Recently I received a book authored by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yeager. Kilmeade hosts the Fox News Channel “Fox and Friends.” The book’s title is GEORGE WASHINGTON’S SECRET SIX and details the set up of a secret spy network that a British Intelligence Officer, Major George Beckwith said, “Washington did not really outfight the British, he simply outspied us.”

One of the nation’s first spy’s, Nathan Hale was the impetus for recognizing the value of spying. As we all know, Hale was hung for his activities by the British. The group of six, according to the book’s cover is said to be the spy ring that saved the American Revolution.

The state of Connecticut was a player in the spy game. A large portion of the war’s vital territory included New York and New Jersey. Two of the secret agents, Robert Townsend and James Rivington, worked in Manhattan and what intelligence they gathered was passed to others who avoiding detection channeled it to Setauket, Long Island where they rowed across the sound to Fairfield, CT. The information was then passed to a Benjamin Tallmadge who couriered it to Washington’s New Jersey Headquarters. The transfer took about two weeks.

With today’s focus on security measures making news daily, imagine how laborious it was back then compared to today’s technology and international networks and their technology. The book is well worth the read. I promise.

It was exactly 74 years ago this month that a very clever, almost foolproof plan to rob a Putnam bank became more fool hearted.

The building still stands on Main Street and was once the site of a martial arts studio. It’s the old Cargill Bank building, the gray one with an alley separating it from its neighbors. As I remember some years back local historians, told me a story about a merchant directly across the street who often watched the bags of money being delivered and concocted a plan to rob the institution. He met with others who thought it was a perfect caper.

Of course being novices at this, whatever could go wrong did. First they enlisted another would-be felon who happened to be a retired policeman and this is where the story becomes, shall I say, comical. You know, Barney Fife, Keystone Cops kind of affair.

The policeman’s loyalties were with the law and in a few days a local women who was a telephone operator and friend of the policeman, was tapped to monitor the merchant’s phone calls.

When the actual date was decided the would-be robbers were met with law officials and in a matter of minutes it was all over. Shots were fired and for years the markings of the ones that hit the outside wall remained. They are probably still there on the alley side of the building. I will check next time I’m in the area. Isn’t it ironic that law officials would decide to use the bank the same day and time that the so-called robbers, had so meticulously planned their heist. The robbers thought it was just bad luck.

Today we hear and read about the first this and the first that. For example, Obama, the first black president, Condaleezza Rice, the first black female Secretary of State and. Hillary Clinton who wants to be the first female president.

As a sport fisherman I am aware of another first I consider noteworthy. She is Mollie Beattie, the first woman to head the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Appointed by President Clinton in 1993 to make the service a strong protector of America’s wild creatures and wildlife refuges, she accomplished much good.

A New Englander she worked for agencies in New Hampshire before coming to Washington. She was a “hands on” type of person and credited with saving a near frozen wild wolf with massage when others gave up on it. .During her service years 15 national wildlife refuges were added and over 100 habitat conservation plans were signed with private landowners.

Born in 1947 she died of brain cancer in 1996 at the age of 49. She believed “What a country chooses to save is what a country chooses to say about itself.” Thank you Mollie.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a lighthouse keeper? Actually live on an island and care for a lighthouse? You can you know right off Newport RI on Rose Island. The facility goes back to early shipping and whaling days.

If you have crossed the Newport Bridge heading east, you have seen it on the right as you descend the bridge. It’s the Rose Island Lighthouse and has been restored and maintained by volunteer keepers. During WWII buildings on the island were used as a storage facility for the Navy Torpedo School. Then in 1993 the lighthouse was deemed surplus by the government and now is available for day trip visits or to rent for a night or a week.

My wife and her friends stayed there as part of their bucket list of things to do. Accessible by boat only it is very comfortable and if you are an environmentalist it is supported by solar and wind power but uses gas for cooking. There is a dock for fishing and kayaks available, along with numerous walking paths.

Those that stay for a week are asked to do some record keeping as a keeper would. The day starts and ends with flag raising and lowering. You will be required to meet and greet visitors and collect fees from the landing boxes and gift shop at days end.

Very comfortable living quarters are in the second floor and I’m told a section of the beach area is loaded with Mussels. Umm, add some garlic, and cooking wine, makes a stay sound good. What a great family experience. Yes it has a bath too.

The movie “Sniper” was a box office success breaking many records. Critics, pro and con, were very vociferous in their feelings. The true story is based on a book written by a Navy Seal sniper. The public saw it two ways – he was either a hero or a murderer.

I came across two interesting stories concerning snipers in the Civil War. At the 50th Anniversary of the war’s end ceremonies were held at Gettysburg where Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, Little Round Top hero, was approached by a southern soldier who told him he had been assigned to shoot Chamberlain. He admitted that he had a clear shot but he said he did not feel right and withdrew his rifle. After more thought and attempting to justify the order he again could not pull the trigger. He reported back that he did not have a clear shot.

The other tale is about a young rebel, a CSA Lieutenant who for three days kept a Union push by rallying his men. The Union Irish brigade had a Sergeant named Driscoll whose reputation for marksmanship was well known. They assigned him to shoot the young southern officer, which he did. The commanding Union officer sent for Driscoll to see the outcome. The young southern officer was still alive and when rolled over as he and Driscoll’s eyes met he said “father?”

Union forces were able to rout the rebels and Driscoll picked up the company’s flag and led a charge. He was hit by a volley of bullets and as the story goes died immediately.

As a veteran it has been my contention concerning war that it takes the worlds best to do the world’s worst.