This oral history varies from most in that Captain Kretz concentrates on one topic: service with the U.S. Asiatic Fleet in the 1930s. From 1936 to 1938 he served first in the gunboat Panay (PR-5), and then in the destroyer Bulmer (DD-222). Among topics covered are the Sino-Japanese War, idiosyncrasies of Chinese life and culture, food, medical care, recreational activities, and the military and civilian leaders in the area.