I was 22, a sailor homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. My girlfriend and I were arm in arm walking into the Club Alliance off-base and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back and had a serious nosebleed. There was an Aircraft Carrier in port. That was back in the day before the Navy homeported one there. I do recall a small group of 4-5 Black sailors approaching before I went "lights out". Should have known better. I only ever saw race relations sour on Aircraft Carriers. Smaller ships were more harmonious. Might be a Big City-Small Town thing. But yeah, my situational awareness had been dampened by my delightful new Japanese girlfriend. And a certain amount of naïveté common to 22-year-olds. But I suspect she had been very attentive after I was laid flat because I suffered no kicks to the head. I decided I never wanted to be sucker punched again. Since 1970 I have been far more alert.
I’m always pleased to see someone recognize the great work of William Aprill. I was fortunate to take a course from him and Craig Douglas the year before Dr. Aprill passed. It was eye-opening.
I was 22, a sailor homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. My girlfriend and I were arm in arm walking into the Club Alliance off-base and the next thing I knew I was flat on my back and had a serious nosebleed. There was an Aircraft Carrier in port. That was back in the day before the Navy homeported one there. I do recall a small group of 4-5 Black sailors approaching before I went "lights out". Should have known better. I only ever saw race relations sour on Aircraft Carriers. Smaller ships were more harmonious. Might be a Big City-Small Town thing. But yeah, my situational awareness had been dampened by my delightful new Japanese girlfriend. And a certain amount of naïveté common to 22-year-olds. But I suspect she had been very attentive after I was laid flat because I suffered no kicks to the head. I decided I never wanted to be sucker punched again. Since 1970 I have been far more alert.
Status beat-down, right there.
And it might have been a good thing in that it learned me proper. Hard knocks often teaches better than book learning.
I’m always pleased to see someone recognize the great work of William Aprill. I was fortunate to take a course from him and Craig Douglas the year before Dr. Aprill passed. It was eye-opening.