Havlin simultaneously peeks at the events of the1928 Okeechobee Hurricane that struck Florida, and how Don Roebling was determined to invent a rescue boat that can conquer the swamps, the flooding, and the debris to save lives. The partnership that followed became history, and the creation of what would soon be known as the AMTRAKs and Higgins Boats would change the course of not only the war, but the world. Blue Water Red Blood is the poignant story of how, together, these two Americans faced and conquered red tape, engineering obstacles, corruption and personal trials to train and equip the US Mariin for their greatest challenges.