Dear Bob

This is a story of a life; actually, it's the story of multiple lives. To truly understand each tale, you have to go back to the beginning. And that beginning takes you to Iron Mountain, Michigan, where I was born on December 20, 1924, the second son of Clyde and Permele Luke. The "Bob" in the letters is my older brother, Dr. Robert C. Luke. Two years older than me and twice as cocky, Bob and I had a love-hate relationship. Writing to him as I did was my way of telling him about the things that were happening in my life, but also a way to reminisce about the things that I experienced and wished to remember. Much of the book centers around the events leading up to my wedding. Meeting my wife of sixty-three years, our courtship, the wedding from hell, the years in between, and ending with our separation in 2012 when Beverly passed on is the cornerstone of my life story.

But there is so much more, so much that happened before Bev flipped off the big black bear (read on!), so much that occurred prior to our having to deal with Bridgers and rednecks in Florida. World War II had a profound impact on my life, as it did on every American who is part of the "Greatest Generation." Putting my recollection of my time on the island of Sumar in the South Pacific on paper has allowed me to contribute to our country's story. My history is the history of thousands of other sailors who were tens of thousands of miles from home, fighting a war and wondering when we'd get to go back home. My wish is for everyone who reads this book to smile, remember their own life story, and enjoy mine.