Dad was born and raised in Atlantic City and lifeguarded in AC for seven years. He met Mom while guarding on States Ave. Mom spent her summers in AC with friends and was originally from Kingston, PA (upstate). I guess Dad had some great rap back in the day to score an amazing woman like my Mom.
My parents began vacationing in Sea Isle in 1963. When the seven McNamara offspring started arriving, summers in Sea Isle became a priority and Mom and Dad purchased our first home at 9 - 75th Street from the Lingo family in 1974. We promptly dubbed the house “Lingo Land”. The house is one of the few that has yet to be replaced by a side-by-side. For a time, it had the tallest flagpole in Sea Isle. It was a gaff-rigged pole which still stands today. Dad would have my brothers and I put up and take down three flags daily: The American, U.S. Navy and Irish flags. Dad was (is) a true patriot. Having been a Naval Officer in the late 50′’s himself, Mike and I decided to follow in his footsteps. Joe headed to Wall Street and became enormously successful. Patriotism was a priority in our household, as was respect for that which symbolizes our great county - our flag. Love of country was more important to Dad than anything else. Two of the three brothers had to fold the American flag properly every night until we left for college. I guess Dad’s passion for ours, the greatest country in the world, is what drove me to serve.
Dad wanted my brothers and I to guard on the beach, though, as was always the case with Dad, the ultimate decision was left up to us. I remember being 15 years old and terrified on the day of the lifeguard test. To the last minute, when I was hedging, Dad let me decide whether or not to follow through with the tryout. While strict, he had a plan and executed it well. I went through with the tryout and soon after joined my big brothers on the SICBP. By the time the three of us finished our guarding careers, Joe had been Assistant Captain, and Mike and I had been Lieutenants.
Mike and Joe, as many know, are twins. They’re both in their 40’s now and have 9 children between them. They are 16 months older then me, but, in my early years and throughout my teens, that 16 months may as well have been 15 years.
Whenever they would fight, which was often, Dad had one rule: no punching in the face. One day on the beach on 75th Street, Joe, or Mike (I don’t remember which) violated the rule and hauled off on Joe (or Mike’s) mug. Dad saw the whole thing and made both of them walk, while holding hands, from the 75th Street lifeguard stand to 70th Street and back. It was a crowded Sea Isle Saturday in July. Imagine being 13 years old and having to walk a half mile holding hands with your twin brother, after fist fighting with him, in front of thousands of people. Great, effective punishment. No more punches to the mug were ever thrown (at least at each other).
Dad must have handed some of his oratory skills with the ladies down to his sons (myself excluded - I had no rap). Joey, while not blessed with his twin brothers blond curls, could talk to the ladies. His biggest catch, at age 18, was dating Maria Bello. Maria is now a hugely successful Hollywood actress with two Golden Globe wins. She was in movies such as Coyote Ugly, World Trade Center, The Cooler, Flicka, Payback, A History of Violence….. I have absolutely no idea how Joe landed Maria, but, he did. This picture was taken when Joe was 18 and Maria was 17, prior to the Lifeguard’s Ball at the Sea Isle City Yacht Club. The Ball was always the summer highlight for the lifeguards and their dates. Joe took Maria in ‘84 after they dated that smmer.
(Click on pictures to enlarge) 
Fortunately, the relationship went nowhere and Joey married his amazing wife Stacy. They now have 4 awesome kids.
Good story, though.
