Fresh from their live presentations and book signings at the Ocrafolk Festival and the National Lighthouse Day at the prestigious Bald Head Island, Keeper James Charlet and his lovely wife, Miz Linda Molloy, will be signing books at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Eastern National Bookstore on Wednesday, August 31 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This is their second time this year at this iconic location.

Keeper James’s book, Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks: Dramatic Rescues and Fantastic Wrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic, Globe Pequot Press (imprint of Rowman & Littlefield), is primarily about the United States Life-Saving Service. This Service existed on all American coasts from 1871 until 1915 but is one of the least-known yet most fascinating and inspirational aspects in all of America’s storied history. Author Ralph Shanks says, “They were the greatest heroes of the American coast, routinely risking their lives in the grand maritime rescues…yet somehow, America forgot these peaceful heroes.”

The brave souls known as Surfmen had a singular mission: saving lives in peril from the sea. During their 44-year history, nationwide, using no more than small, open, wooden boats and cork life belts, often in violent and dangerous storms, they responded to over 178,000 lives in peril from shipwrecks…of which they saved, OVER 177,000; yet, somehow, America forgot these peaceful heroes. In 1915, the United States Life-Saving Service merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service and was renamed the United States Coast Guard.

Keeper James Presentations ^TM is a series of live programs presented by local historians, historic interpreters and performers Keeper James Charlet and Linda Molloy. Each program about the U.S. Life-Saving Service consists of appetizers of true, exciting, highly dramatic Outer Banks stories of ‘America’s Forgotten Heroes.’ For more information, see www.KeeperJames.com/programs.