15 comments/ 9202 views/ 13 favorites Small Boats and Brave Men By: GatorRick Having grown up in Southeast Florida, the city of Fort Lauderdale to be more specific, I have always been around boats. My dad served in the Pacific during World War II. During a voyage from Norfolk, Virginia through the Panama Canal and onward to San Diego in 1942 his ship put in to Port Everglades to re-fuel. During a brief liberty he visited Fort Lauderdale. The town made an impression on him so much that when the war was over he and my mother moved there in 1948 with me and my younger sister, Barbara. My name is Eric Mueller. Dad got a job at Broward Marine, a ship building facility on the New River, which had a contract to build mine sweepers for the Dutch Navy. Pop was a motor machinist in the Navy during the war and had an extensive knowledge of diesel engines. When the last of the ships was completed in 1952, he remained with the company that had by now shifted to building yachts; some as large as sixty-five and seventy feet. In 1957 dad and two of his friends decided to open their own boat yard. They saw the boating boom that was beginning in South Florida and thought they could fill a niche not being met by the larger boatyards. They started out building smaller, less expensive boats, in the sixteen to twenty-five foot range. Over the years dad bought out his two partners and became the sole owner of the boatyard. By the time I was entering high school the business had expanded to such an extent that he now employed over thirty craftsmen. When I was in my mid-teens dad gave me a job at his boatyard working during the summers and during breaks from school. The first summer I worked there I was one of the go-for guys you know . . . . 'Eric go for a box of stainless steel screws for me . . . Eric go for a three-eights inch drill and please bring me a fifty foot extension cord . . . Eric bring me another gallon of fiberglas resin. You get the [picture. I learned a lot just by watching these skilled craftsmen that first summer. I continued working there every summer and afternoons at the end of the school day all through high school and during breaks from school when I was away at college. When I graduated from high school I applied to the University of Florida and was accepted. Four years later, in 1968, I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Marine Engineering. My social life in both high school and college was great. I had no trouble finding girl friends. My only problem was finding a girl with which I would want to spend the rest of my life. There was one girl that I met during my Freshman year at Florida. Her name was Elizabeth Becker and I really, really cared for her and I wanted to get to know her a whole lot better. I knew she felt the same way toward me. At the end of the school year I went home to South Florida and she went home to North Carolina. We did keep in touch over the summer by letter and the occasional long distance phone call. In early August she wrote, that because if a family problem, she wouldn't be returning to school for the Fall Semester. I wrote back asking what had happened. The letter came back stamped 'Moved/Left No Forwarding Address'. When I tried calling I received the following message. The number you have dialed 555-555-5555 is no longer in service. After several other failed attempts to contact her we lost touch with one another. In June of 1968, after graduation, I wanted to continue on for a Masters Degree but my Draft Board said 'No'. I had run out of student deferments when I received my Bachelor's Degree. Even though I had a fairly high draft number I decided to visit the Navy Recruitment Office. The recruiter took one look at my qualifications and offered me the opportunity to attend Officer Candidate School (OCS). I signed on the dotted line and committed myself for at least the next five years of my life. Six months later I was a newly commissioned Ensign in the United States Navy. Somewhere along the line the Navy had discovered my experience working in my dad's boatyard and I received an assignment to PCFs (Patrol Craft, Fast) otherwise known as Swift Boats and was sent to Coronado, California for training. These boats were all-aluminum, fifty foot long, shallow-draft vessels operated by the Navy. They were used to patrol coastal areas and later for work on interior waterways as part of what was known as the 'brown-water navy'. During the Viet Nam War they were used to halt the Vietcong movement of arms and munitions, insert SEAL teams for counter-insurgency operations or to transport Vietnamese forces. After completing my training I was sent to South Vietnam to join up with a detachment already in place at a base in the Mekong Delta region. I was placed in command of PCF-35 with a crew of five, a Bosun's Mate, a radarman, an engineer, along with a Quartermaster and Gunner's Mate. The latter two operated the twin .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns in a turret above the pilot house, an over-and-under .50-caliber machine gun as well as an 81mm mortar combination mounted on the rear deck. In late 1969 my crew was supplemented with the addition of a Vietnamese trainee. PCF-35, a Mark III boat, was powered by a pair of General Motors Detroit marine diesel engines rated at 480 horsepower each, with a design range of 320 nautical miles at twenty-one knots (25 mph) with a top speed of twenty-five knots (30 mph). Our primary mission was to patrol the Mekong Delta area which was composed of over ten thousand square miles of marshland, swamps and forested areas all interlaced by rivers and canals controlled by the Vietcong with some support from North Vietnamese regulars. We also would be performing special operations which included gunfire support, troop insertion and evacuation, and raids into enemy territory. It soon became very clear to me that control of the waterways was being hotly contested by the Vietcong. They had developed a number of tactics to challenge us. They set up ambushes, built obstructions in the canals to create choke points, and began to place mines in the waterways. Coming back down river was always more dangerous then going up river. The passage of our patrol assured the Vietcong we would be returning at some point and provided them the opportunity to ambush us. It was on one of these occasions, about six months after my arrival that, as we were returning from a mission, we were attacked. I was hit by a stray round from an AK-47 in my upper left shoulder. Fortunately, it