U-BOAT PRISONER

by Archie Gibbs ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

Undoubtedly, the title will be a selling factor for this book, though that episode is only a small part of Archie Gibbs' life, as he came up the hard way. His mother died in a mental home, his father walked out on them, one brother was adopted, and he was sent to reform school. There he became the problem child, never adapting himself to institutional life, but finding moments of kindness in an elderly couple, and escape in reading. He was ultimately paroled to his sister, now married, but hard times led to the road, where the ups and downs of bumming suited him. His first job a board a freighter gave him a new interest and from then on, all kinds of ships became his life. Unions entered his picture -- and brought him plenty of trouble, but the National Maritime Union gave him the answer for bettering conditions, for his rugged individualism. Came the war -- and convoy duty -- his ship torpedoed, rescue, and that ship torpedoed. It was then he became a prisoner on a German submarine. Through this experience, the realisation of what America meant to him and of a job to be done were brought home. He was landed off Curacao. This is his story, edited and with an introduction by Eugene Leuchtman. Good stuff -- hardmuscled, real, up-by-the-bootstraps sort of story.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1943

Categories: NONFICTION