March Anson and Scoot Bailey of the U.S. Navy

Two fresh‑out Navy recruits stand on the dock, watching the cruise ship they’ve just left drift away. March Anson, the steady, quiet son of a recently widowed farmer, and Scoot Bailey, the boisterous hometown kid, banter about their next assignments—air‑borne decks versus the cramped, humming world of submarines. Their conversation blends humor with a hint of nervous anticipation, revealing how deeply the Plymouth has meant to them as both home and launchpad.

The novel opens with a snapshot of their bond, forged in a small Ohio high school and tempered by the pressures of wartime service. As they stare toward the Navy Yard, each envisions a different sky or sea, aware that the path ahead will pull them apart even as it promises new purpose. Their friendship, their dreams, and the looming uncertainty of where the war will carry them set the stage for a thoughtful, coming‑of‑age tale.