Presenting the Backdrop of "Subic: A Sailor’s Memoir"

The book opens up the year Bobby Earl Perkins, the sailor in the story, arrives in the Philippines—1967. Looking at the historical framework of the 1960s, it is the era of radical perspective and subversive events.  Most readers have prior knowledge of the 1960s, either textbook knowledge or experiential knowledge. Who can forget that in 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech “I Have a Dream” in Washington, DC? And the following years, Pres. Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  Again the 1960s is the landmark for civil rights movements.  However, the struggle for equality at that time was not an isolated case in America.  There were military service members stationed in a foreign country advocating for their constitutional rights.  One specific scenario happened in the Philippines.

Subic Bay Naval Base, Olongapo City, Philippines—some of the US Navy and Marine veterans may be familiar with this military installation.  Historically, after more than 300 years of Spanish rule, Spain relinquished all rights in the Philippines to the US, and under Pres. Roosevelt’s Executive Order, the waters of Subic were reserved for naval purposes. The naval station was widened, and Olongapo City grew directly proportion to the growth of the naval base.  Since the Navy offered employment, more Filipinos live in Olongapo—many worked in the shipyard and others joined the Navy.  Subic became the homeport for the 7^th Fleet, a warship composed of 70 ships, 300 aircrafts, and 40,000 navy and marine personnel ready for deployment. Subic was visited by more than 200 ships per month as Vietnam activity peaked in 1967.

The story is narrated by Bobby Earl Perkins.  It is Bobby’s point of view that entertains our thoughts and captures our understanding of what’s going on in Subic.  It is written in a military tone as I tried to capture Bobby’s military bearing.  At that time Bobby was only 23, an E4, a cook, and from Montgomery, AL.  Growing up from the south, Bobby knew firsthand some of the discrimination and segregation issues and the racial tensions between blacks and whites. He joined the military to possibly get away from all of it, and only to find himself in the middle of it again.  But as a Christian, his faith remained intact throughout his struggles.

In 1933, the Navy did not allow black sailors to receive any ratings other than a mess-man believing that if they advance in rank they would not become effective leaders over the whites; thus, many blacks were cooks or steward mates in the Navy.  And even though the blacks achieved the rank of chief steward, they had no authority over the whites who were lower in rank.  Also, the Navy preferred to recruit Blacks from the South because they were likely bringing in unspoiled young Negroes, while those from the North were likely become educated and independent. 

The structure of the story is like a diary format covering almost two years of Bobby’s duty tour.  It will take the reader in a journey with Bobby, like the reader is just next to him getting a glimpse of his experiences, as well as in the experiences of other Black sailors stationed in Subic.  The book is short and straightforward making it a quick and easy read.  There’s a slight profanity and racial slur in its diction to depict reality.  To the best of his memory, Bobby recollects those events that impacted him personally; however—painful and hurtful, they need to be told.

There’s a piece of history shrouded in the story of Subic.  It mirrors the Civil Rights movements of the 1960s in a subtle way.  When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, his death became a platform for racial outbreak and riots inside Subic.  The book is written for many reasons.  Yet, the prevalent ones are obvious: to share that justice prevailed—the book is a celebration; to inform or remind us that discrimination only exists if we allow it to happen and that doing anything less about it is contrary to our democratic principles; to honor those unsung heroes who fought for their rights and paved the way for others; to show that faith in God provides comfort and consolation during trying times; and to express the need for transformational healing, not only for Bobby himself but also for others who may have been scarred by their horrid past, whether they were the oppressor or the oppressed.

PO2 Bobby Earl Perkins
Subic Bay, Philippines
1967

Bobby’s military experiences aboard Subic Bay Naval Base seem all about discrimination, racism, prejudice, and unfair treatment.  You bet his journey was one heck of a plight—but that’s not how I want it to project in the book. In discrimination, people are categorized, and yet that’s when we learn to reach out and form an alliance and brotherhood.  In racism, we segregate ourselves based on our skin color, and yet we learn to trust beyond our genetic pigments—we do have a black president now.  As victims of prejudice, we learn to maintain our faith in ourselves, in the justice system, and in God that in the end of the day, we will be vindicated, and when we are treated unfairly, we prove them otherwise because we learn to become self-sufficient and successful.  You see, out of something bad, something beautiful also happens. 

This is the story of Subic.

Enjoy reading!

Write to be Right

Tell a story. Write a book. Done!

There are millions of books written in any topic we could possibly conceive under the sun.

Well, here’s the question: is there any audience for my book? Would someone pick to read my book when there are overwhelming titles to choose from?

First, I was skeptical whether my books have their specific audience out there.

To my dismay, I proved myself wrong. 

I have received emails and a number of positive reviews on the book I wrote about my father, Subic: A Sailor’s Memoir.  Other than those electronic communications, I have acquaintances and strangers alike who came up to me personally in some unexpected places (malls, stores, restrooms, etc.) to simply inform me that they have read my book. 

Of course the feelings inside me were a conglomeration of excitement, elation, and motivation.  Yet on top of those kind compliments, I was humbled by the experience.

