T. R. Rhoads

Sinner, Sailor: a Memoir T. R. Rhoads First American edition

Sinner, Sailor is the autobiographical telling of the author's navy career from 1945 until 1972, from World War II through Viet Nam. He joined the navy at seventeen seeking adventure and romance; he found both and much more. He went to Korea as a navy hospital corpsman in a marine unit, served at sea aboard a series of aircraft carriers, Boxer, Hancock, and Princeton, in the Pacific, and later as a medical service corps "mustang" officer aboard the carrier Constellation at the time of the Tonkin Gulf incident. Toward the end of that conflict he did a reprise of Korea, ashore in Viet Nam as medical liaison officer with the combined action force of the III Marine Amphibious Force. All battle and no liberty makes for a dull read, so he includes lighter moments of a sailor on liberty in San Diego, Los Angeles, Tijuana, Hong Kong, Osaka, Sasebo, Yokosuka; and of a navy officer in his prime on the loose in San Diego and New York City. Sex, sin, and sailing are not unknown. The author re-creates his experiences using narrative, dialogue, conflict and character as in a novel; telling of events as they happen with the immediacy of happening as it is read: " . . . Each morning I had to face Mr. Becker, who attempted to counsel me on the principals of leadership. I felt he was trying to change my inner self to him; trying to develop whatever traces of petty tyrant might be hiding in me into a true whipper of men, someone to be feared, an ideal Lange. You're going to be Lang's relief, he began, the H Division Police Petty Officer. I need someone who can take charge, and shape up the men . . . It'll be your job to make sure everyone in sickbay keeps busy, does their job, and follows orders. Kick ass and take names. Don't try to make them like you; you're not in a popularity contest. . . . Chapter sixteen. The next day, I went to where she lived when she wasn't working at the New Black Rose. We talked and joked and then we made