News From Fort Schuyler

February 27, 2001 - Volume 5, No. 07

GET TOGETHER - The premier campus fund-raising event of the year, the catch-ily named Scholarship Benefit Dinner and Dance, takes place at the Grand Ballroom of the New York Hilton on Saturday evening March 31. The Order of the USS ST MARY'S Medal will be conferred upon our own Commodore LEROY ALEXANDERSON, Class of 1930. Other SBDD honorees will include Ted Ruhly, Former Chairman of Maersk Line and Mike Sacco, President of Seafarers International Union. Tickets, journal advertising, and sponsorship opportunities are available from STAN MELASKY, Executive Director of the Maritime College Foundation at Fort Schuyler (718) 409 - 7277 or smelasky@sunymaritime.edu There is more information on the Alumni Association website.

PICKY, PICKY - It was noted by ROD McFADDEN, Class of 1975, that "The Washington Post, that stalwart of nautical accuracy, in their writeup on the television show [Haven] identified the ship as the Liberty Ship (sic) HENRY GIBBINS." Well, perhaps the reporter was just confused by the fact that the ship playing the role of the HENRY GIBBINS in that recently aired CBS mini-series actually WAS a Liberty Ship, the JOHN W. BROWN. (See "Morphing Brown" item in NFFS 4:24, July 7 2000)

LIFE ON BOTH SIDES - "I wonder how many alumni have lived at BOTH forts built to protect the north end of the East River ?" writes MIKE QUINTO, Class of 1964. "Along with my four years at SUNY Silver Beach" [a.k.a. Fort Schuyler] " I lived at Fort Totten for almost two years in 1968 & 1969 while stationed at Kings Point, teaching Naval Science." Are there any more two East River fort residents ?

FAIR'S FARE - There will be a grand opportunity for students and alumni to interact with company representatives and /or potential employers on Tuesday, March 27 at the Winter Career Fair & Industry Day.. Who knows, it might lead to an interview on the next day and a job ! If you are a potential employer who needs to "recruit the best graduates in the world," get in touch with the SUNY Maritime College Placement Office. (1st registered/1st served.) Call PAUL BAMONTE, Class of 1989 at (718) 409-7340 or email him: pbamonte@sunymaritime.edu All the details, including a registration form, are at the college website - www.sunymaritime.edu - and don't forget the fare that is included: Continental breakfast AND lunch buffet.

THE "REAL" GROUNDBREAKERS FILM FESTIVAL - Here is the official list of films being shown this semester on Wednesday evenings in the Library Media Lecture Room at 7:15; Feb 28 - Detour (USA, 1945); Mar 3 - Peeping Tom (USA, 1960); Mar 14 - Dawn of the Dead (USA, 1979); Mar 21 - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (USA, 1956); Mar 28 - Raging Bull (USA, 1980); Apr 4 - On the Waterfront (USA, 1954); Apr 11 - The Killing (USA, 1956); Apr 18 - Pulp Fiction (USA, 1994). That's it: " Groundbreaking Films: Film Noir, The Cold War, Zombies, and Heists." Forget the list published in NFFS 5:4, they were films for another course.

WORTHWHILE WEBSITES - A site recently added to the Librarians' Index to the Internet (www.lii.org) is "ANDREA DORIA: Tragedy and Rescue at Sea" (www.andreadoria.org ) LII notes that: "Anthony Grillo, a survivor of the crash, created this site to commemorate the event. Includes information on the ships involved, the collision, officers, crew, passengers and rescue of the survivors." In the same vein, another website that features many layers of maritime information is: "Shipwrecks and other Maritime Disasters: The Home Page for Contemporary Maritime Literature, Journalism, Writing and Research" at www.webandwire.com Coincidentally, it currently features the publication of a book on the disappearance of the SS POET by Robert J. Pessek, entitled "The POET vanishes: An American Voyage." Finally, for something entirely different, look for the link "Fiboro Bridges: Guide to NYC Bridges for Bicycles and Walkers" on the left hand side the homepage of www.transalt.org Also check out this activist organization's piece "Access Denied at Bronx Ferry Point Park" for a sample of an opposing point of view to the development of this long-dormant park down river from Fort Schuyler into a golf course."