was a through and through and caused no significant damage. Unfortunately, it was not severe enough to earn me a ticket home. It did earn me a Purple Heart and thirty days recuperating in a naval hospital in Yokohama, Japan. Upon my return to the unit I met Ensign James Kerr for the first time. He was a real piece of work. He came from a family of considerable wealth and influence which he all too often pointed out to us. I don't think he liked me. I was senior to him by about ninety days, had combat experience and was well-liked by my crew. My philosophy was my men depended on me to get them home alive and I depended on them for the same thing. I know I had their respect. I had earned it Kerr on the other hand treated his crew with disdain and considered them below his station in life. On more than one occasion he opined that he could hardly wait until his father could pull some strings and get him the hell out of there. After several missions I began hearing some disturbing scuttlebutt concerning Ensign Kerr. Seems like every time his boat came under enemy fire he disappeared below deck and didn't re-emerge until the shooting had stopped. He soon became known as 'Chicken-Shit Kerr' amongst the enlisted personnel. Sure enough a little more than six weeks after his arrival he was gone. Transferred back to the states for some obscure reason. Good riddance. Officers like him were sure to get someone killed. I spent a year in Vietnam and in 1970 I was scheduled to rotate home but I felt I needed to stay so I volunteered for another tour. ****************** In late October 1971 our entire unit was withdrawn and shipped home. For an early Christmas present I was promoted to Lieutenant. I had already received a promotion from Ensign to Lieutenant j.g. early during my second tour in Nam. Promotions came quickly during wartime. I got to spend the Christmas Holidays with my family before reporting to my next duty station at Mare Island, training crews for PBRs (Patrol Boat, Rivers) 32-foot long all fiberglass boats with twin water jet propulsion as well as the PCF Swift Boats. It was a great duty station right outside of San Francisco. Many a weekend night my buddies and I would hit the bars and clubs down by the bay. It was one of those nights that I met Deloris Collins. She was with a bunch of her girl friends celebrating someone's birthday. My buddy, Dave another officer I had served with in Nam, knew one of the girls and we were soon invited to join them. To make a long story short Deloris and I hit it off and we spent the next several months dating one another. I was really falling hard for her when one night at a club we frequented James Kerr showed up. He was still in the service, still only a Lieutenant j.g., serving as an admin aide in one of the many offices at Mare Island. Seeing Deloris and I seated at a table he barged over, sat down and introduced himself as one of my long lost buddies from Nam. He was so full of crap his eyes were brown. I went to refresh Deloris and my drinks from the bar and when I returned found that he had dragged her onto the small dance floor. After the second dance I got up, walked over and cut in saying "Do you mind if I dance with 'MY' date." He gave me a snarky look as he stepped away, relinquishing Deloris to me. On our way taking her home that evening she asked me about him. I gave her the G-rated version of his activities while we were serving together in Viet Nam. In hindsight I should have been a lot more descriptive and given her the R-rated version. The following weekend I had the duty and couldn't leave the base. When I called Deloris, she was disappointed but told me she understood and would see me the following Friday night. When I showed up at her parents home I was met at the door by her mother. "Eric, why are you here? Didn't Deloris tell you she wouldn't be home tonight?" Thinking there might have been a SNAFU in our communications I headed down to Fishermen's Wharf by myself. As I walked into one of the many bars, low and behold, what do I see but Deloris and James Kerr playing kissy face in one of the secluded booths. When I walked over to them Deloris looked up with an 'Oh My God' look on her face and Kerr with a shit-eating grin on his. All I said was, "have a great evening, Deloris. I won't be calling or seeing you anymore." Then I just turned and walked away. No point in getting into something with him. He just wasn't worth my career and it appeared neither was she. I heard a couple of months later from Dave that his girl friend had told him that Kerr knocked Deloris up and then dumped her. Kerr's parents stepped in and had bought her off to the tune of twenty grand to keep her mouth shut and move on with her life without him. One night, Deloris's brother, George looked me up and filled me in on the entire story. I had always liked George. He had also served in Vietnam the same time I was there. But since he was in the army we never ran across each other. However, we did share a special camaraderie having served together in that hell-hole. George told me when Kerr found out Deloris was pregnant he left her high and dry. Told her could never marry anyone so far below 'his' station in life. After Kerr's parents had given the money to Deloris, she suffered a miscarriage and lost her baby. When Kerr found out about this he showed up wanting her to return 'His' money. "Dad and I threw him out on his ass." Mysteriously, shortly thereafter, Kerr was transferred to somewhere on the east coast. George told me he paid Kerr a little visit late one night just before good old James was set to leave San Francisco. At the conclusion of their little discussion, which included some comments regarding his questionable parentage, Kerr spent the next four weeks in the base hospital. Seems that he had to recover from a brutal beating by person or persons unknown. Too bad. