The melodious thrill of the calvary charge is absent here. Only the cold impersonal movement of human chess pieces guided by ignorance and error creates scenes of devastation. And through it all anonymous heroism as men struggle to serve their respective nations and loyally do their duty. Men go to sea because they are poor and not because they are dreamers. During the Great Depression young workers thought it heaven to have a job that provided food and shelter and enabled them to save a little money. It was the foundation of the authors engineering career. His youthful vigor found him a wife, and a college education after he left the sea.