Mister Roberts (novel)

Mister Roberts is a 1946 novel written by Thomas Heggen.

Plot

The title character, a Lieutenant Junior Grade naval officer, defends his crew against the petty tyranny of the ship's commanding officer during World War II. Nearly all action takes place on a backwater cargo ship,^[1] the USS Reluctant that sails, as written in the play, "from apathy to tedium with occasional side trips to monotony and ennui."

Background

Heggen based his novel on his experiences aboard the USS Virgo (AKA-20) and the USS Rotanin (AK-108) in the South Pacific during World War II, and began the book as a collection of short stories.^[2] It was subsequently adapted as a play circa 1948,^[3] a feature film,^[4] a television series, and a live television movie.^[5] Sadly, Heggen did not live to enjoy the success and profits of his creation, as his life was ended, by accident or suicide, before the age of 30.^[2][6]

The character Mister Roberts was based on the Rotanin Executive Officer, Donald House. Contrary to the story in the book, he was not killed in action, but continued as a career Naval officer until retirement, and lived until early 1998.^[7]

Initially, Ensign Ralph (changed to "Frank" in the book) Pulver threatened to sue Heggen for using his actual name. Pulver was, in reality, an officer who took his Naval career very seriously. Pulver was still an active-duty officer at the time the book was published, and was concerned that having his name in the book and play might be detrimental to his career.

References

1. ↑ "Mister Roberts, Cargo Ship, USNS New Bedford", History, Sea bird adventure .
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The Wacky Ship of Mr. Roberts", Sea Classics (USS Virgo), January 1979 .
3. ↑ "Broadway play, circa 1948", Mister Roberts, Sea bird adventure .
4. ↑ "Feature film 1955", Mister Robert, Sea bird adventure .
5. ↑ "1984 remake, television movie", Mister Roberts, Sea bird adventure .
6. ↑ "TO Heggen, Author, Found Dead in Bath", The New York Times, May 20, 1949 .
7. ↑ High beam .