"Courage" is a series of stories, mostly true, as written by William Nose Cantrell, LTC, USMC (ret), formerly an aviator with VMF-144, a Marine Corsair Fighter Squadron which flew in Combat over the Islands of Palau from September 1944 until May 1945. These Stories refer to his Days in Palau, both during WWII and during a Return by his Wife, Mary Alice, and Bill with the P-MAN IV team in April 2002. These have not been edited, intentionally.

- Pat Scannon

I. COURAGE

Courage takes many forms and it wears many faces. Sometimes it may be difficult to recognize. Many believe that it takes great intelligence and some degree of maturity to recognize it consistently.

Is it the absence of fear? I think not. Courage is, rather the ability to think logically, plan clearly and carry out the plan with the persistence and strength to assure success all in the intimidating face of fear.

The writing, which follows, is as factual and accurate as it is within my power to record it. It is not the story of a super hero. It is not the story of a physical giant, strong as banded steel. It is not the story of a mental genius.

It is the story of a man of modest size: five feet, nine inches tall. Not imposing. It is not the story of a dominant personality. It is not the story of a glib salesman influencing his comrades with overpowering logic.

It is the story of a persistent, inspiring leader whose example is so strong and so convincing that he imbues his followers to great heights and an eager ambition to equal his effort to share his goals to bring his dreams to fruition.

This narrative is a trilogy. It begins with the closing weeks of World War II. What follows is a magnificent effort to evaluate the people and the plans and the persistence of those brave patriots who made that victory possible.

Part two deals with the diverging clash of political philosophies, the strengthening of the American dedication to Freedom, personal and political, and their willingness to put their lives on the line to insure that Freedom may endure.

Part three is the story of his effort to educate a new generation to accept the premise that Freedom will always require great diligence, constant awareness, willingness to bet one's own life to guarantee that Freedom. That ultimate cost is the reason we often quote the price as very, very dear.

Pat has gathered a small group of young people who like a life full of adventure, they are multi-talented, brave, highly skilled and unafraid. They have the courage of their convictions. They are happy to donate their time and pay their own expenses on these adventures.

Pat Scannon is a man of many talents, the greatest of which is persistence. He went into medicine to serve his fellow man. He left that practice for a broader calling: serving mankind.

As many of us do, he believes it is illogical and deplorable that the million of lives taken through these years of constant war, have been taken in the name of God.

His work has been most rewarding in that many victims of bereavement who seemed to be standing on the other side of a locked door, have had that bereavement assuaged by Pat's hard work to identify exactly when, where and explicit circumstances that brought that bereavement and a chance to honor the remains with appropriate interment.

Pat seeks no publicity, nor kudos for his work. His rewards come in the realization that he has given a gift no one else could give.

Mary Alice and I are so grateful to have the opportunity to meet and know such an unusual, selfless group. I wish we could have met them years ago. We came away with a refreshing sense of the quality of lifestyle, of the dedication of these young people. Thank you, Pat, for bringing us into your elite inner circle.