Media
Issue Date
1992-09-01
Volume
54
Issue Number
9
Plaintext
OFWqAlORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATiONAL UNION • ATLANTIC GULF, UKES AND INUND WATERS DISTRIQ • AFKIO
Volume 54, Number s
#
What Price
Trade?' «/•
L ^:ri%a
he heavy cost of the proposed trade deal
with Mexico will he measured in terms of
massive job losses, factory closings and the
destruction of American communities.
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2 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTEMBER 1992
President's Report
A Government-Approved Runaway Operation
It is not the mere notion of a free trade agreement with other na
tions that the American labor movement finds objectionable. The
AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions, in particular
the unions representing workers in the transpor
tation sector who earn their living moving
goods, favor free trade if it is conducted f^ly.
Trade agreements generally are designed to
eliminate tariffs and other government
programs which protect domestic interests.
The rub when it comes to the so-called free
trade agreement that has just been signed by
the governments of the United States, Canada
and Mexico, known as the North American
Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA, is that this
is not fair trade. It is an agreement to en
courage American business to move their
operations into Mexico, to use cheaper labor and then send the
goods back here for consumption by Americans. This is a plant-
switch operation.
It is precisely this use of a free trade agreement to allow a trans
ference of U.S. manufacturing capabilities to Mexico and the sale
of the product back to the United States which we in the American
labor movement find objectionable. We object to the opportunity
of capital to avoid the use of American labor while never taking
their eye off the American market, for it will not be Mexican
citizens, each of whom has a per capita income of some $2,000 a
Michael Sacco
year, that will purchase all the goods being manufactured in
Mexico by U.S. companies.
Of course there are the many tales by various economists and
administration representatives that the trade pact with Mexico will
make the world a better place, with high-paying jobs for Mexicans
and Americans alike. Then there are other economists who admit
there will be several hundred thousand American jobs lost at first,
but, they promise, these will be offset later by increased jobs from
producing increased goods for the Mexican market.
Competing for $4.00 a Day
Such thoughts at best are cold comfort to American workers
who are being told that massive layoffs are immediately in store
for them. At worst such talk is a cover-up for the fact that allowing
U.S. capital to go to Mexico by the billions of dollars not only
means job losses in the United States, but it also means decreased
wages, as American workers are forced to compete against their
Mexican counterparts earning between $4 and $10 a day.
And for eve^ economist that predicts a rosy future because of
NAFTA, there is another economist who sees m the agreement job
losses for both Mexican and American workers.
Frankly, I prefer to evaluate this trade agreement by common
sense and our experience in U.S. shipping. Common sense tells us
that if a U.S. company owner has a choice between $10 an hour
employees or $10 a day employees, he will choose the latter. If a
U.S. company owner has a choice between meeting U.S. safety,
environmental and tax regulations or operating in Mexico with
none of those costs, he is bound to choose the latter. If an
American company has a chance to increase proHts substantially
ust by moving factories across the border, it will do so. And if the
U.S. government officially approves the move, so much the better.
Our experience tells us that capital seeks the cheapest costs and
that, given the chance, capital will roam the world looking for the
most exploitable labor and least regulated environment. Imagine
what U.S. investment will do when what they are looking for—
-is just a stone's ow wages and a regulation-free environment-
throw away across the border.
Who Pays the Price?
In sum, it is American workers, their families and their com
munities who pay the price for this greed and shortsightedness.
The victims of a so-called free trade agreement, or in other words
an organized, government-sanctioned runaway operation, are
America's workers and their families—the people who produce
American goods, the people who pay the taxes, the people who
Ight America's wars, the people who raise the next generation of
eaders and the people who most directly bear the brunt of
America's incapable leadership at times, as with the proposed
trade deal with Mexico.
Trade must enrich ordin^ people, not a few on the top who
reserve for themselves the right to the best that the United States
las to offer, but who would deny the same to the America's work
ing people. It is only when trade agreements benefit all citizens in
stead of the few on the capital side of the equation that those of us
in the trade union movement can support such pacts.
Volume 54, Number 9 September 1992
The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 0160-2047) is pub
lished monthly by the Seafarers International
Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters
District; AFL-CIO; 5201 Auth Way; Camp
Springs, Md. 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675.
Second-class postage paid at MSC Prince Geor
ges, Md. 20790-9998 and at additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp
Springs, Md. 20746.
Communications Department Director and
Editor^ Jessica Smith; Assistant Editor, Daniel
Duncan; Associate Editor, Jordan Biscardo; As
sociate Editor/Production, Deborah Hirtes; Art,
Bill Brower.
