SKIPPER

World War II interrupted Ray Mann's college career
in political economy and journalism. At midshipman
school he chose service in the amphibious corps and
was given command of a LCT (a 120 foot vessel.)
As a green ensign , learned to lead a crew of a dozen
men. Soon they were shipped to the South Pacifi c. The
22-year-old offi cer encountered unusual situations:
being lost among fi shing nets in Chesapeake Bay,
leading a shore patrol into a rowdy Panama barroom,
swimming under the ship to dislodge hawsers , almost
losing a sinking ship, fi ghting a vicious typhoon, being
run over in a row boat, landing in Luzon close to enemy
lines, dangling on a line over two ships clashing together in rough weather.
In Manila the skipper turned his hand at practicing journalism by investigating the
political situation. He interviewed businessmen, senators , labor leaders, guerillas ,
and journalists. He uncovered corrupt ion and the powerful forces at work in a postwar
political culture . He met a world-famous journalist and traveled with him to the
mountain town of Baguio to fi nd out how a former collaborationist to be turned into a
"patriot" so he could be groomed to become president of the Philippines .
Life aboard ship was always lively with a scheming cook, an antagonistic exec, an
ambitious quartermaster, a sympathetic bo'sun, an emotional gunners mate, and some
crew members concerned with alcohol , sex, and liberty. The events actually happened
and the characters are real people.