On the 62nd Anniversary of the Korean War: New Novel Dramatizes 1950 Escape of 100,000 Civilians from North Korea

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Hope in Hungnam

...an intricate account of both the desperation and hope we felt in those bitter days in December 1950... The author writes as if he was actually there.

Gilmer, TX (PRWEB) June 25, 2012

Hope in Hungnam releases internationally today, the 62nd anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War. Hope in Hungnam is a novel that tells the virtually unknown story of the escape of 100,000 civilians from North Korea during the Korean War.

Of special focus is the stunning rescue of 14,000 refugees aboard a single cargo ship, the SS Meredith Victory, commanded by Philadelphia native, Captain Leonard LaRue. Despite a heavily mined harbor and a constant threat from Soviet submarines, all 14,000 refugees were taken safely to South Korea without loss of life, and five babies were born during the three-day voyage. The Meredith Victory still holds the Guinness World Record for the largest evacuation from land by a single ship.

As historical fiction, Hope in Hungnam tells the story of a US Marine desperately searching for meaning in war, the woman who saved him, the captain who saved them all, and the ship that did the impossible.

Hope in Hungnam is available in paperback and Kindle format on Amazon.com (http://amzn.com/1434829669) and by special order in bookstores.

Hope in Hungnam has received strong praise by the men who were there, including a refugee who escaped as a 14-year-old boy aboard the Meredith Victory:

“I escaped North Korea with my father in 1950 on the Meredith Victory. David Watts has written an intricate account of both the desperation and hope we felt in those bitter days in December 1950. Hope in Hungnam deals with love, hate, forgiveness, tolerance, service and sacrifice. The author writes as if he was actually there.”

~Dong Hyuck Won, Refugee on the SS Meredith Victory in 1950

David Watts Jr. has previously written a collection of short stories. He lives outside Longview, TX with his wife, three children, three dogs, and two cats.

BOOK DETAILS:
Title:            Hope in Hungnam: A Novel of the Korean War
ISBN-13:        978-1434829665
Author Website:    http://www.HopeinHungnam.com

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