Patrick Zilliacus was born in Helsinki, Finland, May 11, 1926.  Also lived in Sweden and Italy,  coming to the US in December 1939.   He was inducted into the US Navy on June 30, 1943 in Indianapolis, IN.   Following Boot Camp, Torpedo and Submarine Schools, he was assigned to the USS Spot in Mare Island, CA.  He made four successful war patrols sinking 17 enemy ships and destroying a radar station.  He and the crew survived numerous depth charge attacks, surface gunfights, and tells an amazing story of escaping depth charge attacks by sailing submerged thru minefields in the Formosa Strait, along the way hearing mine cables scraping the hull of the ship.

Patrick left the USS Spot at the end of the war and stayed in the Active Reserve.  He attended Officer Submarine School and sailed on several submarine cruises.  He was urged to go into Naval Intelligence due to his extensive travel and language qualifications.  Nuclear Subs were coming in then and diesel boaters were becoming obsolete.  He declined the honor since going to the Navy Language School was impossible due to civilian career demands.  He was honorable discharged as  Lt. J.G. in June 1961.

Married to Mercedes Zilliacus, they have four children, five grandsons.  At age 97, started writing action novels (including "Blockade", "Cerberus","Cerberus on Mars", "Stops Along the Way"), and he painted the original watercolor illustrations for the books.