News From Fort Schuyler

June 17, 1999 - Volume 3, No. 30

NAME THOSE OVER-ACHIEVERS - The Luce Library Archive is always looking to update its holdings to insure that it contains information about significant accomplishments by alumni. For example, alumni achievers for whom we DO have updated biographical information include: ED VILLELLA, Class of 1959 (Kennedy Center Medal for Lifetime Accomplishment in the Performing Arts); LOU MONTANARO, Class of 1952 (U.S. Navy Distinguished Public Service Medal); ERNEST PREEG, Class of 1956 and STANLEY WOLPERT, Class of 1947 (authors of many distinguished scholarly works.) Send suggestions for MORE NAMES with specifics, especially for alumni who graduated since World War II, to the College Librarian: rcorson@sunymaritime.edu

LIBERTY SHIPS AND FORT SCHUYLER - 2710 Liberty ships were built from 1941- 45 under the auspices of the United States Maritime Commission. Many were named after prominent Americans, including Hull No. 2391, the FELIX RIESENBERG, built by the J.A.Jones Construction Company's Brunswick Yard in Georgia. Named after FELIX RIESENBERG, Class of 1897, the ship later sailed as the TRANSATLANTIC (1951), and the NENANA (1959), and was finally scrapped in 1972. (Source: Sawyer, L.A, The Liberty Ships. 2^nd ed., 1985) There are several lists of Liberty Ships on the web, including one at http://www.armed-guard.com

QUESTION - Were there other Liberty ships or Victory ships with a Maritime College connection?

LUCE LIBRARY HOMEPAGE HAS A NEW LOOK - Come visit the Luce Library at http://www.sunymaritime.edu/library.web/luce.html JANE B. FITZPATRICK, Associate Librarian, has designed a fast-loading homepage which now provides detailed information on library hours, a library staff directory, an online version Library Accessions list, two routes to the online catalog (web-based and telnet), plus links to the Alumni Association and Parents' Association. A special thanks to the Parents' Association for hosting the Library Accessions list until we got our homepage ready for prime time.

GOOD TIME CHARLIE - Word was received from STAN LLOYD, Class of January 1944, that classmate and cadet librarian, CHARLIE WHITESTONE, Class of January 1944 was "...in Boca Raton Community Hospital, but hopes to be released...after a series of tests and lousy chow. Had Eleanor left his car keys he would have gone AWOL." A few days later, Stan reported that Charlie was back home, feeling well and "...planning a trip north to witness his grandson's high school graduation." Librarians are a tough breed.

BOWDITCH ON THE LOOP - The June 15 column by Chicago Sun-Times journalist, NEIL STEINBERG, by-lined, ABOARD THE EMPIRE STATE, contains an appreciation of Nathaniel Bowditch's classic reference work, The American Practical Navigator, for those Mid-Westerners who might not have read their copy recently. In addition, Neil comments on the degree of careful seamanship which he observes on the TSES VI. To read, "Fog lifts from nautical yarns", go to: http://www.suntimes.com/index/steinberg.html Click on "Columnists", then find Neil in the "News and Views" section. [By the way, Maritime College graduate, KATHYRN BOWDITCH, Class of 1993, is a descendant of the great navigator.]

ALT-CTRL-DELETE - The June 3 NFFS contained an incomplete phone number for ROY SOLURI, Class of 1962. It should be (301) 227-3370. Now call Roy about the images you want to provide for NIMA's Sailing Directions.

TROUBLE REACHING NFFS? - For some reason this editor's e-mail account at Maritime has not been accessible since Friday, June 11. If your mail bounces, send it to rcorson@worldnet.att.net