"Richard MacAlpine's book on Admiral Schofi eld and his family came about
because of a long-forgotten stash of letters found in an upstate New York barn
and a recently retired history teacher with the curiosity and time to weave
them into a wonderful story of a struggling farm family and a son who went on
to become the Commander-in-Chief of America's fl eet. The book, based upon
family letters, carries you along through not only the life and adventures of
the naval star, Frank Schofi eld, but also that of his hard-working parents and
brother, his sister who married and made a new life in metro New York City,
and his well-chosen Maryland wife. This is a very real story of a very real
American family in the fi rst half of the twentieth century. I found it hard to put
down the book as history unfolds in such a personal way." - Anne Salisbury