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. ****************** I spent the next two years at Mare Island involved with the training of new crews to man the PBRs and the PCF Swift Boats. I was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in July of 1975. During the time I spent there I dated a lot of different girls over those years but never found another one like Deloris. One afternoon in September of 1975 I happen to glance at an official Navy document soliciting applications for the command position to head the Naval Surface Warfare Center Facility located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at Port Everglades. What caught my eye was the location. It was where I grew up and my where my parents were still living. I don't want to take the time to paraphrase the entire document it so I am going to post the official publication verbatim just as I received it. *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** FORT LAUDERDALE BRANCH Naval Surface Warfare Center The United States Navy established the Fort Lauderdale facility in 1952 to support the underwater mine warfare program. Through the years, Branch personnel have kept pace with the diverse and complex testing techniques required by today's advanced weapon systems and components. Working in close partnership with the Navy's operating forces, the Branch plans and supports test programs in a variety of warfare areas for NSWC as well as for other military and civilian government activities and their contractors. The Fort Lauderdale detachment is headed by a military officer in overall command and a civilian facility manager. The experienced staff represents many years of T&E expertise. The administrative complex and shore support facilities of the Branch are adjacent to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, about one mile south of Florida Route 84 and one mile west of U.S. Route 1. The range house and boats are located at the south jetty of the Port Everglades ship channel. This is an area from which it is possible to interface with naval and air units under ideal conditions for testing interoperable weapons and communications systems. The area's superb environmental and physical characteristics offer a rare combination of technical, environmental, and logistic advantages such as: * Open ocean and unrestricted waters * Hard sandy ocean bottom and clear water, facilitating recovery of test hardware * Realistic operational environment * Sheltered harbor with controlling depth of 45 feet in the slips and 44 feet in the turning basin * Air lanes sufficiently free to permit airdrops * Excellent climate suitable for year-round test operations * Proximity to Navy and Air Force activities and contract support * Convenient to road, air, rail, and sea transportation services The Fort Lauderdale Branch of the Naval Surface Warfare Center operates the only land-based, deep-water test and evaluation (T&E) facility located on the Eastern Seaboard. Here, NSWC and other research and development activities conduct full-scale trials of air, surface, and underwater weapon systems under a variety of oceanographic conditions. As the Navy's principal research, development, test and evaluation center for surface ship weapons systems, ordnance, mines, and strategic systems support, NSWC relies upon its Fort Lauderdale Branch to support rigorous field trials in conditions comparable to the actual operating environment. The Atlantic Ocean test range features a deep-water cable monitoring system, a shore tracking system, and underwater and surface communications and tracking systems. The facility's experienced technical staff, excellent shore facilities, and waterborne craft combine to offer an unparalleled environment for year-round T&E operations. The center conducts field trials of air, surface, and underwater ordnance systems in the Atlantic Ocean in addition to: * Recovering test hardware in depths to 2000 feet * Developing, installing, maintaining, and operating ship tracking and offshore positioning equipment * Installing and maintaining a deep-water cable monitoring system * Providing weapon assembly and storage areas, technical and support personnel, security, shore tracking and monitoring stations, boats and utility craft to support field trials Water depths in the test area range from 500 feet three miles offshore down to 2000 feet only 21.5 miles out. The continental shelf drops off in the test range at its closet point to the U.S. mainland, enabling the Fort Lauderdale Branch to operate the only T&E facility with deep water so close to shore. Tides vary from 0.6 to 3.7 feet except during unusual storm situations. Ocean currents on the test ranges typically run between 0.5 and 3.0 knots, with a maximum of 4.5 knots. A mile or two from shore, the Gulf Stream offers a rigorous environment for underwater testing, while inshore eddies and spring tides offer a variety of currents for environmental studies. Water salinity in the Atlantic Ocean test ranges measures approximately 35.7 parts per 1000. The climate and water conditions are suitable for at-sea operations an average of 351 days of the year. The warm, clear waters are conducive to underwater photography, video coverage of operations, and recovery of test hardware. Trials may be conducted in deep waters with either a sandy bottom or a rocky bottom, as appropriate. The proximity to ship traffic provides realistic at-sea operational conditions. Tracking, ranging, and plotting are the principal functions conducted on NSWC's extensive Atlantic Ocean test ranges in conjunction with airdrops and the ranging of surface ships and submerged submarines. A system of 375 miles of underwater cables monitors the performance of test hardware at depths down to 2000 feet. Underwater cable types include multi-conductor, coaxial, and fiberoptic. Each range may be equipped with underwater tracking systems and telephones. The Fort Lauderdale Branch arranges to lay additional cables to meet test program requirements of user activities. The Fort Lauderdale Center also tests and evaluates a variety of ordnance. surface, and underwater systems in water depths from 1 to 2000 feet. Typical operations involve: * Underwater ordnance deployment, ranging, and recovery * Tactical ships' data * Autonomous vehicle tracking * Mine countermeasures * Trajectory and water-entry performance * Submerged ordnance hardware The Fort Lauderdale Branch operates various marine facilities from its site on the Port Everglades main ship channel. The facility's small craft-including work, utility, and dive boats are berthed at the south jetty of the channel. Three cement piers, 41 feet long by 51/2 feet wide, with water depth of 10 feet, accommodate small craft up to a maximum of 75 feet. A large, open area adjacent to the piers is convenient for loading and unloading craft, reeling and splicing cables, and as a general work area. A two-story building serves as a combination assembly area, office, and stowage area for auxiliary support equipment. Navy diving teams are attached full time to the facility are trained and experienced in underwater recovery operations. Most diving operations occur in less