Book Review: Learning about race riots in the military

Racism seemingly exists everywhere. The military, unfortunately, is not the exception to this rule.

Marv Truhe, a former Navy JAG defense lawyer, illustrates this clearly in Against All Tides: The Untold Story of the USS Kitty Hawk Race Riot (Chicago Review Press Incorporated, 2023).

While the unrest on this aircraft carrier in the early 1970s happened more than 50 years ago, Truhe was moved to tell this story that had not been told before. He wanted the masses to know what happened.

It’s definitely a story worth reading. The book was slow to start. This is clearly written by a lawyer—so you are warned. It made sense the unrest aboard the ship had to be written about before the trials. It’s the early part of the book that for me was hard to get through.

Push through. It’s worth it. My friend, Becky, was right when she said I would find this book interesting.

My belief that certain people should be held to a higher standard—like officers in the military—is flawed logic. Still, it’s what I believe. And yet again, with this book I became more disappointed in people who have power over others. Not only did they have power in rank, but the power of being white and not Black.

Has there ever not been a contentious time regarding race relations in this country? No, would be my answer.

But the more I read stories like this, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I understand why we aren’t a more progressive society that lives more harmoniously with one another.

Even so, the book gave me hope because of people like Truhe who fought for the truth. We need more people like him.