077 : Worth $2 Million
“I heard from someone. If you go here, you will be able to hear the heroic stories of the ghost fleet.”
“Have you heard of heroic stories? Maybe a Hollywood writer?”
“Everything related to my business is a heroic story. My friend Malone said that the story about the Liberia ship would be very interesting.”
My grandfather’s expression hardened when I talked about the Liberian flag ship.
After waiting for a while, he rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a cigarette.
“please. Mister.”
I saw a match on the table, so I lit it.
“Whew… yes, it was mid-October 1962, maybe…”
“… It was the Cuban crisis.”
Crazy, wouldn’t it be the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962? It was an incident in which the Soviet Union tried to deploy missiles in Cuba, and the United States threatened even nuclear war.
Even in the 21st century, it was made into a movie and was a hit.
I watched it for fun back then, but in this era, it’s only been about 3 years.
“right. It was a secret military operation. It was an operation directly ordered by President Kennedy. Cuban territorial waters were completely blocked with several aircraft carriers and about 100 warships.”
“You took part in that operation.”
“right. We were a special operations unit made up of veterans. The point of the operation was for our forces to arrest us as we approached Cuba via the Panama Canal under the guise of a normal merchant ship. It was to show the world that while completely controlling Cuba, it would safely release ordinary merchant ships unrelated to the missile crisis.”
It was a tight-knit go-stop.
“You were trying to send a message of peace.”
“That’s right. We had the courage to even risk the disgrace of being captured by our allies to prevent nuclear war. Madly fixing a rotting stern boat! We were on the verge of heading to the Panama Canal. By the way, by the way!”
bang!
Grandpa hit the table with a beer bottle as if he was indignant even thinking about it now.
“Did the operation stop abruptly?”
“… That’s right… Unfortunately, the operation was suspended. It wasn’t even a formal order, it was just a phone call with my daughter telling me to do something that never happened.”
In a way, it is natural.
On the surface, it was the leaders of the two countries who confronted each other to the extreme, but deep down, they did not want a war, so they resolved the tension in a political way.
In fact, when the U.S. forces blockaded Cuba, the Soviet merchant ships voluntarily responded to the search by the U.S. forces, and the U.S. soldiers sent the merchant ships back after the search was completed very politely, presenting chocolates and cigarettes while wearing uniforms.
As they communicated peace messages to each other in that way, contact was made behind the scenes in an instant, and the two weeks of extreme confrontation disappeared as if snow had melted.
“Even if it’s a covert operation, just a phone call…”
“Damn it! The guys who were usually so slow back then took off their feet like lightning. And I didn’t even touch the important things.”
“Is it really important?”
“You didn’t reinstate me to my original identity! What I received was not a medal, but a hefty fine. I was the owner of an illegal merchant ship that traveled between Cuba and the United States illegally and cooperated with the communist country, and I had no choice but to go bankrupt as the fines piled up.”
“Crazy…how could that happen in America?”
“Damn Kennedy, he didn’t even take care of it and got shot dead! I don’t have to give you a medal, but I should have given you my life back! Fuck!!”
The old soldier slammed the table several times and vented his anger. He gulped down a beer and looked like he was barely pacifying his anger.
How thorough was the identity washing to get things so messed up? Perhaps, when President Kennedy was assassinated, all the classified operational data disappeared?
Was there no one to step up and take responsibility?
It is possible to become a drunkard.
After he retired from service, he participated in a secret operation of the country out of patriotism, and he was treated like a communist and a smuggler.
“I have to take the boat with me in order to do anything properly. If you don’t collect even a little money, they’ll seize it as a fine, so you can’t do anything!”
It seems that they could not sell the detained vessel without paying a fine. Even if things were twisted, they were tightly twisted.
It was fortunate that my grandfather did not die in a vase.
Didn’t you meet me even now?
i will help
“How much is the replacement fine?”
“It’s over $1 million per ship. A total of 6 ships, well over 6 million dollars.”
“It alone…”
“Why did you leave the superiors alone? I don’t even know who is in charge of the operation. It was a classified operation! Damn you bastards!! I’ll even give you my contact information!”
After all, this old soldier has been forgotten by the state.
Well, how many things must have been buried in the US political world right after Kennedy’s assassination. It was not even clear whether or not the assassin was behind it.
The story of this grandfather who participated in the operation that was about to be executed is probably only one of them.
Gothel didn’t even know this story, it seems he only knew that there was a lost ship here.
“A hero who stepped out for his country should not be treated this way. I will help.”
“You… will you help me?”
