and daring of the men who sailed them. Proceeds from the sale of this video will go to the Essex Shipbuilding Museum and the schooner Adventure. NORMA STANFORD
Different Battles: The Search for a World War II Hero, by Rody Johnson (Sunflower University Press, Manhattan KS, 1999, 176pp, illus, index, ISBN 0-89745236-4; $19.95pb) This tale of Coast Guard Auxiliary service in World War II centers on the rescue of 22 merchant seamen whose oil tanker, the Java Arrow, had been torpedoed by a German submarine commanded by Captain Peter Cremer. Cremer's U-boat was one of a number sent by Adolf Hider to raid commerce off the US coast beginning in January 1942. Coast Guard and Navy resources were stretched to the limit, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard directed: "In view of the recent heavy losses among personnel of torpedoed vessels along the coasts ... that immediate steps be taken to utilize vessels and members of the [Coast Guard] Auxiliary to the fullest extent for the purpose of rescuing survivors." The Coast Guard Auxilia1y (formerly the Reserve) had been formed in 1939 as the civilian volunteer component of the Coast Guard to promote boating safety and facilitate Coast Guard operations. Kit Johnson, owner of the sporting goods store in Vero Beach, Florida, had been rejected for military service but he was accepted as Chief Petry Officer when the Coast Guard Auxiliary was formed, with duties of supervising small boat operations. 0 n the night of 5 May 1942, Johnson and his crew of three picked up the 22 survivors of the]avaA rrow and rook them aboard Johnso n's 30-foot cabin cruiser, causing severe overloading. Johnson skillfully brought the boat into the Ft. Pierce Inlet Coast Guard Station, although he was in danger of sinking when he docked. All 8-year-old Rody Johnso n knew of this incident at the time was his father telling his mother, when he got home, that h e and his crew had had a hell of a night. Later, when Rody, in his forties, became more interested in his fat her's life, the elder Johnson had contracted Altzheimer's. So Rody pieced the story together from people who had worked with his fat her.
SEA HISTORY 95, WINTER 2000-01
Different Battles provides a close-in account of the rescues valiant Auxiliarists conducted in their tiny boats off the Florida coas t. It is also explores a bond with which those of us who are the sons and daughters of the World War II generation can identify. Our parents had a love of country, a sense of duty, and, whatever job they were given, they did it without complaint, with dedication, and very often with courage.
C.
KAY LARSON
Historian Division Chief US Coast Guard Auxiliary
American Sea Writing: A Literary Anthology, edited by Peter Neill (Literary Classics of the United States, New York NY, 2000, 67lpp, ISBN 1-883011-83-3; $35 hc) Just what the reading world needs right now: another anthology of maritime literature. Right? Maybe so. Peter Neill, president of New York City's South Street Seaport Museum, has compiled a wondrous package. American Sea Writing certainly represents entertaining winter fireside reading, but it deserves attention for the quality, timeliness and diversity of prose and poetry included. Yes, there's Melville, London and Dana. ButNeillhas plumbed the depths ofAmerican history and surfaced with rarely seen gems from the period of Cotton Mather right up through John McPhee's compellingLookingfor a Ship. When is the last time you saw the work of scientists in a litera1y anthology? Here you'll (re)discover with pleasure Rachel Carson, William Beebe and Sylvia Earle. Also brought into the light are the often-invisible mariners of American history; voluntary and involuntary immigrants are given faces in passages from Lafcadio Hearn and Olaudah Equiano. Describing the physical and psychological impacts his seaside existence has on him, Henry Beston writes, "The sea has many voices." American literary history is filled with writers interpreting those voices. This collection includes many of the best. Neill introduces each entry with a mercifully brief, but instructive background on author, time, and place.American Sea Writing is one of a few anthologies that may take up residence by the bed or fireplace and ac rnally be read . PETER SORENSEN
Mystic, Co nnecticut
<*TALL SHIPS BOOKS*> WWW.TALLSHIPSBOOKS .COM (319) 465-2080
NAUTICAL FICTION & NONFICTION NEW, USED , RARE, OUT-OF-PRINT
MARTIFACTS, INC. MARINE COLLECTIBLES from scrapped ships and SS. UNITED STATES. Lamps, blocks, linen, etc. Send $1 for brochure: Box 350190 Jacksonville FL 32235-0190 Phone/Fax: (904) 645-0150 www.martifacts.com
J~ MARITIME
BOOKS 1806 Laurel Crest Madison, Wisconsin 53705-1065 (608) 238-SAIL FAX (608)-238-7249 Email: tuttlebk@aol.com http:/ /tuttlemaritime.com Out-of-Print and Rare ¡:¡ Books about the Sea, Ship & Sailor ~
Catalogue Upon Request
Owner's Statement Stateme nt fil ed 10/1 /00 requi red by th e Act of Aug. 12, 1970, Sec . 3685 , T itle 39, US Code: Sea H i .H OI} ' is publi shed quarte rl y at 5 John Wal sh Bl vd., Peekskill NY I0566; minimum subsc ri ptio n pri ce is $ 17.50. Publisher and edi tor-in-c hi e f is Peter Stanford: editor is Ju stine Ahl strom ; owner is Nat ional Maritime Hi stori cal Soc iety. a non-profit corporation; all are located at 5 Jo hn Wa lsh Bl vd., Peekskill NY 10566. During th e 12 month s preced in g Oc tobe r 2000 the average num ber of (A) copies pri nted eac h iss ue was 25.389: ( B) paid and/o r requ ested c ircul ati on was: ( \ ) out side-count y mail subscripti ons 12,075; (2) in-count y subsc ription s O; (3) sales throu gh deal ers. ca rri e rs. counter sal es, other non-USPS paid di stri bu tio n 409 ; (4) othe r classes mail ed th rou gh US PS 664: (C) total pa id and/or requ es ted c ircul ati on was 13, 148: ( D) free di stribu ti on by mail , sampl es, compl imentary and othe r 10.6 17; (E) free di stributi on ou tside the mails 1,4 10: (F) total free di stribu tio n was 12,027; (G) to ta l d istribut ion 25. 175: (H) copies not distributed 2 14 ; (I) total [of 15G and HJ 25,389 ; (J ) Percentage paid and/or reques ted c irc ulation 52%. The actual numbers for the sing le iss ue precedin g October 2000 are: (A) tot a l number printed was 25 .1 00; ( B) paid and/or requ ested c ircu lat ion was ( I) out side-count y mail subsc ription s 12,3 17; (2) in-coun1 y subsc ription s O; (3) sales throu gh dea le rs. carrie rs, counter sa les . othe r non-US PS paid di stribution 502; (4) othe r c lasses mail ed throu gh US PS 636; (C) tota l paid and/or requested circulati on was 13.455: ( D) free d istribution by mail , samp les. co mp li me nta ry and other 11 .344 (E) free di stribut ion o ut side th e mails 60: (F) total free di stribut ion was I 1,404; (G) total d istribut ion 24.859: ( H) copies no t d istribut ed 24 1; (I ) total \o f 15G an d Hl 25, I00: (J) Perce ntage paid and/o r requested c ircul at ion 54%. I certify that th e above state ment s are co rrect and co mpl e te. (s igned) Ju stine Ahlstrom. Edi tor. Nat ional Mari ti me Historical Society.
45