The Devil Boat

PT boats loom large in the popular imagination of World War II. In March 1942, a PT boat evacuated Gen. Douglas MacArthur, his family, and top staff from the Philippines, which inspired the war movie They Were Expendable, directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne. John F. Kennedy became a war hero while commanding PT-109, which collided with a Japanese destroyer and was sunk in August 1943. But the story of PT boats has never been told in the depth and detail that their exemplary service deserves. Naval historian C. J. Skamarakas uses one Pacific PT boat squadron to tell the story of PT boats in action in World War II. Eighty feet long, PT boats were designed to launch torpedoes against enemy ships five and ten times their own size. But defects in the torpedoes and the boats’ speed and maneuverability ultimately shifted the boats’ mission to patrolling and breaking up Japanese shipping and reinforcements. In the waters of the Southwest Pacific as part of MacArthur’s offensives in New Guinea and the Philippines, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 25 completed these missions and also executed other operations for which they weren’t specifically trained, including inserting commandos behind enemy lines, air-sea rescue, raids on enemy positions, reconnaissance of potential sites for amphibious landings, coordination of air strikes in support of ground forces, meetings with guerrilla leaders, recovery of prisoners of war, diversionary activities, and psychological operations. Today we would call many of their missions “special ops.” The Japanese called PT boats “mosquitoes” and “devil boats.” The Devil Boats recounts the unique contributions of one motor torpedo boat squadron and through it tells the story of PT boats in the Pacific War. With drama and excitement, as well as careful attention to detail, the book fills a void in the history of the U.S. Navy in World War II.

From the day that they buy their own boat, a coral diver and his son sense it is cursed by the devil.

A collaborationist who fought for Germany during WWII and later for the French in Vietnam tells his eventful life story in this military memoir. This is the riveting true story of Paul Martelli who fought on the Eastern Front in 1945 as a fifteen-year-old member of the 33rd Waffen-Grenadier-Division of the SS Charlemagne, and later, as a soldier with French forces in the Tonkin area of Vietnam. Paul recounts his time at the Sennheim military training base; his experience of the German invasion of France when he was still a boy in Lorraine; and his motivations for enlisting with the Waffen SS a few years later. He reveals his escapades at Greifenberg, his first love with a German girl helping refugees, and his experiences of combat. After the German defeat, Martelli ends up delivering a group of female camp prisoners to a Russian officer, then living in disguise among enemy soldiers until he escapes and surrenders to the Americans. After a prison sentence and military service in Morocco, Paul is sent to fight in defense of French bases north of Hanoi, Vietnam. Though he survives three years of fierce combat, he compares his service in the Waffen SS with the inefficiency of the French Expeditionary Force and comes out deeply frustrated. At almost twenty-six, Martelli has fought and lost in two wars, both against the communists. Unemployed, and with the ideals of a ‘Nouvelle Europe’ in pieces, he briefly joins the French Foreign Legion before choosing another path

Andre Verlain is on top of the world. At the age of twenty-six, he is already a respected member of the medical field, in love with a beautiful woman, Rachel Hayot. But then, in 1902, he finds himself in France, where he learns how easy it is to fall from the highest height to the lowest low. While in Paris, Andre meets a mysterious fortune teller, and Madame Boulier has some bad news . According to Madame, Andre must soon make a choice. It is foretold that the woman he truly loves is doomed to die in the city of St. Pierre on the island of Martiniquekilled by the eruption of the volcano, Pelee. Andre is suspiciousuntil he sets foot on the destined island and realizes he has eight days before Pelee is fated to explode. Andre is in love with Rachel; the soothsayer must be referring to her but what of the enchanting island woman known only as White Flower? Rachel is the daughter of a rich plantation owner; she is safety and comfort. White Flower is the sister of a voodoo cultista dangerous man, hell-bent on killing Andre. She is not a viable prospect for marriage, so why does Andre feel such strong connection to the island beauty? Time is running out. Andre can only save one womanbut which one? And will Andre survive long enough to love her?

Known for his wild, rough, and Mafia-like ways, Vernon Goff from Everglades City Florida, was no stranger to the swamp, deep waters, or sawed off shotguns. He eventually found himself on the wrong side of the government and faced the cold hard truths of being an outlaw. In The Devil’s Plan versus God’s Mercy, he tells his story, sharing how despite the devil’s attempt to destroy him, God’s mercy prevailed time and again throughout his life. This memoir chronicles his growing up years, learning to fish and crab in the Everglades and finding a taste for alcohol. Goff tells how drugs and money tempted him and finally undid him. Sentenced to twenty-five years in prison, he had plenty of time to contemplate his past and future. The Devil’s Plan versus God’s Mercy chronicles how Goff fought to overcome his sin and temptation and became a born-again Christian, understanding anyone can serve the devil. It takes a real man to humble himself and serve the living God.

Mark Rupert traces the relationship between American global power and the rise of mass production. The United States was propelled to the apex of the global division of labor, ensuring victory in World War II and enabling postwar reconstruction under American leadership. Through a study of Ford Motor Company between 1914 and 1952, he examines the political and ideological struggles through which industrial labor was incorporated into the coalition of statesmen and capitalists that constructed the postwar world order.

Evil haunts the high seas… For as long as she can remember, Sara Hansen dreamed of living in paradise. Sinking her family’s savings into the Pirate Cove resort, Sara and her husband relocate to the beautiful island of Sainte Isabel. But a shadow clouds the island’s pristine shores. And when Sara researches the island’s history, she uncovers tales of an ancient pirate named Lemaitre. According to local legend, this cruel buccaneer was so evil, even Hell refused to claim his soul. And the island’s residents believe his haunted ship still prowls the waters off Sainte Isabel’s coast. When a shady salvage captain goes missing, Sara is convinced he has run afoul of the demonic pirate. Ignored by the local police, she investigates the mysterious disappearance on her own. But some secrets were not meant to be disturbed. And Sara soon finds herself entangled in the terrifying curse of Lemaitre and his descendants. The Devil’s ship sails on the full moon, ready to claim another soul. Will Sara be the next victim to join its cursed crew?