Ice Brothers: A Novel

Ice Brothers is a World War II adventure story based on Sloan Wilson's experiences as a Coast Guard officer on the Greenland patrol. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Paul Schuman, a college senior and summer sailor, enlists in the Coast Guard. His wife Sylvia wants him to remain in Massachusetts, but Paul seeks adventure and wishes to serve his country. Without training, he is assigned as executive officer aboard the Arluk, a converted fishing trawler patrolling the Greenland coast for secret German weather bases. The ship is commanded by Lt. Cdr. "Mad" Mowry, an accomplished ice pilot and heavy drinker. Communications officer Nathan Greenberg, a Brooklyn engineer, has much to learn about naval operations. Both officers must heed Mowry's expertise as they face deadly icebergs, dangerous blizzards, and Nazi gunboats along the Arctic coastline. When Mowry's condition deteriorates, Schuman must assume command of the Arluk and its crew during a critical moment. The novel combines high drama with realistic detail.