Sea Devil

Abner Luxor regains consciousness in the Critical Care Unit at Naval Hospital Philadelphia. He had been wounded on the beach at Hungnam, North Korea during the withdrawal. His girl friend, LTjg Marjorie Hellen BSN of the Naval Hospital Yokosuka, was on temporary duty at Naval Hospital Sasebo when she became enamored with Abner. He had been shuttled from Sea Devil to a Carrier to the hospital where she discovered him on a gurney waiting for surgery. After recovery from surgery, she requested permission to accompany Abner back to the Naval Hospital Philadelphia, which was granted. Before he was recalled as a Boatswain's Mate Second class (amphibious specialist), Mister Abner Luxor owned a Studebaker auto new and used car agency. He was reasonably wealthy and had a great staff. His General Manager, Miss Angela Holtz had a thing for him --- not returned. Nurse Hellen enraged Angie by her presence, cutting her off from Abner in the hospital. Eventually, Abner who had been preparing for his PHD in Marketing, is granted his doctorate while recovering from his wounds. Navy Personnel learned of that and promoted him to LTjg and ordered him back to the MV Sea Dragon, which confused him. Meanwhile back on USS LST-666 --- The Sea Devil, the Captain is informed his LST is being disguised as a coastal merchant ship, that will ply small ports up and down the Asian mainland and islands to buy and sell goods. However, the main thrust is to hunt down and kill off the ferocious pirates killing passengers and crew and taking the ships. The crew of the renamed ship --- MV Sea Dragon registered under the Swiss flag --- will be dressed as merchant seamen with a barely usable engine to entice the pirates to take over the ship. Two battles with pirates occur with success and tragedy of one KIA, several WIA, and one MIA. Meanwhile, a UDT detachment attached to the Sea Dragon with secret missions is deployed along the communist shoreline. On their second mission, one man is wounded; he is transferred via USCG Naha (Okinawa) Rescue One helicopter to USAF Hospital Naha. Another group of pirates attack with the same lack of success; again, several sailors are wounded. This time, a heavy cruiser intercepts the LST, removes the wounded, transfers replacement crew members to the Sea Dragon. Com7thFleet visits the ship, awarding the crew several medals and promoting the captain, Ezekiel Carter to Lieutenant Commander. Zeke receives new orders to assist the Chinese Nationalist Army on Taiwan augmenting troops and material on Quemoy Island just off the Chinese Communist mainland. The story will continue in Part Three.

Sea Devil Three continues where Sea Devil Two left off. The Sea Dragon continues to ply coastal ports with their marketing wares -- and making a huge profit. This, alone, tends to encourage the coastal pirates to kill the crew and take the ship with its riches. There are two attempts to take the Sea Dragon, which failed. The first occurred before the Sea Dragon went into Taiwan to pick up the relief force. The second occurred as the Sea Dragon accepted a large replishment crew from the Chinese National island of Taiwan. On their way to Quemoy Island off the coast of China, the pirates struck again. This time the ChiNat troopers were incredibly important to hold off the pirates. As the Captain reported to CINCFE, without their vital assistance, this report would not have been written!

Abner Luxor, owner of Luxor Studebaker New and Used Cars in Philadelphia, is abruptly recalled to active duty as a Coxswain (BM3) with expertise in amphibious landing operations. Abney finds himself transferred to an LST in the Western Pacific just after the North Koreans invaded South Korea. The US Navy is rebuilding its Pacific Fleet to fight against the North Korean Army that is pushing the ROK's and US Army back to Pusan, South Korea. Abner's expertise in business administration and his past wartime experience in landing craft make him the man to train the LST crew on LCVP operations. This is very frustrating to a couple of Chief Petty Officers who are enraged that a pissy-assed (advanced) Boatswain's Mate Second Class is going to build this ship's amphibious crew into a fighting force. Adventures follow as the Sea Devil (LST-666) participates in the Inchon invasion, Wonsan landing, Iwon landing, Songjin landing, Chongjin landing, and Hungnam landing. During the Chongjin landing, the LST suffers damage from an unexpected reef requiring the ship to back all the way to Sasebo for repairs. Abney meets a wonderful Navy Nurse and things explode. The Sea Devil also participates in the Hungnam withdrawal, where Abner is wounded.