"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