Pat McNamara discusses the family, but (since it is a religious blog) leaves out the story of Hell Roaring Mike: h
also known as the Bear of the North Sea.
The first black to ever captain a ship for the US Captain Healy, known also as Hell Fire Healy was the best negotiator of polar seas in the entire naval fleet. The USCG latest and largest vessel, the Healy is named in his honor. One of only four ships in the entire American fleet that can actually make its way to the North Pole.
from Wikipedia:
By 1882 he was given command of the USRC Thomas Corwin and was thoroughly familiar with the Bering Sea and Alaska. The Corwin's responsibilities included liquor enforcement, protection of seal and whale populations protected by treaty, delivery of supplies, mail and medicines to remote villages, the return of deserters to merchant ships, the collection of weather data,
rendering of medical assistance, search and rescue, enforcement of federal laws, and exploration work. [21] During the last two decades of the 19th Century, Captain Healy was essentially the federal government’s law enforcement presence in the vast territory. [22] In his twenty years of service between San Francisco and Point Barrrow, he acted as: judge, doctor, and policemen to Alaskan natives, merchant seamen and whaling crews. [23] The Native Americans throughout the vast regions of the north came to know and respect this skipper and called his ship "Healy's Fire Canoe". [24]
more HERE.
PBS video has a trailer that can be seen HERE.
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