It was about two a.m. when Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter decided to grab a cup of coffee and take a stroll out on the deck of the USS Hancock. Carter and most of his platoon was ordered from Camp Henderson to form the Marine Detachment of the World War II vintage aircraft carrier on a Western Pacific Cruise to Southeast Asia. All in all, not bad duty for a Marine in 1969. Corporal Lester Hummel was the NCO on duty when Carter raided the coffee mess in the small office of the MARDET.

"Evening Gunny," the younger Marine greeted.

"Morning, you mean, Corporal," the Sergeant replied. The corporal was once part of Carter's platoon back at Camp Henderson. Now that Hummel was getting older, he reminded the Gunnery Sergeant of the Chaplain at the Army field hospital he was sent to when he was wounded back in Korea close to two decades ago. Maybe the two were related. Carter thought of mentioning it, but decided to keep it to himself.

Hummel asked, "Going to keep an eye on Gomer?" Private First Class Pyle was out on watch.

Carter replied, "What, No, I just couldn't sleep. Decided to get some sea air. Pyle can stand his own watch."

The Corporal wisely decided to stop egging on his First Sergeant, and followed up with another question, "Pyle is up for re-enlistment, when we get back, isn't he?"

Carter answered, "We won't be going back under the Golden Gate Bridge for another eight months. Pyle has the whole cruise to make Lance Corporal if he wants to stay in the Marine Corps."

Hummel added, "Yeah, I reminded him he's got to make E-3 to stay in the Corps more than six years. But he's happy as a PFC."

The Gunnery Sergeant ended the conversation with , "That's his choice." But Hummel knew Carter would miss Pyle.

While Carter was on his way out, Hummel warned, "Watch out, Warrant Officer Simpson in an unusually foul mood."

Carter replied, "Great." Carter had a run in with the Simpson in '65, when the Hancock's Boatswain was a Chief Petty Officer. Then Chief Simpson rode Pyle pretty hard and threatened to throw a cat overboard. If anybody is going to yell at Carter's Marines, it's gotta be Gunny Carter.

Carter walked on to the dark catwalk. He could see Pyle, who was at the fantail, but didn't think the PFC could see him. Carter could hear somebody walking on the catwalk above him.

A voice that Carter recognized immediately as Simpson's shouted, "Contraband!"

A bag flew overhead and into the churning water below. Carter could see a look of horror on Pyle's face. Then the Gunnery Sergeant put the pieces together. The mascot of the Hancock was Snoopy, the beagle from the Peanuts comic strip. Pyle and some sailors were playing with a stray beagle near Pearl. They probably snuck the dog on board, and Simpson is notorious for his no animal policy.

Then Pyle did the unthinkable, and jumped in after the bag! Carter acted fast, grabbed an inflatable raft and followed the younger Marine into the Pacific. The water was cold, and it stung from the height he had jumped from, but Carter was able to get the raft inflated. He then found Pyle treading water, holding the bag.

"Pyle you knucklehead," Carter shouted, "You've could have gotten us both killed! Get into the raft!"

Pyle momentarily confused, "Sergeant Carter? Is that you? Mr. Simpson threw Snoopy II overboard!"

Carter looked a little grave, seeing the lack of movement in the bag. The gruff sergeant softened, "Put the bag in the raft, and come aboard."

Pyle handed the sergeant the bag. Carter really didn't want to look inside… but when he did, he started chuckling. Pyle looked confused, until Carter pulled out three empty Bacardi bottles.

"Rum!" Carter laughed, "He caught some sailors drinking rum!"

Pyle joined in the laughter and cried, "Well golly, I bet Snoopy II is still asleep on the ship."

Carter then looked alarmed, "The ship! I didn't sound man overboard to keep you from getting in trouble! We have to get back to the ship!"

The Private and Sergeant paddled furiously, but couldn't catch up to the Essex class carrier bound for Vietnam. The two spent a day and a half floating around the shipping lanes, hoping somebody would come looking for them

Then the weather started getting rough. The tiny raft was tossed. If not for the courage of the two Marines, all hope would be lost. Just when they thought they were out of it, a large swell threw both Pyle and Carter out of the raft. The two Marines kept close, trying to keep their heads above water.

As dawn was breaking Carter said tenderly, "Pyle, I gotta tell you something. You get on my nerves, but the past five years have been…"

Pyle interrupted Carters confession with, "Shazam! Sergeant! Look!"

Carter followed the Private's gaze, and off in the horizon, he could make out the outline of an island.

"Come on Pyle… lets go!" Carter ordered.

The PFC and Gunnery Sergeant swam towards the island. The physical exertion made boot camp look like a YMCA workout, but the servicemen swam for their lives. When they finally made it to the surf after hours of swimming, both men passed out. The two Marines were totally exhausted.

When Carter came to, he thought he had passed on to the great beyond. A very familiar redhead was staring right in his face.

"He's coming around, Professor!" Ginger Grant called to a man wearing a white shirt who was over by Pyle.

"The younger one is waking up, too!" The man next to Pyle said.

Carter said hoarsely, "Private Pyle, report!"

Pyle said back, with an equally gravelly tone, "I'm OK Sergeant. Where are we?"

A kid about Pyle's age wearing an upside down Dixie-Cup sailor's hat said, "You're shipwrecked with us. I'm Gilligan, that's Ginger, he's the Professor, walking over here is Mary Ann, the Skipper, and the Howells. We came here on the Minnow."

The Minnow! Carter thought he must be hallucinating. He remembered the headlines when the boat was lost nearly five years ago, taking World War II Navy hero Jonas Grumby, Actress Ginger Grant, and Millionaire Thurston Howell III along with it. Now somehow he and Pyle have ended up with a group of modern-day Robinson Carusoes.