The Blue-Eyed Ensign

Don Connolly knows nothing about boats or ships, or the difference between them. He has seen the ocean once and is a new college graduate with a major in English and minors in philosophy and theater when he applies for the Coast Guard during the Korean War and is sent to the Pacific island of Guam. After one week on the island, it is obvious there will be a lot of spare time from Don's assigned search and rescue duties. Anticipating boredom, he asks if anyone ever put on plays. And so begins Don's efforts to put on a play in Guam while juggling his Coast Guard duties. Besieged by heavy rains, stalling Navy captains, and wayward Australians, Don hopes it will be worth the effort if and when the curtain goes up. The Blue-Eyed Ensign tells the true story of Don Connolly's first year in the Coast Guard, from Saint Louis to Guam and back again.