News From Fort Schuyler

April 22, 1999 - Volume 3, No. 20

SCHOLAR'S PROGRESS - The recent update on SAL MERCOGLIANO, Class of 1989, brought additional information: "I am currently working on my Ph.D. dissertation, entitled 'Mariners, Sailors and Civilians: America's Civilian Navy, the Merchant Marine and Military Sealift Command during the Cold War.' This study, unlike anything recently published, will attempt to document the inter-relationship between the military and merchant marine, and highlight the critical, although often omitted, role that the merchant marine played in the national defense. This will highlight not only such major conflicts as the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf War, but also look at the day-to-day business of shipping, and how the military's view of the merchant marine has changed, particularly after the Vietnam War."

"I am going to present my research at the 14th Annual Naval Symposium at the U.S. Naval Academy in late September, and I hope to get some positive feedback on my research."

FANTOME REVISITED - New to the Alumni Association web page is an article from Professional Mariner ("Cruise ship disappears in hurricane," Feb/March 1999, pp.73-75 ) written by Lucy Pritzker, wife of DAVE PRITZKER, Class 1994. As NFFS readers know from the November 6 & 13 issues, one of those lost on this Windjammer Cruises ship during Hurricane Mitch was ONASSIS A. REYES, who had entered SUNY Maritime with the Class of 1995 and planned to complete his degree requirements this semester. To read Lucy's article, go to: http://www.fsmaa.org

GEORGE RISER, c 1952 - Responding to an invitation for alumni authors to submit reminiscences and sea-stories relating to the Maritime College and its graduates, LEN SUTTER, Class of 1953, compiled a two page portrait of GEORGE RISER, an instructor who worked for the school from 1925 until 1962, with time off for World War II. Needless to say, the original paper copy went into the library archives, but e-mail copies are available. Request same from rcorson@sunymaritime.edu

REFLECTIONS FROM A TRAVELING MAN - RICK BAGSHAW, Class of 1962 - "I'm up early, having flown in after seven rushed days in Europe on business; viz., UK, Italy & Belgium. Occasionally the time change works in my favor and this is one of those times. I attended the dinner recently in NYC honoring JOHN REYNOLDS which was my first ever such function. I think there were only three of us from 1962 in attendance aside from TOM FOX. It was a weeknight however and getting to the 'Big Apple' is never easy."

"Whilst (as the Brits say) in Belgium I took a train to Brugge and found my way to Zeebrugge on the coast. It's been a while since I treated myself to a ship visit, so when I saw that there's a Soviet Foxtrot Class diesel sub on permanent display I couldn't resist. This traces to the fact that one of my first jobs after shipping out, was as a test engineer involved with the installation, test and start up, of the reactor plant of, what were then, our Polaris missile boats. Thirty years later, I had the sad experience of revisiting one of those ships when it docked @ Roosevelt Roads, in Puerto Rico. I was living on the Island at the time and drilled there as a Reservist. Anyway, after talking my wife and I aboard (security wasn't what it was in the 60's) I was told that the ship that I had sailed on during the Navy's Alpha acceptance trials was to sail the following day, back to King's Bay GA, to be cut up. That struck me as sad, somewhat like being associated with the 'beginning and the end' of some thing professionally significant in my life."

"Anyway, back to the Soviets. One of the more interesting aspects (for me anyway) of Reserve weekends was studying the Soviet Navy's equipment and capabilities. Admittedly the Foxtrot was not a major technological competitor, even at the time, but many found their way to friends of the

Soviets and it was the first real 'enemy' ship I had seen (other than the W.W.II German sub in Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. The comparison of U-505 to our nuclear powered boats was interesting; the latter being more roomy while the former employed lots of wood as compartment doorframes and blue and white checkered sheets!)"

"The Foxtrot on display in Belgium was built in St. Petersburg in 1960 though was surprisingly antiquated for the period. By way of example, it's hull shape was much more like W.W.II boats. The other thing that struck me was the haphazard array of valving etc. throughout the interior. This was in marked contract to the dolphin like shape of our nuke boat hulls and the very orderly layout inside."

"In sum, Brugge is a very picturesque city which wives and camera buffs will enjoy but if one tires of the exceptional beer (possible?) and cathedrals, the Foxtrot is only about 20 kilometers away. I recommend both."

LOOKING FOR AN ADDRESS - A recent update from PAUL BELLANTONI, Class of 1984, brings the news that he is: "a Navy Lieutenant Commander serving as XO in USS JOHN L. HALL FFG-32 homeported in Pascagoula, MS." He continues, "Does anyone know how to get in touch with Commander ARTHUR TUTTLE USNR (ret?) He was CO of our NROTC unit when I was a student.."