I recently finished writting FINDING THE FLEET II, (A sequel to Finding the Fleet, published in 2015). During the course of the research for the new book, I had the opportunity to interview 90-year-old Pat Corrigan. He told me much information about his family and what all they found on the beach and in the water over the years, and much of which I relate in the book. One story however, is right in line with this thread.
Hugh Corrigan III was born on in Duncan, Oklahoma on September 14, 1923. Patrick Corrigan was born in Midland, Texas on November 28, 1928.
The Corrigan family once owned a 72-acre parcel of land that included 1,200 feet of oceanfront. Dan informed me, “It is now Carlton Vero Beach, high-end townhomes.” He also said, “The workers dug up an old skeleton or two when they were under construction.”
Hugh and Pat both grew up in Midland, Texas. Hugh graduated from Midland High School in 1941. He attended the University of Texas and served his country in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II and was stationed in Florida. He actually was a member of the mounted beach patrol that went up and down the coast searching for signs of German sabateurs and spies that might have been put ashore by U-Boat. (Such German spies were landed at Ponte Verde) He moved with his parents to Vero Beach, Florida in 1944. Pat graduated from Vero Beach High School in 1945.
The following is an excerpt from my interview with Pat Corrigan, in his own words. I hope you enjoy,
Let me tell you another interesting story.
We had a black couple who worked for us and were very dear to our family, and they stayed in a little worker’s cottage out where we had a 25-acre grove on the property. They would clean up the kitchen after dinner at night and walk out with flashlight about 200-250 yards to their little shack, out in the grove. Odel and Rosalee Braswell were their names.
You could write a book on Odel. He was one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Rosalee was big and heavy and Odel was smallish, well-built but small. They came in one day and Rasalee said,
“Mr. Pat… Mr. Pat, we seen a man out in the grove!” And I said, “Oh really” and I said, “Where was he?” “Right standing out on the side of the road.” And so I asked “Well what did he say?” and she said “He didn’t say nothing, he just stood there and looked.” And I said, “He just stood there and looked? My golly, must have been a poacher, a trespasser, I’m surprised he didn’t run and try to get away.” She said, “No sir, he didn’t say nothin.” Odel was standing there and he hadn’t said anything so I asked “Odel did you see anything?” and Odel said “I didn’t see no little man.” So during the next week or so they saw this little man three times. He was always in the same vicinity and just stood there quietly. So I asked “What did he look like?” and Rosalee said “He was just a little man.” I don’t remember her exact words, but she said he looked different.
So many year later, we sold that beach property to Carlton Development, they put those big condos on it. They dug into the dune pretty far when they were laying the foundations for the various buildings, I heard that they dug up a body and it was real, real old and they thought it was either an Indian or a Spaniard. So I suppose that must have been the ghost of that Spanish sailor that had been haunting the area.
Hmmm, not too sure on that, but I GUARANTEE you'll see more if you down a few beers!
