Ask the Author: Gary Santos
Answered Questions (8)
Gary Santos
Hello Patricia,
My father valued his Plankowner's Certificate over his college degree. But, alas, it's been lost to time. I tried to get a duplicate certificate from the National Archives, but these were produced by the ship's printing press during WWII, and not part of the official record.
Other families have contacted me on the same subject and I directed them to the Naval Heritage and History Command. I suspect, though, the language of owning a piece of the plank is more sentimental rather than a promissory note.
I found your father in the ship's muster roll. He reported on the ship as an ARM2c, meaning he was an aviation radioman. I tried to attach a copy, but Goodreads makes it difficult to attach images.
Sincerely,
Gary Santos
My father valued his Plankowner's Certificate over his college degree. But, alas, it's been lost to time. I tried to get a duplicate certificate from the National Archives, but these were produced by the ship's printing press during WWII, and not part of the official record.
Other families have contacted me on the same subject and I directed them to the Naval Heritage and History Command. I suspect, though, the language of owning a piece of the plank is more sentimental rather than a promissory note.
I found your father in the ship's muster roll. He reported on the ship as an ARM2c, meaning he was an aviation radioman. I tried to attach a copy, but Goodreads makes it difficult to attach images.
Sincerely,
Gary Santos
Gary Santos
Most importantly, you must write about something you're familiar with. A researched subject or a personal event and put it on paper. The ideas will come.
Gary Santos
I would travel into the pages of James Michener's 'the Bridges at Toko Ri.' I used this novel as a pattern to write my WWII book 'A Grand Pause."
Gary Santos
Since I'm researching a book about Roosevelt Field, I've been reading about the legendary aviators who flew out of that Long Island airport. My next read is 'Harriet Quimby, Flying Fair Lady,' the biography of the first woman pilot.
Gary Santos
For me, inspiration exist in the past; our forbearers, founding fathers, suffragettes, civil rights movement, soldiers and sailors, or explorers. People who have challenged the status quo to better the lives of society. Women workers demanding equal pay. A marine on Iwo Jima charging a machine gun nest. A firefighter rescuing children.
There stories need to be told.
There stories need to be told.
Gary Santos
For me as a historian, it is joy to bring to life the men and women who got us to this point.
Gary Santos
I'm writing a novelized history of Roosevelt Field. This airport was the incubator for early flight but is mostly forgotten. Instead, Roosevelt Field is known as a popular shopping mall.
Gary Santos
My Dad served on this ship during WWII. The vessel, USS Randolph, was the 2nd most important thing in his life after family. When he died in 2016, I became nostalgic and researched the ship. I came across this incredible rescue and was shocked that it has never been a subject of a book.
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