News From Fort Schuyler
December 6, 2000 - Volume 4, No. 37
NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET - Editors should never assume. It has been
pointed out by LEONARD WEISS, Class of October 1946, for example, that even
though two classes graduated in 1946, they do not hold their reunions
together. "There has always been a misunderstanding about the two classes
that graduated in 1946. I am a member of the October class. We have never
had any consolidation of the two classes. They are both as distinct as the
1950 class or the 1955 class. I have always felt that these two classes
should have been designated as January 46 and October 1946." [They are now
so designated in the Alumni Association Roster.] Leonard concludes: "In any
event, the e-mail address list that Phil Dilloway and I are compiling is for
the October 1946 class....our goal is to get as many or all of the addresses
of the October 1946 class only." (Contact: Lenmar89@aol.com or
Dilloway@ntplx.net )
RETIREMENT STUDIES - This recent note from PHIL KANTZ, Class of 1965, who
joined his classmates at Homecoming for their 35th reunion this past
September: "I retired as CEO of a Silicon Valley technology company in July
and I caught the bug to regain my Chief Mate Oceans Unlimited licence while
back at the Fort. Back in 1992, when I was the CEO of a biotech company, I
had a hard time convincing anyone at the Coast Guard that I was still
associated with the industry. There was no process to "warehouse" your
license. So, I had to let it expire. Well, it's time to get it back. It will
take some time with the added qualifications for STCW and GMDSS. I have the
time. So here I am ten years later studying my %#$ off like a first classman
during License Seminar. I must say, it is all coming back very quickly ! By
the way, one of my classmates, GERHARDT MULLER, who is now at Kings Point,
was also helpful and has offered his assistance in my quest. I'll keep you
informed of my progress."
NEXT BEST THING - Captain FRANK SHELLENBARGER has been a leading figure in
the New York City maritime community for many years. Not only is he
President of the Marine Society of the City of New York, and a Trustee of
Sailors' Snug Harbor, but additionally is "..also a director of Sailor's
Safe Haven and, as a Sailors' Snug Harbor Trustee, V.P. of our new
for-profit subsidiary, which the Trustees have formed in order to try and
fill the empty beds at the Harbor." He is also an Associate Member of the
Alumni Association.
A long time supporter of the Maritime College and charter NFFS
subscriber, he recently wrote that "...I graduated from the Owego Free
Academy (Tioga County) in 1936 and applied for entrance to the New York
Schoolship in 1937. Did not have the small amount they required for books,
etc. so went in the US Navy instead." At one point during his WWII naval
service he was "2nd Officer on the S/S REVERDY JOHNSON (a Liberty
trooper-850 troops plus troop detachment) at sea in mid-Atlantic on VE Day.
As a former US Navy Radioman (as well as Signal/Quartermaster) was "palsy"
with the three USN radiomen, who were our operators. So when VE Day was sent
to us by BAMS (British American Shipping) the Chief gave me a copy of the
messages rec'd." [CAPT Shellenbarger is depositing these six messages in the
Luce Library collection.]
"Incidentally have been trying for years to get a photo of one of the
Liberty troopers. They had an additional lifeboat, port and starboard of #3
hatch, which had a small hospital in the tween deck on one side and a troop
galley on the other. We carried 3 USN radio operators, 2 radar operators,
and 2 signalmen. Also a 1st Looie troop commander, who was in charge of the
mess unit and medics and troop detachment. As we still had our gun crew, the
USN personnel were under the gunnery officer. The 1st Looie, whose name I
don't remember, claimed to have been a Louisiana State cop and was present
at the assassination of Huey Long. So much for sea stories !!"
"The US Naval Institute ... started doing an oral history of my career
back in April 1997, due to my being at sea during Neutrality Patrol, and
being enlisted on the staff of RADM David McDougall LeBreton, but somehow it
fell by the wayside. After all, I am pretty small potatoes, compared to some
of the people in the Oral History program."
CAPT Shellenbarger concludes: "Can not get over my amazement in the
changes in the world in my lifetime. Can remember as a small boy, running
outside to look up, whenever I heard an airplane. Also when I started in
the USN as a radio op. we still had a spark transmitter as a backup, and a
crystal set recvr."
RECOMMENDED READING - Anyone with more than a passing interest in tugboats
should browse through an issue of 'Tugbitts: The Quarterly Journal of the
Tugboat Enthusiasts Society of the Americas.' The coverage is detailed,
expert and sometimes quirky. The journal, now in its eleventh volume, has
recently been added to the Luce Library periodical collection thanks to the
generosity of ED CARLSON, Regional Editor for the Long Island Sound area,
whose son Andrew graduated in the Class of 1999. In the current issue
(11:3) the tug news for the LI Sound area includes the departure of our two
tugs from their berths for scrapping. Ed writes that: "I hope to provide an
update in the next column as to the whereabouts of these two tugs..If anyone
has any further information please contact me. [Ed Carlson, 23 Byran Road,
Rowayton, CT 06853]"
SALUTING ON US LINES - The discussion is continued by OTTO LIEPIN, Class of
[October]1946 ."In regards to saluting aboard US Lines passenger ships, I
sailed for two years on the S.S.AMERICA under Capt. HARRY MANNING [Class of
1914] and I do not recall any saluting going on by the mates. They were
required to be in their dress blue uniforms with US Lines insignia caps and
they had their own mates mess. The captain took his meals in his quarters.
He would spend time on the bridge and the mates on watch maintained
regulation routines as was the custom of that era but being an engineer, we
wore khaki work outfits while at sea with US Lines insignia caps."
"The AMERICA in 1946 required six licensed engineers for each watch and
I recall there were two mates on watch. The entire engineer complement
consisted of 25 licensed engineers including Paddy Brennan, Chief. We were
lucky if we averaged 800 passengers per trip, NY to Europe. The Maritime
Administration subsidized the costs of operating our passenger liners by a
considerable sum of money but remember, we were in competition with the
Queens and the French liners and they also were heavily subsidized. US Lines
was required to have a certain percentage of the deck and engine officers to
be USNR ranked. I believe that a portion of their subsidy required this
condition. I can recall being asked if I had a USNR commission when I was
hired. So possibly some of the mates, in respect for higher rank, would
salute. We engineers, however, were a democratic bunch. All equals, down in
the bowels of the ship, making damn sure we got there with the least
expenditure of barrels of bunker C. And don't 'blow the tubes' on the first
watch until you get permission
from the bridge. Yeahhhhh."
ALL THE TALL SHIPS - A website featuring links to the tall ships of the
world was featured in the "Scan Grab" section of the New York Times on
November 30. Go to http://www.tallshipnewswire.com
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