Congress Faces Full Maritime Agenda
When U Rehims M BO, nis Month
Several bills affecting the U.S
shipping industiy and the people
who earn their livelihoods at sea
await congressional action as
legislators return to Capitol Hil"
this month following the summer
recess.
Hearings, debates and votes
are expect^ to be fast and furious
as members of the Senate and
House of Representatives ^ to
complete their work and adjourn
by Columbus Day (October 12) in
order to campaign at home for the
November 3 elections^
Closing a Safety Loophole
Maritime bills include remov
ing a safety loophole that allows
inland mariners to sail without
Coast Guard documentation,
creating a federal policy as
proposed by Department of
Transportation Secretary Andrew
Card Jr. this summer to fund U.S.-
flag commercial vessels that
Could be used by the military in
times of emergency and eliminat
ing a proposed "work tax" that
could be imposed when merchant
mariners acquire or upgrade their
merchant mariner documents.
However, congressional atten
tion to these bills could be limited
as the legislators still have to pass
almost all of the Fiscal Year 1993
packages that fund the federal
government—including the
Defense Department measure
that concerns sealift.
The full House of Repre
sentatives almost imniediately
upon its return is expected to
debate H.R. 4394, which would
require inland boatmen who sail
aboard vessels of more than five
gross tons to carry U.S. Coast
Guard merchant mariner docu
ments (Z-cards). The bill, which
passed the House Merchant
Marine and Fisheries Committee
on July 1, would close a loophole
which has exempted the men and
Avomen working aboard tugs and
tows in America's inland water
ways from carrying Z-cards.
Upon passage by the House,
the bill would go to the Senate for
action.
Towards a National Policy
Congress continues to review
the maritime reform initiative
rresented by Card. Both the
iouse and the Senate are working
on separate bills sponsored by the
chairmen of each chamber's mer
chant marine committees.
Along with SIU President
Vlichael Sacco, the presidents of
Maritime Biiis to Foiiow in Faii Session of Congress
BUVNumber
Inland Decuman-
tatlon/HR4394
Maritime
Refonn4tR5627;
S3047
Repeal of Work
Tax on Mariners/
HR4693
Defense
Appropriations
Bill4HR5504
Cruise to
Nowhere
Restrictions/
HR 5257
Description
Would require all inland
l)oatmen on vessels of
more than 5 tons to hold
Coast Guard-issued
merchant mariner
documents
Would help U.S.-flag
companies acquire new
vessels and provide
payments for up to 74
militarily useful
commercial vessels
Would eliminate
proposed fees on Coast
Guard-issued merchant
mariner documents
Included with the
Defense Departmenfs
FY '93 funding bill are
$801.4 million for sealift
to purchase or build
civilian-crewed military
vessels
Would eliminate foreign-
flag cruise ships from
sailing out of U.S. ports
for gambling junkets with
no ports of call
Action by Congress
Passed by House
Merchant Marine &
Fisheries Committee; full
House consideration next
Mark-up expected to be
held in September by
House & Senate
merchant marine
subcommittees
Marked-up by House
Coast Guard
Subcommittee; awaiting
action by House
Merchant Marine &
Fisheries Committee
Passed by House of
Representatives;
awaiting action by the
Senate Appropriations
Committee
Passed by House
Merchant Marine &
Fisheries Committee; full
House consideration next
eight labor unions representing
maritime workers called for rapid
enactment of the reform package.
Within the reform package are
means to help U.S.-flag shipping
companies acquire new vessels,
including governmental pay
ments for up to 74 militarily use
ful commercial ships.
While both Card and legis
lators who serve on maritime
committees have stated their
hopes to pass the legislation by
the end of the year, neither the
House nor the Senate have
scheduled a mark-up session as of
press time. However, spokesmen
for both the Senate and House
merchant marine subconunittees
said session dates would be set
when the legislators return to
Washington after Labor Day.
Nixing the Seaman Tax
The House Merchant Marine
and Fisheries Committee also has
not set a date for further considera
tion of a bill designed to repeal fees
on merchant mariner documents
and licenses. The Coast Guard
Subcommittee marked up the bill,
H.R. 4693, in May for action by the
full committee.
The legislation was introduced
after the Coast Guard announced
it would implement such fees fol
lowing passage of the Otnnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act of
1990. The proposed cost to
mariners ranges from $35 for a
Z-card with no endorsements to
$135 for an AB or QMED endor
sement to $330 for upper level
licenses.
Looking for Sealift Funds
Appropriation bills fund the
federal government for the period
October 1,1992 to Septemter 30,
1993. The House passed the
Defense biU (H.R. 5504) on July 2
with $801.4 million for sealift left
intact. Those fiinds, combined with
$2.7 billion already available,
could be used to acquire vessels
necessary to satisfy the recommen
dations of the Mobility Require
ments Study based on the actions
taken during the Persian Gulf war
and issued in January.
