Keith Brubaker

Keith M. Brubaker was a member of the United States Coast Guard who lost his life in service to his country in 1967.

Biography
Coast Guardsman - Engineman Third Class (EN3) Keith Michael Brubaker, 22, of Warren, Michigan, 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.