Astride the Sea Cow

About the Book

The USS Manatee’s remarkable career began when she was commissioned in 1944, and ended when she was retired in 1975. She participated in most of the major Pacific campaigns during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, and received numerous battle stars and other awards. The author reported for duty on the Manatee in fall of 1951 and served until he was reassigned in 1953. So the story in these pages covers life aboard that ship during the final two years of the Korean war. It was an adventure.

About the Author

Robert Beard, a native of New Orleans, pursued an academic career—appointments at Princeton, Michigan, Iowa, Louisiana State, and Florida State universities. After retirement, he built a two-masted schooner, which, with his wife and two young men, he sailed through much of the Caribbean.