A bill to amend the Passenger
Service Act to prohibit foreign-flag
cruise-to-nowhere voyages awaits
action by the House of Repre
sentatives. The House Merchant
Marine and Fisheries Committee
passed the legislation in August
The bill also would codify U.S.
Customs Service and court rulings
that passenger vessels engaged in
the coastwise trade be U.S. built
and owned.
ITB Olive /Ifoore Returns to Great Lakes after Conversion
The tugboat Olive L Moore, shown above with the barge McKee Sons, relumed to the Great Lakes earlier
this season after being fitted with a new twin-rudder ship control system. Operated by Upper Lakes Towing
of Escanaba, Mich., and crewed top to bottom with SIU members, the integrated tug/barge fiauls salt, stone
and ore all over the Great Lakes region. While the Moore was built in 1928, the McKee Sons recently was
converted into a barge from a steamboat hull. Upper Lakes operates one other steamboat ttiat fias been
converted into a tug/barge—the Joe Thompson/and//.
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SEFrEMBER1992
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SEAFARERS LOG 3
AFL-CIO Sees Loss
Of 500,000 Jobs
In New Trade Pact
rrnrrnr I I Ml
AP/Wlde World Photos
A trade agreement negotiated
by the Bush administration with
the governments of Mexico and
Canada must be measured in
terms of how American workers
will fare, according to the AFL-
CIO and its affiliated unions, in
cluding the Seafarers
International Union.
The so-called free trade pact
with Mexico and Canada, or the
"North American Free Trade
Agreement" (NAFTA), which
now goes to Congress for ratifica
tion or rejection, in theory is
designed to reduce trade barriers
among the three nations and by
that create jobs and prosperity for
the citizenry.
Proponents of the pact, which
the Bush administration last
month announced had been
signed by all three countries, also
believe it will allow the United
States to compete with a unified
European market and the
economically powerful Japan and
other Asian Pacific Rim
(J 3 Scenes like these are envisioned by the AFL-CIO as a
result of new trade pact with Mexico that will see factories
fleeing from the United States. The man pictured above lost
his job when the General Motors Fisher Body assembly plant in Flint,
Mich, closed in 1987.
countries.
While agreeing with the goals
of job creation and a strong
American economy, opponents
of NAFTA—including the AFL-
CIO and its affiliated unions, en
vironmental groups, many farrher
organizations, among others
believe the pact as it stands now
will result in massive lay-offs,
more than 500,000 in a few years
because of a huge transfer of U.S.
capital south of the border. The
pact also will result in weakened
U.S. communities and a lower
standard of living for American
workers.
Cindy Slephen/UAW/So/AHari^ MagazlnB
In Mexico, if the proposed NAFTA agreement goes
into effect, hundreds of U.S. companies will relocate
and invest in factories south of the border, making
products to sell back in the U.S. Many already have. Pictured above
is a General Motors plant in Matamoros, Mexico.
Looking for Profits
With increased profits as a mo
tive, it is not unnatural for
American investment dollars to
seek the so-called advantages of
setting up production facilities in
Mexico. In wages, the 1990
Mexican minimum wage was
equivalent to 59 cents per hour. In
the United States the federal min
imum wage is $4.25.
The average 1990 manufactur
ing wage in Mexico is $1.80, al
though this is lower in the 2,000-
mile area bordering the Unitec
States where thousands of
American companies have estab
lished factories known as "ma-
quiladoras." In the United States
the average 1990 manufacturing
wage is $14.77.
Federal, state and local en
vironmental standards, also in-
plant safety and health
regulations, are far more stringent
in the U.S. than in Mexico.
A Mexican Market?
NAFTA boosters argue job los
ses in the United States will be
made up by the newly-opened
Mexican market This theory con
tends that U.S. jobs will be created
by the need to supply Mexicans
with American-made goods.
However, the AFL-CIO has
pointed out that a nation with one-
third the population of the United
States and with a per person per
capita income of $2,010 per year
does not make a market of suffi
cient capacity and unmet needs to
generate the more than half a mil
lion American jobs that would be
lost because of the transfer to
Mexico of U.S. manufacturing
capability.
Studies, More Studies
To put Mexico's economy in
jerspective, it has been noted that
jusinesses in the state of Florida
produce as much in goods and
services annually as all the busi
nesses in Mexico. And Florida's
population is one-seventh of that
of Mexico. All told, the Mexican
economy has only 5 percent of
U.S. buying power.
