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Orey and the Red Cross

by O. F. Gracey

359 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #05-0301; ISBN 1-4120-5405-2; US$27.50, C$34.00, EUR22.10, £16.50

From miles-deep Greenland ice to ravaged Vietnam's hot war, "Cold War" Europe to Hawaii and in between, I served all military services in emergent needs, finding adventures along the way.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

Army Air Corps World War II veteran finishes seminary, is ordained, serves two churches, and enters the Navy Chaplaincy. This leads to field service in the Red Cross at military installations in Far East, U.S., Greenland, Europe, Vietnam; then Hawaii, Alaska and South Carolina. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard activities, all were part of his experience in service.

With ideals of Henri Dunant, founder of international Red Cross in 1859, as guidelines and inspiration, Orey grows for 25 years in his humanitarian service adventures.

Divorced and alone, he searches for a wife. Through lucky coincidences he finds the Japanese woman who became the love of his life. Against odds she reaches him on Okinawa from her college in Oregon, and they are married in an Air Force chapel, by a Navy Chaplain, bride on arm of senior Enlisted Aide to Ryukus High Commissioner, with Hawaiian Japanese Nisei matron of honor, New Caledonian bridesmaid, Japanese dentist best man, and University of Ryukus graduate Okinawan groomsman.

From the top of the two-mile thick Greenland ice pack to the ravaged landscape of Vietnam's hot war; from Cold War Germany, and ancient capitals of Europe to womb tombs and lush coutryside and beaches of Okinawa; from the catacombs of the Via Appia near Rome to glaciers of Alaska his work took him to exciting places and interesting adventures.

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About the Author

Born into academia, son of a college professor and loving mother, my family - two brothers, one sister--weathered the Great Depression. We moved many times before I was graduated from high school. College was interrupted by pilot training in World War II. Postwar goal was to complete Trinity College, then four years of Andover Newton Theological School, to become a Christian minister.

Father of four children, I served two churches before becoming a Navy Chaplain, serving in Japan and Western Pacific waters.

Then I signed with the American Red Cross as assistant field officer at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, California. Divorced at El Toro, I was sent to Okinawa. My search for a new wife was rewarded at last in convincing letters to Masako Yano, of Japan, studying in Lewis & Clark College in Oregon. She came via her home in Japan to Okinawa, where we were married in 1962. Later promoted, I served at military installations in many parts of the world for 25 years.

Masako was my charming companion during the rest of my postings except those to Thule, Greenland and Vietnam. She worked in New York City's Interchurch Center. We traveled in Western Europe, the Far East, and across America. We met interesting people in our adventures, and our postings. Many of them still dear friends.

Winding up our Red Cross career in South Carolina, we have done much traveling and been very busy at various pursuits, like writing my biography for my children, their children, and their children's children. (Twenty great grandchildren at last count). I plan this work to be a series.

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Excerpts

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Catalogue Information

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