Did you know? Rick James -- an influential musician, composer and actor, and the signer of the infamous "Super Freak" song -- spent time in the Navy Reserve. His biography, including details about his time with the Navy, is colorfully retold in a new book, "Super Freak: The Life of Rick James." James' budding music career often interfered with his Reserve duties, and, ultimately, he fled to Toronto when he was ordered to Vietnam in 1965. Previously, details about his naval career were somewhat scarce, and representatives from Codes 20 and 14 helped author Peter Benjaminson track many of them down.
An acknowledgement in the book reads: "The cooperative, hardworking and efficient officers and staff members of the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, who provided me with the records of Rick's court-martials and agreed to my requests that I be allowed to see previously censored material within those records: Capt. Robert J. Crow, Lt. G.T. Farris, Lt. Denise L. Romeo, Thomas Gauzer, G.E. Lattin, and Tomiko Thompson." Thanks to their contributions, an important part of James' life -- and musical history -- has been uncovered and preserved. Well done!