News From Fort Schuyler

December 7, 1998 - Volume 2, No. 56

PEARL HARBOR DAY PLUS 57 YEARS - Many graduates from the Maritime College were participants in World War II. Some were already experienced mariners when they shipped out to war, others were fresh from Fort Schuyler. Our hats are lifted to all those readers of NFFS who are World War II veterans. We have much to thank you for.

VFW AWARD - A graduate of the Class of 1949, ED DANGLER, who just returned from his 2^nd home in France, writes: "THE VFW Department of Europe awarded me the Distinguished Service Award medal for helping out the local post of VFW in southern France. It was quite an honor for me as most of the members of the post are WWII ex-GIs who married European gals and stayed on in the European area after the war and are still very active in showing the flag. I was also honored to represent the VFW at the November 11^th Armistice Day celebration at the town of Mougins. The older local people are still very grateful for all the U.S. has done for them in WWI and WWII and they go out of their way to be especially nice to any U.S. serviceman. At the Thanksgiving party in Cannes, the local France Etats Unis group invited a group of U.S. Navy officers and enlisted men and women from NAS Jacksonville to be the guests of honor at a fantastic gala at the Hotel Martinez. Needless to say, all the U.S. Navy folks were impressed and agreed that the food at the gala dinner was much better then in the messhall at the Navy base in Jacksonville. (Obviously CHARLIE REY was not in the galley.)"

ONLINE PROFESSOR - The first faculty member at the Maritime College to have his own web presence is, to the best of my knowledge, Dr. KEVIN BOON of the Humanities Department. Kevin is one of the newer members of the department. Besides viewing his credentials, publications, and courses, you can also listen to one of his musical compositions! Visit http://www.kevin.boon.net

GETTING OLDER - The Alumni Bulletin interview with Commodore LEROY ALEXANDERSON, Class of 1930, prompted ED DANGLER to write: "His mention of serving aboard an Isthmian vessel SS STEEL ENGINEER in the 1930's reminded me that I served as 2^nd Mate on the sister ship, the SS STEEL MARINER in 1952 when the ship was 30 years old. Unlike Commodore Alexanderson's vessel which was quite new and could steam at 12 knots with 125 pound low-pressure turbines, our ship after 30 years of heavy service, could muster about 9.5 knots with a following sea. Another old Isthmian Stiff, Captain ALLAN LONSCHEIN [Class of 1946], can verify that."

FLEET ENGINEERING GRADUATES - We are not talking Olympic sprinters here, but rather MSC. According to CLAUDIO AZZARO, Class of 1974: "I am the Engineering Director for the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force West for the Military Sealift Command. BILL INGRAM, also a Domer [Class of 1982], is my counterpart for the Naval Fleet Auxiliary East. DAVE COOKE, also a Domer [Class of 1972], is the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Engineering Officer. CHIP WIMPERIS, also a Domer [Class of 1970], is the Branch Director for the ammo ships and hospital ships for the MSC Pacific Fleet. You could say we control the world of NFAF engineering. What a small world!"

DOUBLE-DECKER NOT - Who besides CLAUDIO AZZARO holds BOTH a deck degree (Marine Transportation 1974) and an engine degree (Naval Architecture 1980) from SUNY Maritime ?

GOOD EXCUSE TO VISIT SAN DIEGO - The co-chairmen for the 1999 Maritime Day celebration for the Port of San Diego are BILL BARTSCH, Class of 1984 and ED DANGLER. Ed writes: "..we hope to have a massive turnout. If any SUNY Maritime College people, past or present, are going to be in San Diego during the week of May 21, 1999, please have them contact us." (Ed. Note - He means it, too.)

FEEDBACK - The current issue of the Alumni Bulletin features an article about the Luce Library. JOHN McLEAN, Class of 1965, still remembers it as the "new" library because it moved to its present location during his final days at the college. He writes: " I spent many hours there, from a using standpoint, as well as being a place of picking up a few dollars stacking shelves. It certainly sounds like it, as well as the rest of the College, has come a long way."