In 2019 I published a military history memoir book about my time in the US Navy. Earlier this year I published my first children's book. Together they combine to tell the following story.
In 1970 I was attending Fire Control Technician "C" School in Great Lakes, Illinois. Each morning we were inspected by one of the instructors. As a point of reference I was 6' 5" tall at the time. One night I purchased a new "dixie cup" style Navy hat since my old one was getting a bit tattered. I rolled it up to achieve the type of salty look sailors strive for. In the morning, to my dismay, I discovered it had developed four random corners, which made it look more like I slept in it than salty. I couldn't fix it prior to inspection, so on my head it went.
During inspection I was standing at attention in line with the other students when I heard: "where did you get that hat?" I couldn't see who said it so I just remained at attention. Shortly after that I heard it again, in a much louder voice. Still couldn't see who was talking so I ignored it. A third time and with much more emphasis I heard: "where did you get that #@$^!#$%@ hat?!" I carefully glanced to my left, then to my right, then straight down to see the maddest little senior chief I ever had the misfortune of viewing! He lit into me for about 5 minutes in the kind of colorful language only experienced sailors can manage.
And so my two books: "Underway!" and "My Life as a Giant" intersected!
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