Meteorologists and Minnesota residents often refer to April 30, 1967 as "Black Sunday," describing the 1967 Iowa–Minnesota tornado outbreak and heavy wind and rain in Duluth. During the storm, waves on Lake Superior in Duluth were reportedly over 20 feet high with water temperature around 36 degrees. Gale-force winds gusted to 45 mph. Around 7:45 p.m., a witness reported to the Duluth Police Department that three boys were at the end of the pier when one was washed into the water by a large wave. The other two were stranded at the end of the pier by high winds and waves. The police department contacted the Coast Guard lifeboat station in Duluth for assistance. Culbertson was a 31-year-old native of Ferndale, Michigan, a veteran of the Korean War and had served in the Coast Guard since 1952. He and two other Coast Guardsmen, Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Richard R. Callahan, 21, of Cicero, Illinois and Fireman Ronald C. Prei, 21, of St. Francis, Wisconsin, volunteered to attempt a rescue. After arriving at the pier, they tethered themselves together with a rope spaced 25 feet apart and began searching the pier with a lantern. They struggled to the end of the pier, but did not find the missing boys who had already been swept over the side. As Culbertson, Callahan and Prei returned along the pier, another large wave crashed over the wall, knocking Culbertson over the side. His body was later found on the beach. A permanent marker honoring Culbertson was placed on the pier by the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center near the spot where he perished. He is one of only two Coast Guardsmen to have died in the line of duty while serving in Minnesota on Lake Superior. EN3 Keith Brubaker fell overboard and perished on July 11, 1967 while serving the Coast Guard Station North Superior in Grand Marais, Minnesota. A bronze plaque erected later in 1967 was removed in the early 1980s when the pier was widened and reinforced. Tom Mackay, then a captain for the Vista Fleet and president of the International Shipmasters AssociationTwin Ports Lodge #12, realized after the pier improvements were finished that the plaque had not been reinstalled. He rallied the ISMA for assistance and the plaque was found and reinstalled on the new pier. Culbertson, Callahan and Prei were awarded the Coast Guard Medal, the highest peacetime medal awarded in recognition of heroism. At the time, it had only been awarded to 44 people.
Coast Guard Medal citation
For heroism on the evening of April 30, 1967 while engaged in searching for two teen-age boys reportedly stranded at the Duluth Entry North Breakwater Light, Minnesota. Twin 16-year-old boys and a 17-year-old brother had been seen running along the jetty challenging the 10- to 15-foot waves when witnesses observed a huge wave sweep one boy into the water. When two boys were reported stranded at the light, Petty Officer CULBERTSON and two comrades volunteered to attempt the rescue. Lashing themselves together, the three men proceeded, with hand lanterns as the only illumination, to the end of the breakwater. Despite the high waves, winds gusting to 40 knots, driving rain and 36-degree water, the rescue party diligently searched the breakwater and light but found no trace of the boys. While returning to the beach a 20-foot wave swept Petty Officer CULBERTSON off his feet and hurled him up to and over the breakwater parapet into the sea. Despite the strenuous efforts of his teammates, Petty Officer CULBERTSON perished in this gallant rescue attempt. His outstanding courage, intrepidity, initiative, and unselfish actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.
