When Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler attended a recent event to honor former Naval Academy mess hall workers, little did he expect to get a huge serving of inspiration.

But that’s exactly what happened, when the academy’s superintendent was introduced to retired Master Chief Melvin Williams Sr., who after joining the Navy in 1951 worked the only place minority sailors could at that time — the mess hall.

Recommended Stories

Midshipman to be court-martialed over alleged child pornography

Midshipman’s child porn ends his chances for Navy career

Businesses feel loss of midshipmen