News From Fort Schuyler

May 8, 1998 - Volume 2, No. 21

GRADUATION IS UPON US - EDWARD VILLELLA, Class of 1959, sixty-three cadets, Class of 1998, and a small number of graduate students will be receiving their degrees: honorary doctorate, baccalaureate and masters, this Saturday at the 125th Spring graduation. Tonight's AccuWeather forecast for the Bronx this Saturday is: "A shower, then rain. H65/L55". If an outdoor graduation in St. Mary's Pentagon is rained out, please don't blame AccuWeather's Regional Sales Manager (in California) JOHN J. MALONEY, Class of 1956. (Forecast source: http://www.accuweather.com)

ANOTHER VILLELLA VIGNETTE - Last week's item about Edward Villella prompted this memory from DAVID H. BROWN, Class of 1971: "When I started at the Maritime College, I'd never heard of Edward Villella. However, I had a brother who was into ballet. When I was home for some break or other, he showed me a review in the Washington Post of a production that he'd been in. He was probably 18 or 19 at the time. The critic singled my brother out, saying that someday he could be as good as Edward Villella. So I asked him, "Who's Edward Villella ?" He looked at me kind of funny, as though he expected me to be a little bit more aware." (Source: E-mail correspondence)

DARING THE ELEMENTS? On Friday morning, May 8, there will be a groundbreaking for a new structure to be built near the jetty on the Long Island Sound side of Fort Schuyler, not far from where the propeller of the SS UNITED STATES is on display. It is expected that Governor Pataki, State Senator Guy J. Velella and other prominent citizens will attend the ceremonial start of the construction of a Hazard Resistant Construction Training Center being built under the aegis of the New York State Emergency Office with funding donated from insurance and construction firms and related associations. The project, code named "Protecting Home and Family," is all about developing insurable oceanfront housing. So, yes, it IS being built in a rather exposed location, but according to an Emergency Office newsletter, the whole purpose of the building will be serve as a "...venue for training builders and contractors, building code enforcement officials, architects and engineers and the public on hazard resistant construction." The building will also serve as the headquarters for the Maritime College Continuing Education program, directed by ANTHONY PALMIOTTI, Class of 1979.

FAMILY TIES GO ON - The list is still cumulating, so keep sending entries.

KENNERLEY Family: William 19 - Bob 72

MAYNARD Siblings: Paul 82 - Andy 85 - Greg 85

McALLISTER Family: Anthony 52 - Brian 56 - Anthony J 80 (uncles/cousins to the McKillops)

McKILLOP Family: James P 52 - James H. 77 (nephews/cousins to the McAllisters)

RUH Siblings: William 82 - Kenneth 85

Contributors: Bob Kennerley, Jim McKillop, Ken Ruh.

NAVAL RESERVE PROMOTION - Congratulations to EDWARD NANARTOWICH, Class of 1975, promoted to Captain in the Naval Reserve. (Source: E-mail from RODNEY McFADDEN 75)