Sunk by the Navy: My personal experience as a black sailor in the Navy during the Vietnam Era - Tapa blanda

During the 1960s James Smith experienced a whirlwind of emotions as a young African American man. The bombings of African American churches, the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the rise of the Black Panthers smothers him as he battled with becoming a man. The racism of those years was enough to make him angry. Being drafted into the military during the Vietnam War didn't help maters. Expert: "My mother was fearful for me for the usual reasons mothers have fears when seeing their sons go off to war. Plus, she knew I was outspoken and I would not allow anyone to run over me. The latter was what she feared the most. I had become a proud young black man and she knew that sense of pride I had found in my race and myself, could get me into trouble in the Navy...she was right."

James J. Smith is a native of Battle Creek, Michigan who has used his life experiences to inspire and entertain others. His love for poetry has led to three books, "Stirrings From My Soul," "Reflections," and As I See It: Poetry to Enlighten the Spirit and Lift the Heart." He served as a freelance columnist for the Battle Creek, Enquirer in Michigan, and is a sought-after poet who performs his works throughout Southwest Michigan. He and his wife, Camille, currently reside in Battle Creek.