Behind the Bastards Part Three: L. Ron Hubbard's High Sea Adventures With His Private Cult Navy
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Oct 25, 2018 
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Hubbard's Private Navy
- In 1967, L. Ron Hubbard, a 56-year-old with no real naval experience, bought three ships and declared himself Commodore.
- His "navy" consisted mostly of Scientologists with no seafaring experience, highlighting Hubbard's eccentric and extravagant nature.
A Troubled Commodore
- Virginia Downsboro, a Scientologist with minimal sailing experience, was put in charge of a ship.
- Hubbard, claiming to be injured, displayed drug use and depression, contradicting his anti-drug stance.
The Gold Hunt
- While sailing, Hubbard would make the crew search for gold he claimed to have buried in past lives.
- He even claimed he hoped to replace the ship's ballast with this gold.