News From Fort Schuyler

August 18, 2008 - Volume 8, No. 28

TUSSLING TUGS - The 16th Annual Great North River Tugboat Race and Competition takes place on Sunday 31 August from 1000 to 1400 at Pier 84th. You can view it from Pier 84 (44th Street at the Hudson River.) Tugs begin to gather at 0930, they parade to the 79th Street Boat basin starting line at 1000 and begin the race at 1030. At 1100 there is a nose-to-nose pushing contest and a line toss competition. The tugs tie up at Pier 84 at noon for lunch, awards, and special spectator contests. There is also a special Circle Line spectator boat which departs Pier 83 at 9:30 and returns at 11:30. For all the details go to the Working Harbor Committee website. (www.workingharbor.com) The competition is a colorful and unique NYC waterfront event.

YES VIRGINIA, THERE IS A NEW YORK STATE NAVY - A press release from the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs, described a three-day port security exercise, dubbed "Trojan Horse," conducted by SUNY Maritime College August 4-6. New York's Naval Militia dates back to 1889. According to the article: "The New York Naval Militia members provided the command and control cell, as well as deploying three patrol boats during the exercise. The training brought together security agencies including the United State Coast Guard, Civil Air Patrol, the New York Police Department ... 'We could do it without the Naval Militia, but it would not be as robust,' said Dr. LARRY HOWARD, a SUNY Maritime professor and exercise director." (Go to http://readme.readmedia,com/news/show/NY-Naval-Militia-Readies-to-Secure-NYC-Waters/270225 for the entire story.)

SOME SAILORS SAIL SAILBOATS - The 15 August issue of Sailing World featured its prognostications for the top teams Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association, including Fort Schuyler's. "SUNY Maritime will have one more year of TODD HAWKINS and DAN HESSE. The duo qualified for Nationals as freshmen and juniors and have had a number of great regattas in their careers. They tend to do well in heavy air and current, so Nationals in San Francisco could be a great location for them,. Skippers TED GREEN and RANDY HARTRANFT showed great improvement last year as well. (www.sailingworld.com) In addition, an article at the Caribbean Racing website reports that a talented youth sailor, RIAN BARUETHER, a 2008 graduate of the Country Day School on St. Croix, has enrolled at Fort Schuyler where he plans to major in Electrical Engineering. (www.caribbeanracing.com/artman/publish/printer_1002.shtml)

FORT SCHUYLER IN THE 30's - Before the fort was restored by the WPA and became the home of the college in 1938, it was a tempting, dilapidated ruin which beckoned to the children of Throgs Neck. JACK HAYES '47 grew up in the neighborhood: "..... there were 'dungeons', as we called them. These were dark spaces below where ammunition must have been kept. In short, the rusting guns and the mysterious cellars were great places for kids to explore and make up games. Once we discovered these wonderful things, we spent every day exploring and making out scenarios we could act out..... The fort property was close enough to home that my father's whistle could be heard, calling me home when dinner was ready, but before that sound came we were in a child's world created out of the ether." (Excerpt from Jack Hayes manuscript, "Old Fort Schuyler - A Great Place to Play" 12/15/2007.) In recent years there have been Halloween night torchlight tours of the older sections of the fort run by cadet organizations, initially with financial assistance from the Maritime Industry Museum. Stay tuned for this year's schedule of fort tours run by the Artillery Club.

WELCOME ABOARD - To the many new subscribers to NFFS - welcome one and all. For some the Maritime College is a new experience, for others it is a re-connection. JOHN KLUMPP '61 (deck) writes: "There has been a lot of water under the keel since my cadet years, and I'm impressed by the advances made by the college as well as the successes achieved by our Alumni." GEORGE SEVCIK '76, another new subscriber, reports that his eldest son, DERREK, has just started at Maritime "... and there is a good probability that at least one more will embrace the programs/opportunities of Maritime."

EBB TIDE - A 52-year resident of Breezy Point, in the Rockaway section of Queens, PETER J. DANZILO '45, died at the age of 83 on August 4, 2008. According to an obituary in a community newspaper, The Wave, Peter, a broker, served in the U.S. Navy from 1948 to 1952 and was a Korean War veteran. A web search revealed that in 1966 he was the Republican candidate for the 24th District of the New York State Senate. An accomplished bridge player, he was active in the American Contract Bridge League's New York region.

NEWS FROM FORT SCHUYLER is a periodic unofficial announcement of news about the SUNY Maritime College and its alumni and faculty, written and distributed by the former Head Librarian, Richard Corson, who is responsible for all mistakes and omissions contained herein. Material from this newsletter may be reproduced, with credit to Richard Corson. If you wish to be added to or removed from the distribution list, please notify Richard at rcorson@nyc.rr.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Richard Corson - Forest Hills, NY Latitude 40.716N Longitude -73.85W ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Richard Corson - Forest Hills, NY

Latitude 40.716N Longitude 73.85W

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