than 120 feet of water using conventional scuba gear. The divers also perform underwater inspection and repair of Navy ships and submarines at Port Everglades. Small Boats and Brave Men The security for the administrative complex and range house areas are provided by a chain-link fence enclosure. Overall security is maintained by a 24-hour civilian guard force. Secure stowage is available for classified material. Approved for public release; NSWC MP 89-2444 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 ********************************************************************************************************************************** ***************************************************************** An addendum described the qualifications needed. I did meet the two major ones. Rank - Check -Lieutenant Commander or above. Education - Check - I had a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering as well as minor in Marine Engineering. My service record I knew was exemplary. Every one of my FitReps (Fitness Reports) were scored as 'excellent'. I wrote up a request for change of duty to this position. That evening I showed it to my buddy Dave. "What do you think, Dave, should I submit it?" When he finished reading he said to me, "looks like you have as good a shot as anyone." "Yeah," I replied. "Maybe that Purple Heart will get me the sympathy vote." Dave just sat there, sighed, and replied. "I think the Silver Star you were awarded will carry more weight." "How did that citation read, again, Eric . . .?" "Oh yeah, and I am just paraphrasing off the top of my head here." ' . . . on 15 March 1969 Ensign Eric Mueller while returning from patrol on the Mekong River repulsed three separate attacks by Vietcong and North Vietnamese regulars after his crew was rendered helpless by an ambush by said enemy forces. In spite of being wounded Ensign Mueller successfully defended his crew and effected their safe return. Because of his action, Ensign Eric Mueller, is hereby awarded the Silver Star for Valor.' "Eric, I'd say that alone will put you at the top of the list." So I submitted my request and, as usual with the Navy, the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly. It was February 1976 when I received word. My request had been granted. I had been selected to command the Warfare Center. By March 1st I was back home in Fort Lauderdale and assumed command of the center. It took me the better part of six long weeks, working ten hours a day, to get up to speed with my new responsibilities. ****************** It was after seven o'clock one Friday evening in early May when I changed into civvies and I left my office for the drive home. Just on a whim I decided to stop at a new restaurant I had heard about on the 17th Street Causeway instead of just heading on home to my apartment. Stepping into the dimly lit lobby I was met by the hostess. I indicated that I was alone and was led to a secluded table along one wall. She handed me a menu and said my server would be with me shortly. When I got a good look at her face I could have swore I knew her from somewhere but just couldn't quite remember. She gave me a puzzling look, as well, before returning to the hostess station in the front of the restaurant. I ordered the house specialty, a rib-eye steak . . medium rare . . , loaded baked potato along with the customary veggies. I had a cold draft imported beer to complement the meal. The place far exceeded its reputation. The meal was excellent. As I sat there enjoying an after dinner brandy the hostess reappeared and said to me. "I know you from someplace, don't I?" After asking her to sit down it hit me. "Oh, my God. Elizabeth . .? Elizabeth Becker . ." I stuttered. "We . . . we met at UF in 1964. Didn't we?" Her face lit up in recognition as she replied. "Eric, Eric Mueller? It has to be almost twelve years since I last saw you." I asked if she had some time so we could talk for a while and she responded. "Yes. I'm finished for the evening. I really don't work here. I'm filling in for a friend. She and her husband own the place and they wanted to go watch their daughter perform in a school play this evening so I volunteered to help them out. They both just returned so I'm free for the rest of the evening." I asked if she cared to join me for a drink. Catching the eye of the waitress I ordered. "Chardonnay for the lady and another brandy for me, please." As we sat there a young woman strolled over to the table and Elizabeth introduced her to me. "Eric, I like you to meet my very good friend, Charlotte. She and her husband are the owners." "Charlotte, this is Eric Mueller. I haven't seen him since my Freshmen year of college twelve years ago. Would you mind if we sat here and caught up on what has happened in our lives since then?" "Not at all," she replied. "Stay as long as you like." After exchanging a few more pleasantries she left us. Elizabeth leaned forward across the table and asked me. "So, Eric what have you been up to since our Freshmen year?" I gave her the 'Cliff Notes' version of my life since we last saw each other. I glossed over the time I spent in Vietnam, and all the associated horror that went with it, just telling her I was there for two years. Instead I focused on what I did in California at Mare Island. I briefly mentioned Deloris and how that all ended. At that point Elizabeth just shook her head and, in muted voice, said to me. "She was incredibly stupid." I then told her about my new position here in Fort Lauderdale at the Naval Surface Warfare Center. I explained that this is where I grew up and how good it felt to be home again. Adding that my mom and dad still lived here in the very same house in Rio Vista right on the river. I hastened to add that I did have my own apartment though. When I finished I said. "I was surprised when you didn't return for the Fall Semester. I was really looking forward to spending more time with you. I tried to get in touch with you but was unsuccessful. What happened?" She sighed and responded. "It's a long story." "When I got home that summer I discovered that my father didn't want my mother, or me, in his life any more. He emptied all their savings from the bank along with all of the money my grandmother had left me for my college education. Then he took off for parts unknown with his twenty-three year old secretary." "We had to move from the house because mom couldn't afford the payments on the mortgage. It happened so fast we hardly had time to find a new place to live. During the