True Comics #63

In 1905 Milwaukee, pattern maker and machinist Ole Evinrude finds himself exhausted from rowing a boat to fetch ice cream for his companion Bessie on a sweltering day—and the grueling trip sparks an idea that won't leave him alone. Over the following months, Ole develops and refines a motorized engine designed to power small boats, transforming what began as a solution to a summer's discomfort into an invention that would reshape recreational boating forever. This is the true story of how persistence, mechanical skill, and a perfect partnership built an industry from a single frustrated moment on the water.

At just twenty-one, Bob Falkenburg has already amassed an impressive collection of tennis championships—from national boys' titles to collegiate outdoor crowns—a run of victories that's left him scrambling for shelf space. His competitive drive runs so deep that even a broken wrist couldn't stop him from claiming both singles and doubles wins at the Eastern Boys' Championship in 1941. This is the story of a young athlete whose talent and determination have made him one of the sport's most decorated rising stars.

"Hard Luck" Hogan arrives in Alaska during the spring of 1898 nearly broke after a winter of failed gold prospecting, only to discover that a misdirected package of garden seeds—not beans—might change his fortunes in an unexpected way. What begins as a small agricultural accident sets him on a path that transforms not just his own prospects, but opens up commercial farming across the Alaskan frontier.

During World War II, Commander Draper L. Kauffman led the underwater demolition teams—the "Fin Boys"—through grueling training at Fort Pierce before they became the secret weapon that paved the way for Allied invasions across both the European and Pacific theaters. From the beaches of Normandy to the reefs of Saipan, Guam, Palau, and beyond, these volunteer swimmers risked their lives to clear enemy obstacles and establish safe passage for invasion forces. This is the true story of how a specialized unit of courageous divers helped turn the tide of the war—work so classified it could only be told once victory was won.

David Lilienthal rose from a young student and boxer to become one of America's most influential voices in power management and public service, championing lower electricity rates and fighting against political corruption throughout his career. From his editorials that caught a governor's attention to his pivotal role building the Tennessee Valley Authority under President Roosevelt, Lilienthal built a reputation for putting people's needs before political favors. Now, as Chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, he faces his greatest challenge yet—guiding the peaceful use of atomic power while defending his vision of democracy against those who question his loyalty.

A restless sixteen-year-old girl in 1812 Massachusetts trades her mundane life for adventure by disguising herself as a man and enlisting in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Constitution. Serving under the assumed name George Baker, she faces enemy fire, naval combat, and the constant danger of discovery during the War of 1812—all while her shipmates remain entirely unaware of her true identity. Her remarkable wartime service sets the stage for the unexpected turn her life takes when she finally returns to shore.

When a Super-Fortress runs out of fuel over Greenland and its crew becomes stranded 600 miles from the North Pole, Lt. Bobbie Joe Cavnar and his Air Transport Command team brave a fierce snow storm to attempt a rescue on a frozen lake. With the damaged aircraft too heavy to take off normally, Cavnar's crew turns to an unconventional solution—rockets—to get all eleven stranded flyers to safety.