The Phantom Patrol Lives Again

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Lawrence_Hail]Lawrence Hail
It started out like any other day in the coast guard with the gray sky meeting the green sea. But things were about to turn deadly! "The waves smashed and roared over the forward deck. The black ship was astern and coming up on the starboard side. The range was less than fifty yards, but a dozen frowning mountain ranges intervened. The blond man on the bridge gripped the rail and leaned forward expectantly. Behind him two men crouched beside the machine gun, waiting for his signal".
Published in 1935, this passage from the pulp fiction classic story "The Phantom Patrol", by L. Ron Hubbard, takes place in the Gulf of Mexico where Officer Johnny Trescott responds to a distress call from a transport plane that has crashed into the sea and is rapidly sinking. Speed is of the essence to save lives but unfortunately for Trescott, a dope-smuggling pirate he has been chasing, also hears the same SOS and responds to the alarm. Things take an alarming turn for Trescott and his crew and he must fight for his life and that of his crew and the passengers from the plane.
Although this is a fictional story, it is an all too familiar with members from the coast guard who risk this very type of scenario on a regular basis. Established in august of 1790, congress authorized the building of several vessels to combat smuggling and enforce trade law agreements. In times of peace it is generally considered a law enforcement unit run by Homeland Security, but during war time it becomes a military unit that is run directly by the President. The coast guard is considered one of the oldest continuing sea going services.
It is from the experiences of these brave sea faring adventurers that we revel in their courageous if not super human heroics in one of the harshest, non-forgiving environments on earth, the ocean! Its beauty can change in the blink of an eye due to weather or the vile intentions of man who utilize the vast loneliness of the sea to commit for the most part, unseen crimes from the land bearing mass of the population. But it is from this very scenario we have been privileged to witness through the eye of some of the greatest writers of our time, the strife and tribulations of our sea faring conquerors prevail to a successful conclusion and Hubbard's "Phantom Patrol" every bit an epic sea faring adventure that delivers.
Pulp fiction books are unique in that they gave birth to many new genres of writing that that laid the ground work for future writers. The influence of the pulps is evident in later books, television and movies. Although many of these stories have been lost over time, there are publishers such as Galaxy Press that are reintroducing these fantastic stories to a new generation and are very much worth investigating.
For many of us that have little time to adventure the way we would like, a great book can not only give you a temporary respite from the daily grind, but you get to live the life of other characters and their adventures. Enjoy the golden age of pulp fiction!
Lawrence Hail is a huge fan of pulp fiction stories and loves to experience them in all formats from print to audiobooks to video and movie. Click here for a catalogue at: [http://www.goldenagestories.com/free-asi-magazine-signup-form]http://www.goldenagestories.com/free-asi-magazine-signup-form.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Phantom-Patrol-Lives-Again&id=6624687] The Phantom Patrol Lives Again