move I lost my address book along with your phone number." "Mom divorced him a year later on the grounds of abandonment. We never saw any of the money he stole from the both of us." "Even though mom was working as a nurse at the local hospital, she couldn't afford the out-of-state tuition for me to return to UF. Getting a job I worked full-time for six months before I could save enough money to enroll in the local college." "With what mom could afford to give me, along with what I was earning working part-time, a large student loan, scrimping on clothes, no social life and living at home I was able to make it through and finish. It took me almost five years to get my degree in nursing." "Two months before my graduation my father re-appeared sick and broke. His girl friend left him when his money ran out after he became ill and could no longer work." "He begged for us to take him back. We both realized that all he was really after was for someone to take care of him while he recovered from his illness. Mom said 'No' and closed the door in his face." "You have to understand that we lived in a very small town. My father's family had lived there, like, forever. People did not know the whole story. They knew nothing of the divorce and what precipitated it. All they saw was that a poor, sick man had been turned away by his wife and daughter in his time of need." "Really nasty things were being said behind my mother's back and sometimes to her face. Mom refused to air her dirty laundry in public and expose him for the SOB he really was." "When she found another job here in Fort Lauderdale at Broward General Medical Center I was thrilled." "I remembered that you told me that you lived here. I tried to look up your parents several times but with no success." "As soon as I passed the Florida State Boards I went searching for a job. I didn't want to work in a hospital. Shift work didn't appeal to me along with being constantly being moved from one set of responsibilities to another within the hospital." "I found a job working in a pediatrician's office. I love it. Doctor Chapman has been in practice for more than twenty-five years. I work five days a week eight to five and a half day on Saturday but only every other week." "Working with children is very rewarding. It is so neat to see them as they grow from infants to adolescents. It is where I met Charlotte when she brought her daughter in for a school physical." As she finished she looked at her watch and exclaimed. "Oh my gosh. Look at the time. It's after mid-night. I have to go to work early in the morning so I really need to go home and get some sleep." I settled up the bill and walked Elizabeth out to her car. As she got into her car she told me how much she had enjoyed the evening. Before she could get in I told her I would like to see her again. She scribbled her phone number on a piece of paper and said "Call me." Then I closed her door and stepped back. She turned the key and nothing. Not even the click.. click.. click signaling a dead battery. She got out and said, "I have to go back inside and call a taxi to get home." "No, you don't. My car is right over here. I'll drive you home." On the way to her apartment I asked how she would get to work in the morning. She told me another one of the nurses lived nearby and she would catch a ride in with her. When we arrived at her place I walked with her to the door and asked for her car keys. "I don't have anything planned for the morning. I'll go over to the restaurant parking lot and see if I can get your car up and running for you." "You don't have to do that," she said. "Really, it's not a problem. I don't have any plans for the morning," I replied. "You are so sweet," she said, giving me a hug and kissing me on the cheek. "Come inside for a moment while I get my spare set of car keys." Returning with the keys she said to me. "Wait a moment I have something else I want to give to you." Going into her bedroom she returned a few moments later with a packet of letters bound with a blue ribbon. Handing me the packet she went on to explain. "This may sound a bit strange but I wrote these letters to you even after I lost your address. Somehow writing them gave me the feeling of still being connected to you. I saved every letter you wrote to me. The only thing I didn't save were the envelopes with your return address. I was so stupid not to have done so, but I didn't plan on losing my address book." It was a little one in the morning when I got back to my apartment. I wasn't sleepy so I opened the first of her letters. It pretty much explained what had happened when her father took off. It was in much greater detail than what she had told me several hours ago. I could almost feel the pain she was experiencing as she wrote it. The next few letters she wrote were all about her waitressing job and her plans for going back to school in North Carolina to pursue her degree in nursing. The last of her letters described the life she wanted to have and the kind of man she wanted with which to share it. She mentioned an assignment she was given in one of her classes, 'Marriage and Family Living', where she had to develop a list of physical and personal characteristics of her ideal spouse. These letters gave me pause for thought and encouraged me to think. One, what was this about a list of physical and personal characteristics? Two, did I want to pursue establishing closer relationship with her? With these thoughts in my mind I fell asleep. When I awaken in the morning I had the answer to one of my questions. It was after nine-thirty in the morning when I went over to see if I could figure out what was wrong with her car. As soon as I opened the hood I saw what the problem was, the battery terminals were full of corrosion. Taking a wrench, I had in my tool box, I removed the cables and cleaned them as well as the battery terminals. After re-installing the battery cables I moved my car over as close as I could and, using my jumper cables, I managed to start her car. As I removed the jumper cables I happened to notice that the date on the battery indicated it was almost five years old. Figuring that it would not last much longer I drove over to an auto parts store and purchased a new battery for her. It only took a few minutes to install it. I, also, changed the fan and alternator belts as they looked about worn out. While I was at the auto parts store I looked in their telephone book for the address of Doctor Chapman's office. While driving over to his office I noticed