FMSAA
News From Fort Schuyler
November 13, 1998 - Volume 2, No. 53
SEARCH OVER, BUT FANTOME NOT FORGOTTEN - The Coast Guard has ended its search for this Windjammer flagship which went missing during Hurricane Mitch. Its crew, including ONASSIS A. REYES, is assumed lost. Onassis, who attended SUNY Maritime for four years with the Class of 1995, had planned to return to the college in Spring 1999 to complete his degree work. A web page that continues to follow the FANTOME story may be found at: http://www.akaresults.com/fantome It also contains information about a trust fund which is being established for the families of the crew.
Thanks to the many graduates who responded to last week's request for information, including: GERD GLANG 84, AL GUARDINO 71, JAMES ARNO 94, LEN SUTTER 53.
MARATHON MAN - One of the 18,000 runners in the 23rd Annual Marine Corps Marathon on October 25 was MICHAEL YARRINGTON, Class of 1992. According to the USAID newsletter, he completed his first-ever marathon in 5:04, with the goal of reducing that to under four hours in future marathons. Mike recently joined the U.S. Agency for International Development, Transportation Division, which is currently moving aid to Honduras for the victims of Hurricane Mitch.
NEW MASTER - A recent subscriber to NFFS, TIM McGEEIN, Class of 1988, sent this news: "I have recently been promoted to Master of the S.S. GOPHER STATE which is part of the APF (Army Prepositioning Force) in Guam. Married with two children: Sean and Erin. Living in Virginia Beach and loving life."
AHH, BUT THE STRAWBERRIES - Now apparently something ELSE is missing - a boat. According to a posting in the SCI.MILITARY.NAVY newsgroup, the harbor tug, WAUBANSEE (YTM 336), is listed on the Naval Vessel Register but navy auditors can't find it. "The last trace, according to a Navy official, indicates the tug was donated to the State University of New York Maritime College in 1983 after 40 years of Navy service....CAPTAIN WILLIAM LINDMAN [Class of 1973 ], Director of the Maritime College's Small Vessel Program, provided records indicating the WAUBANASEE was returned in 1988 to the Navy's Second Fleet in Portsmouth. So it should be there. But it isn't."
Responding to this newsgroup posting was SAL MERCOGLIANO, Class of 1989, who wrote: "I know where we dropped the tug off. I was actually part of the crew that took it from SUNY Maritime in 1988, on my 21st birthday no less." Anyone with information can call the Navy Auditor General at (703) 681-9119. Seriously.
EBB TIDE - News of the death on November 4 of ERNEST E. MOTT, Class of 1965, was received this week. Ernie, who was 55, died at his home in Cocoa Beach. Ernie not only sailed as a Merchant Master, but also flew 60 missions as a B-52 pilot during the Vietnam War. He is survived by his wife Joan, two sons and a daughter. According to classmate, ANDY FOSINA: "While at Maritime, Ernie was one of the founders of the school's lacrosse team and during his 35th Reunion in 1995, he played in the first Alumni/Varsity lacrosse match. Classmates and friends may make donations to the American Heart Association, 2800 Aurora Road, Suite 1, Melbourne, FL 32935."
CADETS WHO MARRIED CADETS (cont'd) - "If you're listing cadets who married cadets," writes
ERHARD KOEHLER, Class of 1987, "I can't help but add my name to the fray. Of course, as JOE GERSON [Class of 1947] would note, I get to sleep with the Regimental Commander, something which would have earned him many demerits, if nothing else."
"I'm the schoolship program manager for MARAD (and consequently the architect of this year's temporary transfer of EMPIRE STATE to Mass Maritime), and Linda is a professional mother and homemaker. We have 3 kids. Christian, now 6, who had his first shipboard experience sleeping away a trip on the GENERAL PHILIP SCHUYLER, a born engineer! And our twins, Colin and Kendal, are 27 months old. I'm looking forward to the benefits of in-state tuition rates for Maryland residents in about 12 years!"
KOEHLERs - Erhard 87 and Linda (MALAY-KOEHLER) 89
KNOTS TIED -
RAYMOND J. FLANNAGAN III, Class of 1991, to Yanina Sebrango on October 9 on Staten Island. Celebrating the festivities were classmates STEVE BLATUS, JOE FINN, ANTHONY BELFIORE, and CHRIS ADAMS, Class of 1992.
NEIL KING, Class of 1992, to Elizabeth Philips on October 24 in Columbus, Ohio had 10 "Domers" in attendance, including his brother and best man, JAMES, Class of 1991, NEIL MULHERN, KEITH ZELINSKY, MATT CHRISTOPHERSEN (who traveled from Japan), BRENDAN ROBERTS, CHRIS ADAMS, JOE FINN, FRANK OLIVIERI, RUSS PARET and MARK WOLLEN.
JESSE FALSONE, Class of 1991, married Laura Nye in Hyannis in September.
(Ed. Information excerpted from email sent by Chris Adams and Steve Blatus)
FSHUNNELING THIS FALL? - In a follow-up to "Fortlore" in Issue 50, HUGH BAHAR, Class of 1985, writes: "I also have an 'insider's knowledge' of the tunnels and passageways under the fort gained from a flashlight tour. I have personally seen the tunnel underneath the fort that appeared to point in the general direction of Fort Totten. I say "appeared" because engineers don't generally carry compasses! This tunnel was filled with water nearly up to the sub-basement, and if I remember correctly, was about 4 or 5 feet high with granite blocks lining the mouth of the tunnel. I believe the tunnel itself had parallel walls and a peaked roof. In 1985 it was not covered by a transformer pad. Perhaps during the '99 Homecoming anyone interested in proving me right or wrong would like to go on a spelunk." (Ed. Sounds like a great idea for a fund-raiser.)