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doomed. Both victims of terminal stupidity and greed!
Phil and I left the Island at9:00a.m. on October 16th, and set the TULLIOon a course for Cat Island channel. Three hours later we picked up the Phoenix Spit light and the black and white buoys marking Cat Island channel. The weather report predicted winds
12	to 18 knots from the north east and we did not suffer any discomfort running about 10 knots. Suddenly a big freak wave struck the starboard quarter with tremendous force rolling the TULLIO over enough to take on about six inches of water. The sudden lurch threw Phil overboard and would have gotten both of us had I not been steering the boat at the time. I was so busy trying to push the console back into place, I hadn't realized that Phil was missing until I heard his voice "hey Jim". I yelled to him not to panic and I would return for him as soon as I got the engine started. He was not having any difficulty staying afloat and ignored the two life belts I threw toward him. Within what seemed like an eternity, I had the engine dry enough to start and I ran back toward Phil. I missed him by just a few feet on the first attempt, and on the second I threw a line that crossed over both of his arms which were extended with hands in motion to stay afloat. He did not or could not make an effort to grasp the line. On the third attempt I maneuvered the boat to the windward side of Phil and luckily disengaged the clutch at the proper time for the TULLIO to drift broadside toward him, I should say toward his body, one of my dearest friends had passed away. I grasped the collar of his jacket, pulled his body along side and tried desperately to lift it into the boat. There was no way. I ran a line down through the collar and fastened it with two half hitches, walked forward and tied the body to the bow rail. I sighted a large sloop and when he saw my distress signal he hove to on my port bow and offered assistance. I asked him to call the Coast Guard on his ship-to-shore radio and tell,them to look for me between the west end of Cat Island and Pass Christian. I proceeded toward Pass Christian and shortly after I crossed the inside channel I sighted a Coast Guard vessel headed west. I headed toward-him and the crew placed Phil's body on the diving platform and we headed for the Gulfport small craft or yacht harbor. The verdict of the Coroner's inquest was accidental drowning. What a pity for
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this fine Christian gentleman to die. He was a man of honor, and my true friend.
When I was about seventeen my great aunt, Tant Ta, passed away and shortly after her death she appeared before me for an instant. When Bob was seven and the twins three, Grandfather Bernos passed away and shortly thereafter he appeared, looked me over but did not speak. The same apparition occured after the death of uncle Bob True, and again after my Mother's death. I thought about all four instances as an illusion, that is, until the traumatic accident off Phoenix Light in Cat Island channel - I was lying on the couch in the den shortly after, eyes closed and half awake when I heard a rustling sound which caused me to open them - Phil was standing there with a dry bush in his right hand, he smiled and I smiled, then he disappeared. He thought I was asleep and used the dry bush to awaken me. Because of this, I can no longer write off the above mentioned experiences as just some kind of hallucination.
Recently I received a letter from Mr. J.C. Phillips, Editor-Manager of the BORGER NEWS-HERALD, Borger, Texas, announcing his retirement at the age of 77. I take the liberty to quote a few lines of what that great patriot and learned man told me in that letter: "?each of us in his own way attempting to serve honorably and well the God whom we worship and the Republic which'we were privileged to live under until President Woodrow Wilson made it clear that we won World War I to make the world safe for "Soviet Russian democracy," beginning with the establishment of its headquarters in Moscow, and never once informing the American people that the war had been won to make the world safe for our Republic, founded on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, completely free of alien control and influence and out from under the clutches of the enormously wealthy elite in whose hands human lives are politically expendable in their lust for power and greater wealth." God bless you Mr. Phillips, few Americans have your knowledge and courage.
I have now passed three score and ten and I am thankfut'to that Great Architect of the Universe for having bestowed so many of his blessings upon my family and me. I can honestly say that I do
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