Every time someone on our staff broached the subject of underwater archaeology, Membership Services and Communications Director Carol Mason—who left us recently in favor of academic pursuits—liked to poke good-natured fun, saying it was about as exciting as watching paint dry, grass grow, etc. Her principal mission, after all, was drawing attention and interest to Naval History 's parent organization, the forward-thinking professional society of the Sea Services, the U.S. Naval Institute. So solving historical mysteries by studying sunken relics from the deep seemed not nearly so compelling as, say, discussions concerning the latest vision statement from the Chief of Naval Operations. But despite her outwardly lukewarm attitude toward sunken ships, Carol knew reporting on the exploits of underwater explorers and archaeologists was an essential duty of Naval History, and she supported and promoted our efforts at every turn. That duty calls again.
