became involved in a physical altercation with a white NCO moments after hearing the individual state his belief "how beautiful" it must have been in decades past when "a nigger went to sea it was below decks, in the galley". Although Essex and his adversary agreed to a compromise to avoid either being admonished for the altercation, the fact he had struck a white recruit of senior rank increased the level of harassment and intimidation he was subjected to from white personnel. Two months later, on the morning of October 19, Essex went absent without leave (AWOL) from the Navy. He phoned his mother from a bus station, informing her: "I'm coming home. I've just got to have some time to think." AWOL Essex returned via a Greyhound bus to Emporia, and remained AWOL until November 16, 1970. While AWOL, he repeatedly described to his family his experiences of overt discrimination at the hands of many of the white Navy recruits, his overt bitterness, and his resultant growing hatred towards the white race. Although his family attempted to reason with Essex against this viewpoint, Essex exclaimed: "What else is there? They take everything from you. Your dignity, your pride. What can you do but hate them?" One month after his desertion from the Navy, Essex's family persuaded him to return to Imperial Beach. Prior to doing so, Essex ensured he spoke to Lieutenant Hatcher, to whom he explained his reasons for his desertion. Hatcher's official notes state Essex informed him: "I don't want to have anything more to do with the Navy. It wouldn't be fair, not to you or the (dental) patients. The bad atmosphere would affect my work. The work is the only thing on this base I like." He then agreed to plead guilty to the charge of desertion. At the subsequent hearing, Hatcher provided a vigorous defense of his protégé; praising his work ethic and stating the decision for his desertion had been influenced solely by ongoing racial discrimination. The judge conceded these factors were the cause and sentenced Essex to a lenient punishment of thirty days' restriction to base and forfeiture of $90 of his pay for two months. Military discharge Black Panthers Essex was given a general discharge from the Navy for general unsuitability on February 11, 1971, at the age of 21. This experience embittered Essex as he felt he had been unfairly