Between the Poles

In 1960, author Larry Lee knew he needed to make a decision. A high school student in Kansas City, he had a girlfriend and some great buddies. He wasn’t ready to head to college and had no idea what he wanted to do in life. With the political climate at the time, he realized he must join the service or be drafted.

Between the Poles shares a journal of the who, what, when, why, and what-for epilogue of his four adventurous years in the US Navy. It was during this time he was transformed from a kid into a hard-working, tax-paying young adult. The story stems from keeping a daily log of his experiences in and with Operation Deepfreeze 63 in Antarctica aboard the USS Staten Island (AGB-5).

Written through a young sailor’s eyes, this fun, lighthearted story describes Lee’s adventures on an icebreaker in the Navy, sailing between Seattle, Antarctica, and the Arctic Circle where he traveled tens of thousands of miles, endured good times and bad times, and created lifelong friendships.