War has played a key role in the history of the United States, from the nation's founding

right down to the present. War made the U.S. independent, kept it together, increased its

size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America's wars is essential for understanding American history.

Welcome to Key Battles of American History,

a podcast in which we discuss American history through the lens of the most important battles of America's wars.

Here is your host, James Early.

Thank you. your host, James Early. Hello and welcome to a special bonus episode of Key Battles of American History.

This is your host, James Early, as always.

And I'm really excited today to bring to you a fascinating story.

We're going to be discussing a fantastic book.

The name of the book is Armageddon in the Arctic Ocean.

It's written by Paul Gill, Sr.

Paul Gil Sr., a native of South Boston, Massachusetts,

was the 22-year-old third mate of the Liberty Ship, S.S. Nathaniel Green,

which was one of just nine merchant ships to be recognized as a gallant ship of World War II,

and it sailed to Archangel Russia with convoy PQ 18 in September 1942.

Armageddon, the Arctic Ocean, is Gilles Memorial, chronicling his life from the Great Depression,

through his service in the U.S. Navy during World War II and his later graduation from Harvard Business

School. Along the way, readers will learn of his enrollment in the Civilian Conservation Corps at age

15, how he joined the merchant marine and made eight passages to European ports as a 16-year-old,

is riding the rails across the United States in search of work in 1938,

his return to the merchant marine, and ascension up the haze pipe,

...