The Bush administration, in
attempting to sell the trade treaty
with Mexico to a skeptical
American public facing high un
employment and a sputtering
economy, has cited several
studies by economists to prop up
its case. However, for every
economist who sees growth and
prosperity for the American
worker in NAFTA, there is
another economist who charts
thousands of U.S. job losses and
declining American wages.
The AFL-CIO has noted that
the Bush administration is fond of
arguing that for every billion dol
lars of U.S. exports, 20,000 jobs
are created. The federation has
pointed out that the
administration's glowing num
bers fail to consider the reverse:
For every billion dollars of excess
imports to the United States,
20,000 jobs are lost.
The Economic Policy Institute
(EPI), a Washington, D.C.-based
group of economists, analyzed
three of the studies cited by the
Bush administration and found
them wanting. In an analysis of the
three studies, EPI found that the
rosy projections for NAFTA were
made possible by making two as
sumptions—first, a full employ
ment economy in the U.S. and
second, no transfer of investment
from the United States to Mexico.
One-Seventh of U.S. Wages
By using the same studies and
factoring in a small transfer of
American investment to Mexico,
EPI found a 550,000 job loss for
the U.S. and a reduction of U.S.
gross domestic product (GDP) of
$36 billion over 10 years.
EPFs report concluded, ". . .
the attraction of Mexico for U.S.
manufacturers is not Mexico's
small consumer economy, it is the
labor force of almost 30 million
willing to work for wages that
average one seventh of ours in
Mexican manufacturing and one
fourteenth in maquiladoras."
A group of economists from
the University of Massachusetts,
Amherst and Skidmore College
estimate that NAFTA will force
job losses in both Mexico and the
United States. This group argues
that imported com from the U.S.
and Canada will force 800,000 to
2,000,000 Mexican corn
producers into unemployment.
Even the 680,000jobs created by
the transfer of U.S. investment to
Mexico will not offset these job
losses, state the economists. Ad-
Continued on page 5
The 'Brotherhooci of the Sea' Comes to Aid of Hurricane Victims
In Storm, Ships Crewed, Moved to Sea
Relief supplies donated by
SIU members from the ports of
New York and Jacksonville are
arriving in south Florida to help
fellow Seafarers who were caught
by the destructive force of Hur
ricane Andrew late last month.
Members and their families
have donated boxes of food,
water and clothing to help those
who suffered losses.
Pensioner Pedro Mena, son
AB Ron Mena and family lost
everything when the 160-plus
mile-per-hour winds destroyed
their home in Cutler Ridge, a sub
urb 10 miles south of Miami.
AJso, Steward William Robles
and his family lost part of the roof
of their home in Homestead, Fla.,
approximately 20 miles south of
Miami. Robles has been without
electricity and running water
since the storm, but told Port Rep
resentative Ambrose Cucinotta,
who is based in Dania, Fla., his
family is lucky because their
home remained standing after the
storm.
The first Seafarer-donated
supplies from New York arrived
in Dania on September 2 and
promptly were delivered to the
Menas, who told Cucinotta how
grateful they were that other
members remembered them.
"This means a lot to my family
and me to know the 'Brotherhood
of the Sea' was there when we
needed them," Ron Mena said
when he saw the relief packages.
Andrew slammed into south
Florida during the pre-dawn Seafarers at the SIU hall in New York pack boxes with food and other items to help hurricane victims.
Continued on page 6 Pictured from left are Bert Macary, John Perez, Saleh Hasson, Larry Brown, John Wolfe and John Halpin.
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4 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTBRRER1992
CredenRals Commitlee Reviews
Neminatiens far AGUWD RaUat
The credentials committee
made up of six rank-and-file
Seafarers has reviewed al
nominating petitions of SIU mem
bers seeking office in the 1992 dis-
trictwide elections in the union's
Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inlanc
Waters District (AGLIWD).
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The full text of the
credentials committee
report appears on page 9.
After meeting on August 17
and studying the nomination ap
plications to ensure each can
didate had complied with the
criteria set out in the SIU's con
stitution, the credentials commit
tee issued its report, which will be
presented to the membership for
its approval at the September
meetings.
Twenty-eight candidates for
27 ballot positions qualified to
run in the election, which takes
place November 1 through
December 31, reported the
credentials conunittee members
who were elected at the August
headquarters membership meet
ing in Piney Point.
Elected to serve on August 3
were Bosun Steve Parr, 41, firom
the port of New Orleans; AB
Woodrow Shelton Jr,, 37, from
the port of Piney Point; Electrician
Jeff McCranie, 31, from the port
of Piney Point; QMED John
Wong, 53, from the port of San
Francisco; Chief Steward Brian
Burchette, 25, from the port of
Honolulu and Chief Steward
Donald Williams, 31, from the
port of Jacksonville.
