The Lansdowne was selected to ferry the Japanese ministers and generals from the Customs House Dock in Yokohama to the Missouri.

He had to negotiate the rope ladder down to the launch. It was not an easy task, but no one offered to help him. Eventually, he managed.

Each of the other destroyers pulled up next to the Missouri for its special passengers to go aboard, but not the Lansdowne. We were ordered to stop a nice distance away, and the Japanese delegation was forced to take a small launch to the Missouri. The brass wanted to rub their faces in it.

They were a grim bunch, all deadpan. They had nothing to smile about.

We all knew something was up, but we weren't sure exactly what.

A man must know his destiny… if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder… if he has the imagination, he will turn around and fate will point out to him what fork in the road he should take, if he has the guts, he will take it.