“Part of my business is serving the US military. I make that kind of money, but I can’t ignore this story.”
“Are you using that money for me?”
Grandpa was thrilled at once and grabbed my hand.
“If you pay the fine first, you will be able to use that boat to turn your grandfather’s life around. Leave it to me.”
“Heh heh. Such a kind Japs, no Japanese… I’ve been living the wrong way. I lived wrong.”
“I said Korean.”
“Ah, yes, I said Korean. I was once in charge of supply support for the Korean War. Even though it was in America.”
“You have helped Korea before. If so, I should help even more.”
I also held my grandfather’s hand with both hands.
“You were the one who helped Korea. Meet the hero.”
Captain Yun Sang-su, who was wearing a uniform next to him, pretended to salute, and the grandfather jumped up and received the salute.
It seems that Woongsim, who had forgotten in the moderate salute, suddenly came to mind.
“I think you will get a sense of how to handle the work once you see the ship first. Is there a ship nearby?”
“Sure. of course. Let’s go, go to my fishing boat and it’ll be right there.”
Grandpa took us across the waterline bay in a small boat. It was an old ship that I wondered if it could be operated, but fortunately it did not sink.
After going for a while, there were really big ships floating.
As a sign of being detained, they were chained.
As I got closer, I thought I could see what kind of fines the city hall had levied.
Red rust water was flowing from the boat, and even the sea water was polluted with oil residue from some boats.
In addition to the fines for illegal territorial sea invasion, it seemed that they would have been hit with fines for environmental pollution.
Worth $1 million per ship.
‘Boss Wu, there are not only merchant ships, but also oil tankers. This… this… this is amazing.’
Captain Yoon Sang-soo forcibly suppressed his excitement and whispered to me.
‘Take care of your expression.’
‘Yes, I see what you mean.’
‘It’s the same with the deputy minister.’
‘Yes. Mr. Woo.’
We all focused on calming down the excitement.
It was just before the birth of a plausible shipping company in Korea.
As long as this boat is in good shape, I will reward you well for your grandfather’s life. Do not worry.
I made a promise to my grandfather on the back of his head as he climbed the ladder to the tanker.
“This tanker. It’s a bit rusty, but it’s a Panamax ship. The largest badge for an oil tanker capable of passing through the Panama Canal. He is a hero among heroes who once roamed the Pacific Ocean and provided heavy oil to the US Navy.”
Grandpa explained, rolling the deck with his feet, as if he remembered the old days.
It was a hit.
Even in the 1960s, a Panamax tanker was a tanker that weighed 60,000 tons.
It wasn’t comparable to a 21st century VLCC tanker, but it’s big enough for this era.
“What about the ship next to you? It looks a bit small.”
“Even though they have different shapes, they are all 10,000-ton cargo ships. It’s an improved version, so it doesn’t split or split. Very strong.”
Since the purpose was to be captured in Cuban territorial waters, it consisted of one oil tanker and five merchant ships.
At first glance, they looked like brothers, as they converted a transport ship used by the US military into a merchant ship during World War II.
“Chief Woo, the hull, deck, and various equipment are all rusted out, so there is almost nothing that can be used. I don’t know if this will make money.”
Captain Yoon Sang-soo, like a professor, spoke negative words in calm English.
“Keuheum, isn’t it a bit like that?”
At Captain Yoon’s words, the grandfather’s expression became serious.
“I still have to find something worthwhile.”
I pretended to be serious with my expression, but I was happy inside.
In this way, there are many cases where the hull is rusted red and the interior materials are more intact.
If only the areas where the paint has peeled off in some places are rusted, the rust penetrates deep into the surface like a rat eating it, so you can’t just scrape the surface and repair it.
If the overall rust is like this, the surface is neatly scraped, a reinforcing core is added to the inside of the hull, and only the exterior paint is repainted to make it a usable hull.
Moreover, since the main parts were said to have been replaced, there was a very high possibility that they would be as lively as new, thanks to the hull rusting instead.
My heart was pounding.
‘This is not a jackpot, it’s an invitation! It looks like I’ve got a useful oil tanker!’
Fanfare resonated in my head, but I couldn’t express it openly.
Outwardly, he kept a serious face as much as possible.
“Yes, you are right. Even if the outside looks like this, there will be something useful inside. Would you like to see it?”
“How about the engine room? There might be useful parts there.”
“Yes, that’s right! We’ve replaced the engine and major parts. He’s only four years old.”
Grandpa took my hand as if it were his last hope and hurried to the engine room.
It bothered me a little to bully this old man, but I had to take the initiative as much as possible because knowing that these ships could make money would give me greed that I hadn’t had before.
