[fso301]

I simply would not want to be in stormy winter arctic seas under any circumstances.

[decimon]

I simply would not want to be in stormy winter arctic seas under any circumstances.

I hear you. Watching Victory at Sea as a kid was enough to convince me.

[SERE_DOC]

My Dad (who passed away September 10) was a Merchant Marine during WWII, had sailed in every theater during the war, to include several North Atlantic runs.

About 25 years ago he received a package in the mail from the Russian Embassy in DC, with a military award (medal) for the relief of Murmansk.
With 2 letters, one in Cyrillic, one in English, signed by Boris Yeltsin.

He went on to become one of the Vice Presidents of the (now defunct) National Maritime Union.

Not bad for a kid of 13 year old who ran away from his home in Canada.