News From Fort Schuyler

September 3, 1998 - Volume 2, No. 39

NOTHING FISHY HERE, SIR! Recent reminder to cadets on dormitory room standards regarding pets: "As for pets, fish only! You may have one 30 gallon fish tank per room." (Source: Plan of the Week, August 31-September 6)

TSES V in FEET AND INCHES - Responding to the concern of classmate DAN WINTERS, Class of 1986, that an incorrect LOA is given for the model of the TSES V that he recently built for the Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler, BARRY MARSH responds: "When I built the model, I used the 533' 9-3/4" LOA, as is shown on my 1/4":1' scale original 1952 P2-S1-DN3 troopship blueprints. I work for George G. Sharp, Inc., who designed the ship - Sharp records also say 533' 9-3/4". This figure was driven into my head during IDO Week. It was also the figure Dan and I told "our" Mugs when we were IDO's for the Class of '88, and the figure I would recite when I was a Cadet Guide. BUT...Some sources, including the "Summer Sea Term Handbook for Deck Cadets," say 533'-9". Some say 530'. Some say 527'. Some say 503'!

ERHARD KOEHLER, Class of 1987, (NA-E), wrote the placard on the model stand, and could have picked the 533'-7" LOA from another source entirely... The 2-3/4" LOA difference between Erhard's figure and the actual figure would be a model length difference of 0.014322917' !"

DOUBLE-BARRELED TITLE - The responsibilities of the Commandant of Cadets may no longer seem so exotic to his peers in the State University now that CAPTAIN ROBERT J. WEAVER, Class of 1969, has had the explanatory (and SUNY-standard) "Vice President for Student Affairs" added to his title. (Change noted in byline in the current issue of Parents' Pipeline.)

KUDOS FOR THE SST 98 CRUISE LOG - A member of the Class of 1960, ROBERT VOGEL, who has not been back since graduation, notes that, thanks to NFFS and the Cruise Log "..I have received an idea of life at Fort Schuyler and it appears to differ greatly from what it was 40 years ago. One thing I have always appreciated was the quality of education I received. I knew I got the best with the faculty then at Fort Schuyler. Outside of that we just wanted to get out.

I sense a much higher level of morale especially on the summer cruises. This was mainly the result of the officers aboard during our summer cruises. They were "drug up" from the merchant marine ranks and suddenly given a position over someone and we were treated for the most part like nobodies or completely ignored. Having the present officers graduates from Fort Schuyler makes a huge difference, knowing what cadets have to go through. I sailed for a year as Third Asst. Engineer and later often wished I could have gone back and sailed again on the EMPIRE STATE."

FOOD FOR THOUGHT FROM A CHAMP -" I don't remember collision mats," writes ROBERT W. WHITE, Class of 1966, "but I remember almost liking 'elephant scabs' (breaded cutlets). My food memory is that I was the regimental breakfast champion of 1963. Rules: eat the main breakfast dish then start on the small boxes of cereal. Each had to be eaten with milk. I even had official challengers one Saturday. I emerged as the champ with 17 boxes. I think Steve Huvane came in 2nd. My championship was even mentioned .... in [my entry] in the 1966 yearbook." Harking back thirty years earlier to the food of HIS cadet days, FERGIE BYARS, Class of 1939, writes: "I got a kick of seeing some of the food cartons loaded aboard for a cruise stamped, 'For Shipboard Use only.'" GLENN GERMAINE, Class of 1967, remembered his breaded veal cutlets as "elephant tracks." SANDY NELSON, Class of 1960, admits " The mess deck article brought back many memories. (Notice I didn't say fond memories.)"

A note from NORMAN BRAILSFORD, Class of 1953,retired engineer and r/c scale model builder, recalls: "I am also one who remembers Charlie Rey's famous (?) food. I also remember one Saturday morning where there was a near riot over his serving rancid hash."

Finally, recalling the hazards of seafaring life, ROBERT VOGEL, Class of 1960, writes: "Two things that one cannot over-exaggerate are the North Atlantic in the winter and the terrible food of Charley Rey. As I look back on the Mess Deck, both at the fort and aboard ship, they should have been condemned by the Health Board and jailed for impersonating a cook." (Stay tuned for more choice morsels as we finally exhaust this distasteful subject in the next issue.)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS - On Saturday, November 7, Rear Admiral ROBERT C. NORTH, Class of 1966, will be honored at the Admiral's Ball - to be held this year at the New York Hilton. Bob North is the U.S. Coast Guard's Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety and Environmental Protection. For more information call the Admiral's Ball Committee @ 718-409-7259.

BUNDLE UP AND BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES - There was a fascinating article on the effects of the El Nino phenomenon on shipping in the August 6, 1998 issue of Fairplay magazine. A companion piece, "Move over El Nino," forecasts that its cousin, La Nina: "promises a much colder winter with more snow across much of North America," especially the western half of the continent.