Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I received a copy through the mail of “The Mathews Men” by William Geroux. Although the book arrived yesterday afternoon, I completed the reading at about noon today. I could not put it down.

This is likely the most complete accounting of the war at sea experienced by the people of Mathews County to be thus far written. While I was exposed to much of it as a child growing up in Mathews among many seafarers, I learned of the experiences of so many others that I had not been aware of. This is truly an awesome work reflecting a tremendous research effort on the part of the author. In my humble opinion, generations of Mathews County citizens owe Mr. Geroux a debt of gratitude for his thorough treatment of this era of history as it involves Mathews County. 

My stepfather, Warren Trusch, were he still with us, would have been an ardent supporter of this remarkable work; his brothers, Everett, Fleming and Buck, would likely as well be ardent suppor...