Welcome to SixthFleet.Com, the Cyberspace Home of author David E. Meadows. "When Meadows' men set sail, it's sure to be a mission like no other." --W.E.B. Griffin "Rip-snorting, realistic action-adventure from a man who has been there. David Meadows is the real thing," --Stephen Coonts author of numerous bestsellers, including Flight of the Intruder, Saucer, America, and Liberty. "An absorbing, compelling look at America's future place in the world. It's visionary, and scary. Great battle scenes, believable heroes, plus villains you'll love to hate!" -Joe Buff, bestselling author of Straits of Power, Tidal Rip, and Crush Depth. "David E. Meadows is simply the best writer of naval thriller/adventure fiction out there today." --Tom Wilson, acclaimed author of Black Canyon, Desert Fury, Tango Uniform and other best selling military thrillers.

Navy Terms of the Newsletter

Old Navy

Three Sheets to the Wind - means someone is very drunk. The term 'sheet' refers to the line (land lubbers call 'line,' rope) used to trim the sail. If the line is improperly tied, too loose, or comes free, then it is in the wind. When the sheets are in the wind, the sail fails to fill with wind. It doesn't blossom in such a fashion to move the ship. To have all three sheets to the wind makes ship's movement impossible. The term is still used in today's Navy though most would be hard pressed to tell you where the phrase originated.

New Navy

SEABEEs - is the spelling of the acronym for Construction Battalions. "We Build, We Fight" is their motto. JOINT TASK FORCE FRANCE is a Seabee military action-adventure tale. It didn't begin as one, but because of their reputation of rising to the roar of battle when called and paving the way to peace wherever they go, it soon turned into a Seabee novel. http://www.seabee.navy.mil is the homepage for the Navy Seabees. Visit it and learn a little about the Seabees in today's Navy. A little history of these camouflaged, hard working, constructioneer Sailors. Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the U.S. Navy - Marine Corps team realized the battle in the Pacific would be one of island hopping and fighting in areas where the infrastructure to support fighting forces would have to be built from scratch. The Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks (located in what is known as the Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.) was ordered to create the concept of Naval Construction Battalions. Unlike the fighting forces of World War II, where personal physical condition determined if you could join the Navy or Marine Corps, the Navy concentrated on finding those individuals with construction skills to induct into the Navy Construction Battalions. Why? Because the Navy had no construction skills within its ranks to take active duty Sailors and turn them into Seabees. The first Seabees had to bring their civilian skills into the uniform of the United States Navy. For those of you who drove by the Pentagon following September 11, 2001 you saw a digital clock pacing off time the civilian construction workers gave themselves to return the Pentagon to its pre-attack condition. Those construction workers are the legacy from which the Navy drew its first members of the Construction Battalions. The average age of a World War II Seabee was 37 and he'd spent nearly his entire adulthood building things. During World War II, Seabees developed a reputation that still exists of meeting construction requirements in the middle of a war zone while being able to fight at the same time. They did this on more than 300 islands during World War II and on every continent in which American fighting forces served. Today, Seabees are the only branch of the U.S. Navy other than SEALs and EOD'ers trained to fight. Trained to drop their building tools for a piece (rifle) and engage the enemy. The Seabees have a reputation of showing up while the battle is still raging, many times lending a hand to the Marines, Army, and Special Forces before turning their attention to meeting the construction requirements of a war zone. I would also submit that our Seabees are our number one humanitarian arm of the Navy, stepping onto distant shores and using their construction skills to help the local populace. Seldom do they receive the recognition so richly deserved for promoting a positive image of America on foreign shores, but they are greatly respected throughout the military community for living up to their motto of "We build, We Fight."

MORE NAVY TERMS

The 'in-progress' glossary on my web site continues to grow. Thanks to those who contributed terms from their own Naval experience. If you have a word you would like to add to the glossary, please submit it for consideration. Be sure to add your name, as you would like to see it. Submitting a word for the glossary confirms your authorization for its use on the web page, that the definition is in your own words, and, if I should decide to publish the glossary someday, you give your authorization to include the word along with your byline. I like using sea tales as part of the description, so you're invited to show, not tell, the word in story.

JOINT TASK FORCE AFRICA is Meadows' newest novel scheduled for release in March 2005.

Read More About JOINT TASK FORCE AFRICA

JOINT TASK FORCE AFRICA A Navy EP-3E is hit by a missile and before the pilot can recover control of the aircraft four aircrew bail out over West Africa, landing in the middle of an African civil war. It is a fast-pace story as Admiral Holman races to rescue the Sailors before they are killed or captured. "Meadows will keep you turning pages and thinking new thoughts." --Newt Gingrich "Rip-snorting, realistic action-adventure from a man who has been there." --Stephen Coonts "When Meadows' men set sail, it's sure to be a mission like no other." --W.E.B. Griffin "Fast-paced, roller-coaster ride with this exhilarating military thriller. Dynamic writer with a fresh voice in this technical-ridden, yet intriguing genre." --Midwest Book Review "An absorbing, compelling look at America's future. Visionary, scary. Great battle scenes, believable heroes, plus villains you'll love to hate!" --Joe Buff, author Tidal Rip.

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David E. Meadows / SixthFleet.Com David E. Meadows Washington D.C. E-Mail readermail@SixthFleet.Com