i never heard from albert watson. my mother to this day believes strom thurmon played a role, because every single milestone in my life until he died i would get a note from strom thurmon. >> you go to the academy, and you switched your uniform. >> i sure did. >> the united states marines. >> i knew two things when i graduated from high school. and they were both negative. under no circumstances was i going to go into the marine corps. you have to remember, i lived in columbia, south carolina, an hour, hour and a half drive from island. and they were both negative. where else would they go? the would go to columbia, swimming pool where i worked. i got to see marines up close and personal. they were crazy. and i did not want to fly airplanes. i thought that was inherently dangerous. the two things i knew, i would not fly, and i would not be a marine. any first year at the naval academy, my company officer was a gentleman by the name of john riley lowe. he was an infantry officer so much like my dad. he was tough, but i

i never heard anything from albert watson. her dying day believes that strom thurman to ed a role in getting me the naval academy. every single milestone until he died i would get a note from strom thurman. you said the uniform attracted you, but, but -- you know what i'm going to say. academy and you switch your uniform to the united states marines. when i w two thingings graduated from high school, two, that's all i knew. negative. both under no circumstances would i go to the marine corps. i live in columbia, south an hour, an hour and a half drive from paris island. on the weekends, marines came to because back then, you know, where else were the black marines going to go. columbia ould come to and go to drew park swimming pool where i worked. reens up closeema and personal. they were crazy. fly airplanes.to i thought that was inherently dangerous. not fly and i would not be a marine. naval st year at the academy, my first company officer was by the name of john officer.e, an infantry so much like my dad. he was tough. but