I write simply because there is a story to share and not because there is a reader out there.  When we write, the first reader is ourselves, and that matters a whole lot.  If what we have written puts a smile in our heart, then our purpose for writing is complete.

Toni Morrison quotes, "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

We ought to love what we write about because we envelop it with our personal passion; thus, whoever reads it could feel the breath of our passion in each word that tells the story, as well as the essence why we wrote it in the first place.

A simple rule: If writing is a desire, then don’t hesitate to exercise that right!

Touched by a “Soul-dier”

Arlington National Cemetery

My daughter Marie and I drove 17 hours to Arlington, VA for a weekend. I had been invited as one of the guest authors of military inspired topics at the Officer Women Leadership Symposium (OWLS) on September 20-21, 2013 held at the Women in Military Service for America (WIMSA) Memorial Museum.  In the midst of those accomplished women in the military, I was honored to present my book Subic: A Sailor’s Memoir, which is about my father’s military experience of injustice and discrimination while stationed in the Philippines during the late 1960s.

My daughter, Marie

After the conference, the two of us strolled around the sacred cemetery.  Eventually, I was reminded by an acquaintance’s request prior to our trip.  She emailed, "If your trip to Arlington happens to include Arlington National Cemetery, give my Brad a kiss (Section 60, Plot 8008)."

It was an honor to walk around the Arlington National Cemetery.  My daughter and I, like we were on a special mission, intended to specifically locate her son's plot.  After all, we didn't know anybody buried there in a personal level other than those well-known historical personalities and U.S Presidents.  However, in her son's honor that weekend was a solemn and reflective experience for us.

We took several pictures and said a prayer for him and for this young female soldier—Jessica Ellis, whom we had learned of through her father, who was also visiting that weekend.  Mr. Ellis was kind enough to share with us some details about Jessica’s life as a daughter and as a medical specialist in the Army, and how her military vehicle struck an improvised explosive device while serving in Iraq in 2008.  Jessica’s uniforms, photos, email communication transcripts, and personal effects are on display at the WIMSA. 

There are many “Brad and Jessica” around us who fought for our priceless American freedom.  How many times have we truly taken the time to just commemorate them in our walks of life?  Not only on the cemetery grounds or in the sacred land of the free, but also in the simple wake of each dawn that we may enjoy freely the beauty the daylight brings—as we walk about minding our own business.

My daughter joined the Army National Guard in 2012.  She stated that the heroic exemplar of those laid in Arlington gave her the motivation to accomplish an honorable military career.

It was a long drive from home, but every minute was worth it.

After our trip, I sent my friend an email back, “Thank you for telling me about Brad.”

 

She replied, “You were so kind to visit Brad’s place of commemoration and to take photos, too. I felt very comforted.”

Certainly, I brought a smile to her heart as I read the rest of her email. 

SPC Bradley Scott Beard, Section 60, Plot 8008 

I guess I made a difference in her weekend, too.  Consequently, she made a difference for telling me about her son, and her son made a difference in all of us—as a simple soul... a fallen fighter... a soldier had touched me not only for one weekend... but till the end!

A letter from a Reader

I was touched and encouraged to hear from this particular reader who emailed me his thoughts about the book Subic. I am grateful to share this with the other readers.  His letter appeared as is.


Dr. Brown,

I just read Subic and wanted to sincerely thank you for sharing your father's experiences from Subic Bay. I'm a 36 y.o. Filipino-American living in San Diego, CA and have always been fascinated about the history of Subic Bay and Clark AFB. It's saddens me that both Subic and Clark closed down twenty years ago. These two landmarks were the gateways for Americans to live, explore, and appreciate the beauty of the Philippines. 

My father also served in the US Navy, but we never got stationed in Subic Bay. While growing up in San Diego since the late 80's, there was abundant amount of Filipino mixed "G.I. babies" around me - in school and neighborhood. Now that Subic and Clark are closed, there are hardly any Filipino "G.I. babies" around anymore. 

I can't begin to imagine what personal hardships your Father went through while he served in the US Navy. Being that my father was Filipino and served in the US Navy also, he probably ran into similar discrimination from white sailors and superiors. I admire your father's persistence, dedication, discipline, and tolerance. It's obvious his faith pulled him through all the turmoil he endured. I can honestly say that I'll think of him when I run into a difficult situation. 

I developed a fond interest in Subic's and Clark's history. From the various books I've acquired about Subic, I can now somehow live vicariously through the authors and the experiences they've shared in those books about how it was like living in the Philippines via Subic or Clark. So thank you again for writing Subic. Please give my warm regards to your father. 

Sincerely, 
Francis Arenas

On Being a Guest on a TV Show

My dad and I were invited to sit in a local cable show Conversation with Carol to talk about my latest book Subic: A Sailor's Memoir.

There were only a few people during the taping; however, when the camera started rolling--I got super nervous! I could hear my own voice cracking, and I felt a little uneasy, especially when the bright spotlight was shinning on me--it did not only distract my line of thoughts but also did make me a little conscious about my looks.

I guess I'm camera shy after all.

Anyway, to give justice to this experience, I felt a bit of celebrity to be on TV.