that her gas gauge read empty so I stopped at a gas station and filled the tank. While I was there I had the garage do an oil and filter change. I arrived at Doctor Chapman's office just before they closed at noon. Walking in I was greeted by the receptionist with a puzzled look on her face as I didn't have a child with me. After telling her why I was there she said to me. "Oh. You are the reason Elizabeth has had such a big smile on her face all morning. Let me tell her you are here." She picked up the phone, hit a button and said. "There is a gentlemen here to see you." "She will be right with you. She's just finishing with our last patient for the day." A few minutes later Elizabeth appeared carrying her purse. I held up her car keys and told her, "all fixed, let's go." Handing her the keys, as we got in the car, she asked me, "what was wrong?" "It just needed a new battery and a few other minor things. The receipt and paperwork for the warranty on the battery are in the glove box." Before she started the car she said that she needed to get gas as the tank was empty. "Wait a minute," she exclaimed after she started the car and looked at the gas gauge. "Did you fill my tank up?" "Guilty as charged, Elizabeth. I, also, had the oil and filter changed. It really needs to be done every 3000 miles or you could have serious trouble." "How much do I owe you for all of this?" She asked. "Nothing. It wasn't really that expensive and I figured you were entitled to a little TLC once in awhile." "Really, come on, if you won't take any money at least let me feed you. Can you come for supper tonight?" "I'd love do that, Elizabeth. What time and what can I bring?" "Six o'clock and you needn't bring anything other than your appetite." So at six that evening I found myself standing at the door to her apartment with a bouquet of flowers and two bottles of wine, one white and the other red. When she answered my knock, I handed her the flowers and held up the wine for her to see. "I thought I told you not to bring anything," she said, smiling. "I couldn't come empty handed," I shrugged. Dinner was wonderful. Afterward I helped her clean up the dishes in spite of her protests. I told her that I had read all her letters the night before. "All of them?" She asked. "Yep. All of them." Elizabeth looked at me with a questioning expression but I changed the topic of conservation. The remainder of the evening was spent talking and laughing about some of the silly things we had done when we were kids. It was after ten when I decided to leave and let her get some rest after her long day. As I rose from my seat she said to me. "Mom and I go to church every Sunday. Would you like to join us tomorrow morning?" "Yes. I would really like to go with you. May I pick you and your mother up in the morning?" We agreed upon a time and as I was leaving she gave me a quick kiss on the lips saying to me. "Thank you for everything. You make me feel very, very special." I arrived five minutes early the following morning, got out of the car and proceeded to Elizabeth's apartment. Before I could knock she opened the door and I was ushered inside. Introductions were made and I immediately could see where Elizabeth got her good looks from. If I had not known, I would have sworn that they were sisters, not mother and daughter. Both were the same height, had the same colored hair, both had blue eyes and both displayed the same dazzling smile. After church I suggested we all go out for lunch. We went to the 'Sea Watch' a wonderful seafood restaurant nestled between the sand dunes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. I suggested we share the coconut fried shrimp for an appetizer. The girls then selected the grilled Sea Bass while I chose the Swordfish Oscar for my entree. I insisted that they try the Key Lime pie for dessert. It was almost four that afternoon when I dropped them off at Elizabeth's apartment. They both thanked me profusely for the wonderful lunch. Before leaving I asked Elizabeth if she would like to go out next Friday or Saturday evening. She surprised me by saying, "why not both nights?" From then on out we were pretty much inseparable. Every weekend we did something from airboat rides in the Everglades to picnics at Birch State Park. Sometimes we went to the beach or just lounged around the pool at my condominium apartment. I remember the first time I saw her in her bikini swim suit. Oh my God!! She was absolutely stunning. One Friday evening I took her to Pier 66's rooftop lounge. The entire floor made one revolution every hour providing panoramic views of the city and the ocean. It soon became one of our favorite places to go and relax at the end of the week. Another activity we both enjoyed was when I borrowed my dad's boat and we would slowly cruise north on the Intracoastal Waterway stopping at one of the many bars or restaurants that provided dockage along the waterway. My dad's boat is a thirty-eight foot cabin cruiser with a fly bridge. I had helped dad build the hull during my last two summers of college over ten years ago. Since then dad replaced the twin gas V-8s with twin diesels. They were more reliable and afforded better fuel consumption. On Labor Day Elizabeth and I took a day trip down to Key Largo and snorkeled the pristine coral reefs of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Returning late in the day, exhausted, we had dinner at her apartment. Moving into the living room we sat next to each other on the sofa, each with a glass of wine. "I re-read the letters you wrote me again last night. I'll admit I'm curious about the class assignment you mentioned in the last one. What was that all about?" I asked. "Would you pour me another glass of wine while I retrieve something from my desk?" She responded. When I returned with the wine she was seated on the sofa with her feet tucked up under her holding a spiral bound notebook. Opening it to a specific page, she handed it to me and told me to read what was written. There were two written columns one headed 'Physical' and the other 'Personal'. Under the column headed 'Physical' there were a half dozen traits. Each one had my name, 'Eric', written with an exclamation mark next to it. Under the column headed 'Personal' there were eight characteristics listed. All but the last one, again, had my name by it followed by the exclamation mark. The last of the personal characteristics she had written was 'Sexual Compatibility'. Again, it was followed by my name. But this time there were a series of