Deputy Minister Yeom and Professor Yoon must have the same idea.
The look on my grandfather’s back was just like that.
“This is the 8000 horsepower steam turbine engine that the Czech Republic boasts. He’s a pretty strong guy. And the auxiliary engines on both sides are Czech gas turbine engines. A very nice oil tanker that can run up to 16 knots when accelerated by a gas turbine.”
Hey, I can see why things got messed up.
The engine was decorated with a communist engine to disguise it as a ship going in and out of Cuba.
You can’t openly describe this as an undercover operation. This old man wasn’t supposed to be a veteran. I was formally arrested and had to launder my identity again.
Things got messy.
Then, shall I take this old man?
If you planted this engine, you must be an advanced technician.
“These engines seem to be worth fixing. I’m so glad.”
“Yeah, that’s nice to hear. If so, how much do you think it will come out if I sell this boat?”
“That, I think Mr. Yeom knows well?”
I pointed to Deputy Minister Yeom Won-cheol.
“Me?”
“Absolutely. You are the one who knows best about the expenses required to go through the legal process here.”
“Ah, I don’t know the cost of the ship, but it is possible to calculate the cost. With fines of $1 million per boat, late fines, and other expenses, it would come to a good $7.5 million.”
“Ugh! Seven and a half million dollars!”
It was not an amount my grandfather could handle.
“If you hand over all the papers and rights to me, I will give you 2 million dollars for tankers and 1.5 million dollars for each merchant ship. So, Grandpa is making $2 million.”
Even if you give Grandpa $2 million, that’s less than one-third of Nancy’s initial offer.
“Hey… what did you say? Two million dollars?”
Grandpa was surprised.
It was a natural reaction since it was the first time I had met someone who offered to give me 2 million dollars as a condition of taking over the rights to the ship.
“This is a courtesy to the warriors who helped Korea. If you are not comfortable with my offer, you may consult an American attorney.”
“no. no! you do it! You!”
Grandpa waved both of his hands wildly and left it to me.
Wouldn’t he have recognized the situation because it was his grandfather?
American lawyers would have refused, saying it was a troublesome issue, or rather demanded a large amount of fees to settle the fine.
“Then make a deal. If you give me all the rights to these ships, I’ll deposit you two million dollars. I will pay you the down payment with the money I have.”
I took out all the money in my wallet and gave it.
It was a little less than a thousand dollars, but it must have been a lot of money and trust to him.
“Thank you. thank you.”
“Instead, there are conditions. grandfather.”
“Say anything. I will listen to anything I can.”
“Could you teach the captain and my crew a little how to operate this ship? I have to move the boat so I don’t lose money.”
“Good, good. It has to be done unconditionally.”
“And, please give me all the relevant documents. Here with Mr. Yeom, I will go to San Francisco to clean up and come back.”
“Of course. I guess I met three precious people today. Thank you. thank you.”
Grandpa seemed to trust us even more that he left Captain Yoon and his crew by his side.
“Now go back.”
“Get on the boat, come on.”
Grandpa quickly moved onto the tongtong boat as if he were flying above the clouds, and I parted from our boat for a while while blowing a kiss.
Go to San Francisco, pay the fine, give me ownership of the boat, and Van Fleet will do the rest.
Honestly, at the moment when these ships are transformed into merchant ships for operations, their history as warships will have been erased, so there will be no problems with the transaction.
Along with Daesae No. 1, I got six more large ships.
Even the smell of oil in the water level line felt refreshing.
“Oh!”
“Why is that? Boss Wu.”
“Isn’t this an extra master’s license?”
“Ugh! A graduate of the King Edward VII Maritime College?”
I was surprised to see the certificate in the frame hanging in the corner of the shabby tongtongbae.
To think that this grandfather went to King Edward VII University, one of the best maritime universities, and an Extra Master, a captain among captains.
“Captain Yoon, please recruit him.”
“Yes, boss.”
I asked Captain Yoon to recruit me.
It was a burden to run Daesae Shipping with only Captain Yoon, but it felt like I had another helper.
“Yes, yes! $2 million!!! I am rich!”
Grandpa didn’t even know we were looking at our licenses, and he was driving the boat with his arms flashing with excitement.
Honestly, if you hand over 2 million dollars to your grandpa, you’ll pay enough for scouting.
“Congratulations. Mister!”
“Congratulations.”
“Old soldiers never die. I just retire rich.”
“Hahahahaha!”
It was a happy day for everyone.
Isn’t the American Dream like this?
