Master Chief Boatswain's Mate (BMCM) Sherman Byrd 

In 2012, OBMG honored BMCM Sherman Byrd (1930-1971), was the first African American to graduate from the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal School.  

Master Chief Boatswain's Mate Sherman Byrd graduated from NAVSCOLEOD in Indian Head, MD with class 04B-58.  With only an eighth-grade education, (the highest level of education available to African Americans at that time), Master Chief Byrd joined the Navy at the age of 17 on Dec. 26, 1947 and completed Boot Camp in San Diego, California.  

After serving on four ships and advancing from Seaman Recruit to BM2 Byrd volunteered to attend Deep Sea Dive School at the Washington Navy Yard where he graduated in 1955. He then went on to graduate from the Naval School of Underwater Swimmers, Key West, Florida in July 1957. In 1958 he graduated from NAVSCOLEOD in Indian Head, MD becoming the first African American to graduate from the Explosive Ordinance School. In 1959 he was promoted to BM1 and in 1963 he was promoted to Chief Boatswains Mate. Byrd became an instructor at NAVSCOLEOD in 1964 and in 1967 he advanced to Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate. 

He was promoted to Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate 1969. Serving on 10 ships in his career and supporting the Secret service in protecting four Presidents of the United States Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Sherman Byrd was the recipient of six Good Conduct Medals, China Service Medal, Korean Service Medal w/K-10 Engagement Star, National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Service, Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Engagement-Cuba).  

Unfortunately, at the age of forty in 1971 BMCM died from a heart attack following a physical training exercise. In 2009 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training and Evaluation Unit 2 dedicated a plaque in honor of Master Chief Petty Officer Sherman Byrd, boatswain’s mate, the first African American to complete Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School.

His two daughters Cynthia Byrd Conner and Yulanda Blount, who were born in Key West while he was stationed there, along with other members of Master Chief Byrd’s family came to Maritime College to help us honor him. The OBMG would like to that thank all of Master Chief Byrd’s family that came to help us honor BMCM Byrd on that night.  Please go to: http://masterchiefshermanbyrd.com/index.html to learn more about Master Chief Sherman Byrd.

Ms. Cynthia Byrd Conner has published a book about her father. She travels to schools around the country speaking to NROTC and AROTC cadets to share this inspiring story. She generously donates a small percentage of the book sales to the OBMG. 

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