Charleston, SC, Feb. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Palmetto Publishing and authors Ben Koether and Shawn Smucker excitedly announce the release of their new book: a riveting memoir that takes readers from the frozen darkness of Antarctic waters to the cutting edge of American business innovation.
At twenty-three, Ensign Ben Koether became the youngest Naval navigator in the Antarctic aboard the USS Glacier, America’s most powerful icebreaker, during one of history’s most dangerous expeditions. Tasked with charting coastlines never before reached by any vessel in human history—what navigators called the “Phantom Coast”—Koether navigated through sixty-foot waves and crushing sea ice while his ship became trapped 600 miles from open water as winter descended on Antarctica.
“We only have so much time,” Koether recalls of those desperate weeks. “The fuel and food are running out, the sun is going down… All 600 of us are going to go down the tube if we can’t get out of this ice.”
But this isn’t just a military memoir. Koether’s journey continues through America’s turbulent 1960s—from confronting the Ku Klux Klan while integrating a Louisiana factory to pioneering the computer technology that revolutionized fast-food restaurants worldwide. His company’s innovations, which began with perfecting French fry cooking temperatures in his garage, would eventually appear in nearly every major fast-food chain, fundamentally changing how America eats.
Within the waves of his life, Ben has learned many lessons — some of which came at a time he most needed them. Now, he shares what he’s learned about life, business, and the sea with readers around the world.
Perfect for sailors, business students, adventurous young adults, entrepreneurs, and readers invigorated by inspiring stories, Dead Reckoning is a thrilling must-read.
DEAD RECKONING: To the Antarctic and Beyond is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. For more information about the author, please visit any of their social media platforms.
About the Author:
Ben Koether is the retired chairman of KitchenBrains, a company he founded 54 years ago, specializing in electronics and software for quick service restaurants. His ventures include restoring US Navy boats and leading the Glacier Society, which educates the youth in seamanship and environmental studies. Ben began sailing post-WWII and served as a navigator aboard the USS Glacier during Operation Deep Freeze. He holds a BA from Brown University and an MBA from Columbia University. An inventor with over 40 patents, he played a key role in developing the first electronic point of sale cash register for McDonald’s.
Media Contact: BEN KOETHER with Shawn Smucker, [email protected]
Available for interviews: BEN KOETHER with Shawn Smucker, Author