip Brashear, son of the late Carl Brashear who was the first African American Master Diver.

Phillip says great leaders who display courage and kindness deserve to be recognized.

“In honor of my father, we give, we single out one navy diver for his exceptional life and we honor him in front of his peers today. The Carl Brashear Navy Diver of the Year award. Johnston Davis because of his exceptional leadership, his exceptional qualities and some of the extra things that he’s gone through,” Phillip said. “He saved a family in Colorado from certain death because of his heroism. You know that takes a special person and we want to honor people like that in the Navy community.”

The Naval Diving Salvage and Training Center is a local navy base and the epicenter of military diving.

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