question marks. I looked at her with a puzzled expression on my face but before I could say anything she said. Small Boats and Brave Men "When I wrote that I had no idea if we were or not. At sometime in the future I had planned on finding out. But it only had to be after we established a relationship." Taking me by the hand, saying that the time had come to find out, she led me into her bedroom. I'll leave to your imagination as to what transpired. Suffice to say it was out of this world. The next morning as I stumbled out into the kitchen for a cup of coffee I saw Elizabeth's notebook on the table. It was still opened to the same page as she showed me last night. The question marks had been scratched through and a series of exclamation marks followed by the words 'WOW and YES' in big bold letters now appeared. ******************** All through October and early November we visited many of the Fall Festivals that were held in the area every year. On many of these occasions we went with Elizabeth's mother, Marie, and my mom and dad. Our parents became friends and my mom and dad made it a point to include Mrs. Becker in on many of their activities. With each passing day I became more convinced that Elizabeth was the woman with which I wanted to spend the rest of my life. Elizabeth and her mother were invited to join my sister, her husband, as well as mom, dad and myself for Thanksgiving Dinner. We all took our places at the table and prepared for dinner. It had always been a tradition in my family, for as long as I could remember, for each person at the table to give 'thanks' for something good that had happened to them over the course of the year. Dad began by expressing his thanks for his family being here to celebrate the day with mom and him. Mom followed by echoing what dad said and adding her thanks for her new friend, Marie Becker, who was able to join them today. My sister expressed thanks for her husband's successful defense of his doctoral dissertation. Her husband, Peter, was thankful for his wife's support for the entire time he spent acquiring his Ph.D. "I couldn't have done it without you," he told her. Then it was Mrs. Becker's turn. She was thankful for being included in our family's celebration and for having such good friends as my mom and dad. She also was thankful for being able to see the return of her daughter's happiness that had been lost for so many years. Elizabeth looked at me and simply said. "Thank you for making my life one filled with joy. I love you." Then it was my turn. "Elizabeth, the past few months have been like a dream come true for me. I cannot express how much love and happiness is in my heart at this very moment for you. Thank you for becoming such a big part of my life." ******************** Twelve days after Thanksgiving was the annual Christmas Boat Parade. It is one of the oldest Holiday Boat Parades in the Nation. Over seventy boats, ranging in size from the smallest sixteen footer to over eighty feet in length, each highly festooned with Christmas lights and decorations cruise north on the Intracoastal Waterway to the enjoyment of thousands of spectators. I remember always being a part of this parade and this year it would be even more special. I gave my mom and dad a heads up on what I was planning to do. Mom thought it was romantic and dad just said, "it's about time you got off your butt. I thought you were going to pull the trigger Thanksgiving Day after what you said at dinner." That's my dad. No mincing words for him. After spending the entire day helping dad decorate the boat and taking care of some very special arrangements, I picked up Elizabeth and her mom, bringing them to the dock and all five of us boarded just before four o'clock. Cruising north we arrived at the starting point at Lake Santa Barbara just after five o'clock and found our spot in the line of boats. As soon as the sun set the parade began. An early season cold front had swept through South Florida that day and the night time temperature had dropped into the low fifties. Mom, dad and Mrs. Becker stayed in the aft cockpit somewhat out of the chilly breeze. Elizabeth and I were up on the fly bridge and it was cold. I wrapped a warm blanket around her as I piloted the boat slowly north. As she snuggled up against me enjoying the spectacle around us I drew her close to me and whispered in her ear. "Elizabeth, I can't begin to tell you how much love and happiness is in my heart. I cannot imagine my living my life without you in it. Will you please marry me so that I may continue to love and cherish you for the rest of my days." With that I produced the ring I had purchased several days before. For what seemed like hours, but was only a few short seconds, she answered me. "OH MY GOSH!! YES. . . YES!! Yes, I will!" With that I sounded the boat's horn which was the signal for the three parents waiting below to join us. Dad brought up the bottle of champagne and flutes I had secreted away earlier that day. "She said YES, she said Yes!" I exclaimed. Marie and my mom hugged us both and my dad slapped me on my back several times. Elizabeth was showing her ring to the two mothers as dad opened the champagne and said. "Here is to the loving couple. May your life be one filled with joy and happiness." Then he sounded the boat's horn over and over for the remainder of our journey. It truly was a memorable night. The Christmas Holidays and New Year's Day flew by and then it was back to work. ******************** One Monday afternoon in early February, as I was reviewing some test data with one of the electronic engineers, my phone rang. Answering it I found my father on the line. "Eric, I need to speak with you as soon as you can break free this afternoon. It's important and it is something that I don't want to discuss over the phone." "Okay, pop. I'll meet you in your office . . . say somewhere around four-thirty." At four thirty-five I walked into my father's office. Dad got right to the point of why he called me. "A guy walked in here today looking to buy a go-fast boat. Said he needed it right away. When we got into my office to discuss the details he saw that photograph of you hanging on the wall." "He looked at it and told me he knew you. Said you served together in Nam and you both were at Mare Island at the same time." "What's his name, Dad?" "Kerr, he told his name was James Kerr. You remember him?" "Yeah, I remember him all right. A real piece of crap. I heard he had to resign his commission, under somewhat suspicious circumstances, a