At the August meeting, SIU
Secretary-Treasurer John Fay
called the election to order for the
credentials committee positions.
Studying the petitions filed by various members are (left to right) AB
Woodrow Shelton Jr., Chief Steward Brian Burchette, Bosun Steve
Parr and Electrician Jeff McCranie.
Members had to present their
union books in order to be
nominated to the committee.
Each person seeking to serve in
troduced himself to the member
ship before voting took place with
the results being made Imown im
mediately.
Al! Departments Represented
The AGLIWD constitution es
tablishes guidelines for the
credentials committee in Article
XIII, Section 2. The committee is
to be elected at the port where
headquarters is located (Piney
Point). Committee membership
consists of six full book members
composed of two members from
each of the three shipboard
departments—deck, engine and
steward. No elected official or
candidate for office is permitted
o serve on the committee.
Members seeking the position
of president, executive vice presi-
QMED John Wong (left) and Chief
Steward Donald Williams review
the qualifying petitions submitted
by members seeking to run in the
1992 SIU AGLIWD election.
dent, secretary-treasurer, vice
prefsident, assistant vice presi
dent, one of two headquarters rep
resentative positions or one of 10
port agent posts had to submit
nominating papers between July
15 and August 15.
Subic Bay U.S. Naval Operations
Move to Guam, Singapore, Japan
All U.S. Navy operations, in
cluding Military Sealift Com
mand-Pacific Fleet (MSCPAC)
naval support services, are "basi
cally over" at the U.S. milit^base
at Subic Bay in the Philippines,
according to a Navy spokesman.
Subic Bay activities have
moved to bases throughout the
Pacific theater, including Guam,
Singapore and Japan. Lt. Ken
Ross, who works in the office of
the commander-in-chief for the
Navy's Pacific Fleet, noted
MSCPAC vessels already have
been calling on these ports since
the withdrawal from the base was
announced last September when
the Filipino government refused
to extend its lease.
Ross told the Seafarers LOG
that the withdrawal from Subic
Bay is moving ahead of schedule.
"Our plans were to have every
thing—cranes, barges.
drydock—moved out before bad
weather and typhoons hit (in mid-
August)," he said. "That has been
done. TTie move basically is over
for MSCPAC vessels."
(The SIU's Government Ser
vices Division represents the un
licensed crewmembers aboard
MSCPAC vessels.)
Ross added operations in
Guam were fully functional while
the post in Singapore is "almost at
full strength."
The U.S. government plans to
tum over the base to the Philip
pines on December 16. However,
that date could be moved up be-
cause of the speed of the
withdrawal, Ross added.
Following the eruption of
Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the U.S.
decided not to rebuild heavily
damaged Clark Air Base and to
seek an extension on the lease for
Subic Bay, which is 50 miles west
of Manila. Despite support from
forma: president Corazon Aquino,
the Philippine senate reject^ the
extension.
Gentry Moore Dies at 67;
Was San Fran. Patrolman
Gentry Moore, SIU patrolman
in the port of San Francisco and a
key figure in the SIU-AGLIWD's
merger with the Marine Cooks
and Stewards, passed away
August 1 after a long bout witfi
cancer. He was 67.
Brother Moore's popularity
among Seafarers from all ports
and districts and different walks
of life was reflected by the swift
reaction to news of his passing.
For example, the SIU crew
aboard the Sea-Land Developer
immediately sent condolences to
his family. (That crew consisted
of deck department members H
Gibbs, T. Bryant, K. Sbaibi, G.
Holland and G. Lusk, engine
department members J.
Pamlniano, J. Ross and R.
Llanes, and steward department
members M. Baker, L. Finn, J.
Ross and R. Gegenbeimer.)
Joined in 1946
A native of Jackson, Miss.,
Moore joined the Marine Cooks
and Stewards in San Francisco in
1946. He usually shipped out of
San Francisco and sailed on the
South American runs aboard
Moore-McCormick Lines.
Brother Moore became an
MC&S official in 1967, then was
elected a San Francisco port
employee for the SIU in 1978, the
year of the merger.
Gentty Moore was one of the
most dedicated, sincere and reli
able union representatives I have
ever worked with," said George
McCartney, SIU vice president
West Coast.
Buck Mercer, SIU vice presi
dent Government Services
Division, knew Moore for 30
(fears. "He helped everybody,"
Gentry Moore
Mercer said. "He was one of the
best. Gentry was a good union
official and he got along with
everybody—shipowners and
merchant mariners alike.
