A Pacific Princess — W. Matthew Hart

This is an imaginative and fascinating mystery story of history, conflict, romance and fast moving action at sea. Walter M. Hart (the author's grandfather) during WW-2 captained the “SV Pioneer” a former Vanderbilt luxury yacht that was used by the U.S. Navy, during World War II to spy on the Japanese on hundreds of small island military bases in the Pacific and primarily near Australia. On a trip to Columbia the captain is given a large rare Emerald, by his great uncle. When the Japanese attack the S.V. Pioneer the gem stone is hidden for safe keeping by Capt. Hast during one of the fierce military encounters with the Japanese naval forces in the Southern Pacific.