Dear Editor:

I have become aware of a brand new book, just published, which I believe merits a prominent place in your publication since it is the true story of a young man who grew up in the Coast Guard in the 1950’s.  As I read the book, it reminded me so much of my own early years and it might also do the same for you and I am sure many others. The book is titled “The Historic Northwest Passage and the CGC STORIS – The story of a young man growing up in the Coast Guard in the 1950’s.”   

“The Historic Northwest Passage……..” refers to the voyage of the Coast Guard Cutters STORIS, BRAMBLE, and SPAR, during the summer of 1957, through previously uncharted Arctic ice fields and which resulted in the first United States vessels to find a navigable water route across the top of North America from west to east. STORIS also became the first U. S. vessel to circumnavigate the North American continent and, its author, Dick Juge, was a member of the crew of that vessel.  As you know, the Coast Guard is celebrating the 50th anniversary of that historic event early in September, 2007.

Dick Juge is a friend of mine and of many other former and retired Coast Guardsmen.  In writing his book, he solicited stories from many of us and several of my stories are included in the book.  I am helping Dick to publicize and to market the book because I truly believe it will be of considerable interest to those of us who followed similar paths in the Coast Guard.

The book is an autobiography of Dick’s early life in the Coast Guard and includes his trip, at Age 21, as a an electrician’s mate aboard STORIS during the 1957 voyage.  It was written, in part, to give special recognition to the three Coast Guard vessels and their crews who contributed so much to America’s maritime history.

It is beautifully written and takes the reader through youthful days of first being completely away from home and a parent’s daily guidance and in making the transit from boyhood to manhood. 

The chapters dealing with the voyage from Seattle to Boston through uncharted, ice-jammed, waters in the Arctic are exciting and give the reader the feeling that s/he is actually there on the scene. 

Dick has combined recollections of his service as an engineering petty officer aboard STORIS with diary entries and stories of other crewmembers from different duty stations aboard the ship, all of which, I believe, hold great interest for any reader, not just those who served in the military.  Further information about the book, including details of how it may be purchased. may be found at: www.TheHistoricNorthwestPassage.com .   (SPECIAL NOTE: Free media review book copies for newspapers, magazines, etc. are available by an e-mail request to pressreleases@authorhouse.com or by calling AuthorHouse at 888 519- 5125, Ext. 5299.)

Thank you for your time in reading this letter.

Best Regards,

Daniel E. Baumbaugh

LCDR, USCG (Ret.)