ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I want to thank my wife, Betty, for being my whole life support system.

Mr. John Franklyn Bailey, who served as engineer aboard the small gas tanker which I commanded in the Philippines, helped me to remember many of the details of those ships and those times. I did not base any fictional character on him because he was too good an officer and too fine a man to be believable.

Donald I. Fine’s contribution to the writing of this book was far above and beyond the call of editorial duty. He should get some sort of publisher’s medal.

S. W.