couple of years ago." Then I proceeded to tell him everything about my relationship with James 'Chicken-Shit' Kerr. I gave him the full R-rated version. Dad listened to everything I had to say and then continued telling me about his encounter with Kerr earlier that morning. "He is an arrogant son-of-a-bitch. Kept telling me money was no object. He told me exactly what he had to have. He wanted the cabin under the fore deck completely stripped bare of all accommodations including the head (toilet). Said he needed the boat to have the two of the biggest V-8 engines available." "Here's the kicker said he has to have it by this Saturday." "So, dad, what are you going to do?" "Well, I've got one out in the yard I told him. Won't take but a day or two to strip the cabin. It has two of the biggest engines already installed." "I went on to tell him I needed half of the money up front, no checks, cash only. The remaining fifty percent to be paid, in cash, upon delivery." "What did he say to that, pop?" "The jerk agreed. Came back an hour later with sixty grand in hand. I took him over to my bank where I deposited it in my account." "When we got back I gave instructions to Charlie to start on the modifications immediately and that I wanted everything completed by Friday morning for a shakedown run. Kerr was standing right next to me and seemed satisfied with that before he left." "Eric, I may be old, but I'm not stupid. I know exactly what he's planning to do with that boat." "Okay, dad. I'm on the same page as you on this. I'm going to call Doug Wilson over at the Coast Guard Base and give him a heads up." "While you are at it tell him I'll install a tracking device so they will be able to keep tabs on him," he chuckled. I made the call and Doug, who commands the Coast Guard Base at the port, and explained the situation. He replied that he would contact DEA to set up surveillance. Turning back to dad I said, "looks like Kerr may be in for a nasty surprise this weekend." By Friday morning everything had been completed. Kerr went on the shakedown run, was satisfied, paid dad the final sixty thousand in cash and took possession of the boat. On Sunday night's late TV news there was a brief story about a significant drug bust by the Coast Guard and agents from the DEA. No details were given. I couldn't help but wonder if it was Kerr who was involved. Tuesday morning I had a visitor to my office. It was Doug Wilson. "Thought you would like to know what happened Saturday night." He then confided, off the record to me, what transpired. "Late Saturday afternoon Kerr and two other men left Port Everglades and cruised out past the twelve mile limit of U.S. territorial waters. They met up with a old tramp freighter and off loaded almost two tons of pot along with over sixty kilos of coke. Thanks to that transponder, your dad secreted away aboard his boat, we were able to track him with no problem." "They came back in through Hillsboro Inlet. We followed and watched him tie up to a dock behind a home on a canal just south of the inlet. The DEA agents tried to effect an arrest when one of the two men with him began shooting at the agents. They returned fire and killed him. Kerr and the remaining suspect were both arrested and taken into custody." "Yesterday morning he was arraigned in Federal Court. Multiple drug charges and also a homicide charge relating to the death of his companion. No bond. He'll be sitting in jail until his trial." "Thanks, Doug. Can I pass this along to my dad." "Yeah. Just don't tell him it was me who told you. The story is going break in the news later this afternoon though." As soon as Doug left I called my dad and related everything that I had been told. Then I just sat back in my chair and thought to myself. This is one scrape his family won't be able to get him out of. Karma is a bitch that sometimes bites you big time hard on the ass. ****************** For the next few months Elizabeth, her mom and my mother planned the wedding. I offered to help but was told in no uncertain terms that they had everything under control. My dad told me that I had only two tasks to perform. "Show up on time and say 'I Do'. Other than that just sit back and say 'Yes Dear. Whatever you want to do is fine with me'." Elizabeth and I were married in early June. It was a small affair with just a few close personal friends and family members. The reception was held in the restaurant that Elizabeth's friend, Charlotte and her husband owned. We went to Paris and London for our honeymoon. We saw several shows in London including 'The Phantom of the Opera'. In Paris, 'the City of Love', we did all the sightseeing that tourists do, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe . . . Returning home we both went back to work. Eighteen months later Elizabeth resigned her job when Doctor Chapman retired and closed his office. She would have had to leave shortly anyway as she was pregnant with our first child. Then the Navy, in its infinite wisdom, decided to transfer me from the Warfare Center to another post halfway around the world. After talking it over with Elizabeth I decided to retire and go into the inactive reserves. I went to work with my dad. He wanted to retire, but not really retire. He came in for a half day in the morning and went home at lunch to be with my mom for the rest of the day. Gradually even that stopped and I was left alone to run the business. Mom and dad always wanted to travel and boy did they ever. They explored every continent and that even included Antarctica. God Bless them they both. They more than ever earned it. Both of them were here for the birth of Elizabeth's and my son. Two years later they were home for the birth of our second son. They spoiled the heck out of those two little guys. As the boys grew older I would take them with me to the boatyard. They loved playing in and around the boats. One afternoon Elizabeth entered my office closing the door behind her. "Where are the boys?" She asked. "Outside, playing in the twenty-eight footer." I replied. She walked around my desk and stood at the window that overlooked the boatyard to watch them. I stood right behind her and whispered in her ear. "You can hear them from here." "They're having a great time fighting off pirates today. Yesterday they were were in the Marine Patrol chasing after bad guys." "Little boys and boats. Can it get any better?" Elizabeth turned to me, giving me a soul searing kiss and replied. "There's only one thing better and that is a big boy and his boats."