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When Colton's brother Danny is injured by a U Boat while out fishing in the Outer Banks, Colton decides to take his brother's papers and go into the navy in his place. Their father is dead, and their mother can use the navy pay... even though Colton is only 12! When he does a good job teaching a number of the men how to tie nautical knots, he is offered a place on a patrol craft, scouting for U Boats. He is a hard worker, sends home all of his pay, and makes friends with Woody, a farm boy, as well as Straub, who watches out for him. He is assigned to help cargo ships get from New York City to Key West, and there are a few problems with U Boats. When things get quiet, it's because the German vessels have moved North, and the PC is assigned to help ships get to England. On one mission, Colton's boat is badly damaged. Men die, and a few are left to survive on a life boat. Colton is badly injured, so when he finally returns to the US, his mother is alerted and tells the navy his age. While this is a fictional work, an afterword says that it is based on the real life story of Calvin Graham.