'Gave to Maritime Labor'
California State Senator Mil
ton Marks (D), chairman of the
California Senate Select Com
mittee on Maritime Industry,
wrote in a letter to Gentry
Moore's wife, Delores, "Gentry
was highly respected ... he gave
greatly of himself to the maritime
abor movement and to the com
munity. It was an honor to have
adjourned the Senate in his
memory."
In addition to Mrs. Moore,
Gentry is survived by four
daughters and numerous
grandchildren.
Donations in Gentry Moore's
memory may be sent to the
United Negro College Fund, 500
East 62nd Street, New York, NY
10027.
Rescues by MSCPAC Vessels
Save Twe Marbwrs' Uves
One of many vessels used to evacuate the Navy base at Subic Bay, the SlU-crewed MaerskConstellation
loads some of the equipment to be taken from the last American military post in the Philippines.
Quick responses by crew-
members aboard two Military
Sealift Command-Pacific Fleet
MSCPAC) vessels, whose un
licensed crewmembers are repre
sented by the SIU's Government
Services Division, helped save
the lives of two mariners earlier
this year, the U.S. Navy agency
announced last month.
The USNS Kilauea, MSC's
only ammunitions vessel, rescued
one of its own sailors who was
swept overboard in the southern
'acific in May. Petty Officer
Second Class Kenneth C. Nor-
mand lost his footing and landed
in the sea when the Kilauea took
a heavy roll to port in the middle
of the night.
Saved by Shipmate
The mishap was seen by a fel
low crewmember who iirunedi-
ately alerted the bridge. By the
time Normand surfaced, the 564-
foot vessel already was a length
away.
The Kilauea, which is 81 feet
wide and has a range of 18,000
nautical miles, turned around and
launched a helicopter which pin
pointed Normand's location in
the ocean. The petty officer was
rescued and returned to the ship
in a lifeboat. Although he swal
lowed a large amount of sea
water, Normand suffered no sig
nificant injuries.
(The Kilauea is schedule to
sail to the West Coast at the end
time in several years the vessel
will be in the U.S.)
The other rescue operation
was performed by the fleet oiler
USNS Andrew J. Higgins on
Easter (April 19) morning. The
ship, which can carry 180,000
barrels of gas turbine and diesel
fuel, was conducting underway
replenishments for vessels of the
U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet
Immediate Medical Care
The 677.5-foot Higgins, a
Henry J. Kaiser class vessel
operating in the western Pacific,
received an urgent request for
medical assistance for an injured
Korean mariner sailing aboard
the South Korean merchant ship
Hyundai Nine. The mariner had
suffered a serious injury to an arm
when he fell 20 feet the previous
day.
The oiler's motor boat
transported the injured mariner to
the Higgins where he received
preliminary treatment before a
helicopter from the USS Bunker
Hill took him to a hospital in the
Philippines. (The Higgins' land
ing platform for helicopters is
usually utilized in conducting
vertical replenishment.)
The medical officer for the
Bunker Hill, Navy Lt. Tony Mas-
sp3
Hi
:y, noted the action taken by the
iggins' crew "most likely saved
of November, marking the first his life.
the mariner's arm and possibly
—
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SEmMBER 1992 SEAFARERS LOG
Pro-Runaway Trade Pact
Goes Before Gengress bi '93
Continued from page 3
ditionally, the movement o
American capital to Mexican-
based manufacturing will result
in a decrease of 290,000 to
490,000 American jobs, they say.
These economists estimate
American wages will go down
because of NAFTA, predicting a
decline of 2.3 percent.
Maquiladoras
The studies showing severe
job losses in the United States
under NAFTA are backed up by
the experience of the maquiladora
program. For more than a decade,
through government policy, U.S.
companies have been encouraged
to establish manufacturing fac
tories in Mexico, along the U.S.
border. The products from these
plants are exported into the
United States market at reduced
tariffs.
The result of this government-
sanctioned program is the reloca
tion of 500,000 American jobs.
While the United States has
lost 951,000 manufacturing jobs
since the early '80s, the ma
quiladoras have increased
employment from 120,000 in
1980 to now more than 500,000
workers, who earn as little as 50
cents to $1.25 an hour, including
insurance and other benefits.
The explosion of manufactur
ing sites along the border has
given rise to hundreds of boom-
towns and squatter communities,
filled with cardboard shanties and
housing made from scrap wood
for the thousands of workers who
have come to fill positions build
ing cars, making furniture, as
sembling tele-communication
and electronics components,
manufacturing car parts.
