News From Fort Schuyler

April 14, 2008 - Volume 8, No. 14

HAIL TO THE CHIEF, ED PFLEGING - "I was taken back on hearing of the passing of 'The Chief' a few days ago," writes FRANK CRITELLI, Class of 1963. "Yes, he was a quite remarkable human being and gave much of himself to each and every student (truthfully, I could say this of each and every teacher/faculty member at SUNY-MC.) For some reason I never pictured him as 'retired' and 'up there in years.' I just seem to always have a picture of him in his 'not-so-white' coveralls and still at the school and/or on the ship." From another former student, BOB SCHWIEGER, Class of 1964, "Really sorry to hear of the Chief's death. Absolutely the best of the best: great teacher, great leader, unflappable. I gained an appreciation for powerplants, their equipment and the men and women who operate them from him. Still welcome the opportunity to visit any powerplant that will let me in the door. You can always learn something." (Bob is Editor and Publisher of Combined Cycle Journal.) FRANK DUFFY, Museum Executive VP noted that "We worked together at Apex Technical School, where he taught stationary engineering in the apprentice program of the union. My son, Thom, sailed as his yeoman on one of the training cruises." A former member of the faculty, DEE N. FITCH, recalls: "He served as the Chief Engineer the summers I sailed as XO on the TSES IV. As Charlie Munsch said he was always 'The Chief.' Just KNEW the plant would always run when Ed was in charge. Also took a course in Diesel Engines from him and learned a great deal, plus thoroughly enjoyed his teaching methods. All in all, a very professional individual and just an all around neat guy. Sorry he is no longer with us." (Dee first came to Fort Schuyler as head of the Naval Science Department. After retiring from the Navy he stayed at SUNY Maritime to chair Marine Transportation and then to direct Continuing Education - a varied 17 year tenure.)

NAVAL SCIENCE - The current Commanding Officer of the Naval Science Department is CAPT James Driscoll. Take a look at the Naval Science Department NROTC Unit's website www.nrotc.sunymaritime.edu

This active unit is New York City's only NROTC program. It includes students from Fort Schuyler, Fordham University and Molloy College.

WELL DONE - "Just a very large thank you for spreading the word about the recent Home for a Hero charity golf event we ran at my club." JOE GUSTAFSON, Class of 1965, continues, "I received checks as high as $500 from all over the country from Schuyler graduates. We netted over $142,000 to build a home for Sgt. Joshua Cope and his family...Thanks again to the guys from Schuyler, I knew I could count on them." (See NFFS 8:05 for details about this tournament which was held at The Windermere Country Club in Florida.)

ADMIRAL STEPHEN B LUCE - Born 1827, died 1917. He authored one of the first nautical textbooks, Seamanship, while he taught at the Naval Academy. A tireless and effective promoter of state nautical schools, the then Captain Luce delivered the Training Ship St. MARY's from the Boston Navy Yard to the New York City Board of Education on 10 December, 1874 - the beginning of the New York Nautical School. Exactly one hundred years later, at its centennial celebration, the Maritime College honored Luce by naming its library after him. Luce went on to become the founder and first president of the Naval War College and founding editor of the Proceedings of the US Naval Institute. He finally retired from teaching at the Naval War College in 1911 at the age of 84. ROBERT BRANNIGAN, Class of 1953, noted that along the way Luce also introduced the use of stripes and stars on seamen's jumper uniforms: "On 18 January 1876...Luce recommended a collar with stars and stripes as a substitute for the plain collar used on the frocks of seamen. Three stripes on the collar was proposed for all grades, with the stripes on the cuffs to indicate grade. One strip for E-1, etc." (www.ussorleck.org)

BROWSING THE WEB, ETC - CHANG QIAN GUAN, Class of 1991, teaches Logistics and Intermodal Transportation at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (www.usmma.edu). JAMES FRASER, Class of 1968, is Professor of Wildlife in the Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute aka Virginia Tech (www.fishwild.vt.edu). CHARLES JONAS, Class of 1972, is VP, Interport Pilots at Port Monmouth, NJ. JAMES DAUB, Class of 1969, is Secretary -Treasurer at Interport (www.interportpilots.com)

BRENDAN MC AVOY, Class fo 1981, is Chief Mate, TS STATE OF MAINE (www.mma.edu ) QUENTIN SNEDIKER, Class of 1972, is Director of the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport. In recent months he has participated in the tour of the Schooner AMISTAD visit to Sierra's Leone, marking the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the U.S. slave trade. (www.amistadamerica.org) The AMISTAD, a replica of the famous slave ship on which 53 slaves mutinied off Cuba in 1839, is visiting Bridgetown, Barbados from 4-20 April. FRANCIS McGINTY, Class of 1980, is provides professional consulting at Safety Managements Consultants LLC for ship's managers' operational and compliance concerns including MARAD programs.

ERRATA - Sorry for the inadvertent demotion of CAPTAIN CATHERINE HANFT, Class of 1987, currently at Annapolis. A number of NFFS readers caught the error, including DAVID LAMBERT, Class of 1947, who writes: "Her last assignment was Commandant Guantanamo Prison. She's on the move and will be reassigned from Annapolis shortly. Cate's father George was in the great Class of 1947. She's the darling of our class as many of us kept in touch while she was growing up. Last October she attended our 60th reunion in Long Boat Key, FL and she looks great!"

SIX DEGREES - "Interesting about how our lives sort of cross in this business," writes JIM McKILLOP, Class of 1977, in connection with the NFFS items on salvors. "I worked for Weeks Marine and shorty after I left, GEORGE WITTICH [Class of 1983] started there. I, too, after sailing for many years, am now a Lieutenant in my Volunteer Fire Department. And, finally, I have always been a huge fan and reader of Clive Cussler."

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Richard Corson - Forest Hills, NY

Latitude 40.716N Longitude 73.85W

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