Adventure In The Amazon

by Mike Hammond

Copyright © 2008 Mike Hammond All rights reserved

No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the author.

Dedication

This story is dedicated to my wife, Sara, whose generous patience and loving support throughout our lives has helped me become who I am, relieved that this adventure was fulfilled before we were married.

Mike Hammond
Soldier of Fortune Oct. 1967

Contents:

Introduction

This is a true story about a diamond mining adventure deep in the Amazon River basin. I know it is true because it is my story. I am re-telling it with all the detail from my 1967 journal coupled with the benefit of 40 years of hindsight and perspective. It was a get-rich-quick venture that promptly turned into a life-altering journey. The protagonists were a couple of high energy ex-navy chaps: Dick Cullerton and myself, Mike Hammond, just released from active duty, including Viet Nam tours, we were ready to take on the world as fledgling soldiers of fortune. After all, the 727 karat “Presidente Vargas Diamond” had been found in Brazil.

I’ve done some crazy things in my day but this adventure comes close to eclipsing them all. This escapade, turned out to be a transition from military life to the civilian world. A daily journal -- sometimes written on large tree leaves when the diary was not available --was kept, recording our adventure.

Before launching into this exploit by Dick Cullerton and myself, a brief background is helpful for a perspective of why I did what I did. The U.S. Navy’s Underwater Demolition Teams (now SEAL Teams) of which I was a member, provided me with a heavily action packed and adventuresome life working with comrades in arms; a band of brothers who would sacrifice anything for one another, even our lives. How I got there started one spring weekend in 1960….