Despite living conditions
characterized by insufficient and
inadequate housing, lack of run
ning water or sewage facilities
and spotty electricity, thousands
of Mexicans stream into towns
along the frontier to take jobs that
were once performed in Philadel
phia; Cortland, N.Y.; Radford,
Va.; Evansville, Ind.; Flint,
Mich.; Los Angeles; Springfield,
Basic Economic and Social Indicators
U.S., Canada, Mexico
U.S. Canada Mexico
Population
1990
250,000,000 27,000,000 88,000,000
GNP
1989
$5233 billion $514 billion $187 billion
GNP
Per Capita 1989
$21,082 $19,600 $2,165
Minimum Hourly
Wage 1990
$4.25 $3.35 $0.59^
Manufacturing 1980
Average Hourly Wage
$13.85 $13.53 $1.99 overall
,98 Maquiladora
ManufaGturina1997
Average Hourly Wage
$14.77 $16.02 $1.80 overall
1.25 Maquiladora
' WsBWy minimum wage of 11894.00 pews, poso-toOonar rate 2920.00: hourly minimum wago In doBais 0.59.
SOURCE: An-OlO material from the Economic Comlssion for UUn America antf the Carlbbbean: AFLOlO material from the
World DevBlo|*nenl Report the World Fact Book, OOL; Department of Latior; emtraeay of Canada.
Mo.; Baltimore, Md. and so on.
The maquiladoras, free of
strict environmental standards
and free of rigorous enforcement
of the nominal regulations that
are on the books, dump toxic
materials into the air, water and
soil. These contaminants pose a
threat to all those living on either
side of the border.
While the United States has
lost hundreds of thousands of
jobs, it has gained a pollution
nightmare, stemming from the
side of the border beyond the
reach of American laws.
Europe's Trade Pact
The AfT-CIO, in testimony to
the Congress and in submissions
to the United States Trade Repre
sentative, notes there is an alter
nate trade model to follow other
than the maquiladora program.
For example, the AFL-CIO said,
in preparing for free trade and
meaningful integration of nation
al economies between the
countries of Europe, the
European Community (EC) real
ized a great deal of attention
would have to be paid to the gap
between so-called "rich" and
poor" European nations.
The EC recognized the
economies of Greece, Portugal
and Spain, with lower wages than
West Germany, France and the
United Kingdom, as well as other
nations, could drive down living
standards across Europe once
economic borders came down.
Thus, before the united
European market goes into place
at the end of this year, the EC has
spent the last 15 years transfer
ring direct government aid to the
poorer EC nations designed to
raise wages, regularize safety and
environmental standards, im
prove living conditions and
generally accelerate develop
ment.
The Future
The AFL-CIO, the SIU and
other affiliated unions will be as
king Congress to take a second
look at the NAFTA agreement
when it is considered early next
year.
The opponents of NAFTA in
tend to urge Congress to vote
down the Bush administration's
NAFTA proposals. Under the
"fast track" authority extended to
the administration last year by
Congress, the legislators now
only can accept or reject the
proposed agreement. The AFL-
CIO also will urge repre
sentatives and senators to revise
the rules under which trade agree-
ments are debated so the
American people will have an op
portunity to hear a full airing of
all aspects and consequences of
the proposed trade treaty with
Mexico and Canada.
Additionally, the AFL-CIO
will be working with elected offi
cials and other policy-makers to
formulate a national trade policy
that makes the welfare and
security of American workers,
their families and their com
munities and U.S. economic
growth its centerpiece.
Jeffry Scott/Impact Visuals
Workers at Zenith's Springfield, Mo. plant meet for the last time in the
employee parking area as the plant is shutting down. In February
1992, these Zenith workers, and 1,500 others, were laid off. The
company announced it was moving production to Mexico.
lUENews
Zenith is one of hundreds of U.S. companies that has transferred
production to maquiladora plants in Mexico located near the U.S.
border. However, Zenith has not transferred its customers. The giant
company continues selling its products to Americans.
PANICS DC TEtCVISlbN K
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A paycheck stub belonging to a Zenith employee nete 71,700 pesos.
In February 1990, this was equal to $26.16 for a 48-hour work week.
This maquiladora worker earned 61 cents an hour gross pay.
Plants 1,886 2000
1500
1000
1980 1984 1987 1990
Employees
500,000
4 <M»o
1980 1984 1987 1^
HMlttM •nd'Btnoo
'Free Trade' Already Exists, And It's No Paradise
Since the early 1980s, the number
of jobs has skyrocketed in Mexican
towns and cities near the U.S. bor
der. Bringing hundreds of
thousands of Mexican workers to
these areas are maquiladoras, the
plants established by U.S. com
panies taking advantage of govern
ment offered tariff advantages.
In 1980 there were 605 maquiladora
filants employing 120,000 workers,
n 1990, 1,886 maquiladoras
employed half a million people. At
wages as low as 50 cents an hour
ligh
tions are abysmal. Because the ma-
wag
and as high as $1.80, living condi-
tmestoMoia/ACTWU
quiladoras operate free of
government environmental and
safety regulations, pollution is ram
pant m streams, the soil and air.
