Boatswain's Mate

The first word in Jake Rickmeyer's vocabulary is duty. Fleeing an abusive childhood, Jake joins the navy and sees history unfold before him. Pat Johnston's novel follows the arc of Jake's career, from World War II to Korea, and finally the rivers of Vietnam. Jake gives his life to the navy, suffering a broken marriage and lost buddies in battle. Even though Jake rubs elbows with admirals and senators, he stays true to himself and to his duty. But this loyalty gets Jake into trouble on his final mission on the rivers of Vietnam. On this last ill-fated mission, Jake discovers an unexpected ally, but is betrayed by those he believed were his friends. Pat Johnston has done his homework. The thrilling history of the navy is woven integrally throughout Jake Rickmeyer's three decades of service. Jake Rickmeyer is a sailor's sailor. If you want to learn what the navy's all about, read Pat Johnston's book.

From first page to last, Boatswain's Mate is one helluva read, driven by a super powered engine fueled with testosterone, adrenaline and patriotism. To say this book is a keeper doesn't begin to cover it. Pat Johnston writes in first person and does it in a superbly masculine style, with gusto. Everything is documented so realistically, I had trouble believing it was fiction. Jake Rickmeyer flees a drunken, abusive step-father and joins the Navy in 1944 at age 16. The Navy is an ideal home for Jake. He loves the sea and everything it stands for, including the ideals of serving home and country. His career spans World War Two, Korea, the Cuban missile crisis, two tours in Viet Nam, and Black Ops for the CIA. The reader sees each action through Jake's eyes as he serves aboard destroyers, cruisers, amphibious ships, and anything else the Navy throws at him. Jake is the best of the best in everything he does, from rigging for a stormy ocean to piloting through murky Vietnamese rivers, to pleasing females every chance he gets in foreign ports. Along the way he makes some influential friends who give him a leg up in rank. Such boosts are always more than earned. Life aboard ship is described lovingly: "...the cooks baking tomorrow's bread, the comforting smell of cigarette smoke and coffee...the smell of men, machinery, fuel oil, grease and paint in every pore of her." Jake's women, also, add to his persona. A failed marriage that gets a second chance in later life, unrequited love,[unhappy-motivated]foreign women all help define Jake as a man, a patriot, a warrior, an often decorated man of courage, a typical American male giving his best and grieving the death of friends in battle. Jake has no political agenda, no deep hidden philosophy except to be a man and gut it out no matter what. He takes in stride rescuing fallen flyers in frigid oceans, covering night landings on enemy held beaches, and gunning after kamikaze planes that fill the sky like wasps. Be prepared to wave the American flag in spirit as you read this rouser of a book. Pat Johnston's writing is powerful, visceral, as he communicates duty and honor. And don't be surprised at the chilling end to Boatswain's Mate. Somehow I doubt that Jake Rickmeyer was. This book is for mature adults, not children or young adolescents. I recommend it.

In the Book "Boatswain's Mate" by Pat Johnston, Jake Rickmeyer didn't spend a lot of time hanging around the fo'c'sle, swapping sea stories about their ground takle with the other Bo's'ns... He was out and about making things happen in three wars. I received a recommendation for the book through the USS STODDARD (DD-566) Reunion Association, a WW II Destroyer that supported the type of missions Jake participated in, especially in the Vietnam era. Read the book and loved it! ... I'll leave you hanging to see the outcome of this very warm, homey book. Excellent writing, great style. I look forward to future productions from Pat Johnston.

"Pat, just a quick note to let you know I managed to get your book and I'm very impressed with it. You must have done a lot of research to get all those details and jargon for the WWII period. Anyway, I really enjoyed the read and think you should do more books, well done!" Excerpt from a letter received by the author.

Boatswain's Mate is a must read for every man who sailed with the U. S. Navy. It chronicles the life of Jake Rickmeyer who enlists to escape an abusive home. Following his hitch during WWII, he finds he has no other place to go, so he makes the Navy his career. His adventures take him to all corners of the world and continue up to the Vietnam War. Pat Johnston has done a superb job of giving us a very accurate portrayal of life at sea in common sailor's language. This is an ideal Father's Day gift item for every Dad who went to sea and those who wished they had.