Ernesto Mora/ACTWU Jim SaMAFL-aO NEWS
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6 SEAFARERS LOa SEFTEMRER1992
PMnen New, U.S.-BuiH Contalnership
SIUNA members are crewing
ih&MVRJ. Pfeijfer, the first large
commercial ship built in the
United States since 1987.
The 714-foot Pfeijfer,
operated by San Francisco-based
Matson Navigation Co., late last
month completed its maiden
voyage from Oakland, Calif, to
Hawaii. The building cost was
$129 million and did not include
government subsidies.
The ship is named after
Matson's chairman and will
operate with a crew of 21.
The Pfeijfer features a 992-ton
diesel engine which is nearly four
stories high. Matson's eight other
long-haul vessels are less fuel ^i-
... steam-powered ships. The
Matson Navigation Company's new 714-foot containership MVR.J. Pfe/ffer departs San Francisco Bay diesel engine may reduce
on its maiden voyage to Honolulu. fuel costs by as much as 40 percent.
The ship's main route will be
between Los Angeles and
Honolulu. It is expected to make
26 round-trip voyages per year.
The Pfeijfer was built at Na
tional Steel and Shipbuilding Co.
in San Diego. It took two-and-a-
half years to complete. (Like all
other Matson ships, the Pfeijfer is
serving only U.S. ports. There
fore, according to provisions in
the Jones Act, it is required to be
built domestically.)
The unlicensed positions on
the vessel will be manned by
members of the SIUNA affiliated
unions—AGLIWD for the galley
crew; Sailors' Union Of the
Pacific, deck gang; and Marine
Firemen's Union for the engine
department members.
Seafarers Launch Donatien Drive
Continued from page 3
hours of August 24, crossed the
peninsula, entered the Gulf of
Mexico, then hit south central
Louisiana during the night of
August 25-26. While many
people lost homes and other pos
sessions in Louisiana, the area is
not as populated as where
Andrew raced through the Miami
suburbs. As of press time, neither
the New Orleans nor Houston
SIU halls had heard from any
members affected by Andrew in
Louisiana.
After the storm, "I told the
guys we had some members in
trouble. They said they wanted to
help in a food drive," said Assis
tant Vice President Kermett
Mangram, who works in the port
of New York. "The next day, we
had 15 cases of food—rice,
beans, peas, water, etc. Everyone
participated and some of the local
merchants donated."
Before Andrew hit both
Florida and Louisiana, the ports
of Jacksonville, New Orleans and
Houston were busy crewing fast
sealift vessels docked in reserve
status in their areas. Within 24
hours of notification. New Or
leans had crewed the USNS
Regulus and USNS Pollux docked
in Gretna, La., while Houston
filled the jobs on the USNS
Denebola and USNS Algol. All
four ships sailed toward Mexico
to wait out the hurricane. While
the USNS Antares arid USNS
Capella were placed on alert in
Jacksonville, they did not have to
sail as the storm stayed 350 miles
to the south.
The only SlU-contracted ves
sel directly affected by Andrew
was the Senator, a Crowley
American Transport RO/RO,
which was tied up in Port
Everglades, Fla. for engine
repairs. A reduced crew led by
Bosun Donald Wagner helped
secure the ship for the storm.
The Senator was moved to
where it could ride out the storm
on an east/west axis fore and aft
Both anchors were dropped anc
all available lines were used to tie
up the vessel. Preparations took
12 hours, according to Captain Ec
Seca.
"All of us on board, anc
Gwendolyn Shinholster, our
steward—everybody helped. The
good part is the way people
worked together to help," Seca
said.
Seca recorded sustained winds
between 60 and 80 miles-per-
hour with gusts up to 100 during
the height of Anch-ew whose eye
passed 35 miles to the south.
The other SIU crewmembers
who rode out the storm on the
Senator included QMEDs Merle
Duckworth, Kelly Feldman and
Alfred Lane; Wiper Curtis
Lang and Steward Assistant
Andre Keller.
GeneralJohnson Retires; Oversaw
Transportation Logistics in Gnif War
The man who directed the
transportation logistics of the
largest rapid military deployment
in history has retired from active
military duty.
Air Force General Hansford T.
Johnson turned over the top job of
the U.S. Transportation Com
mand last month to fellow Air
Force General Ronald R.
Fogleman during ceremonies at
Scott Air Force Base, 111.
Johnson led the command,
which controls the movement of
U.S. troops and their equipment
and supplies, during the Persian
Gulf war. In that capacity, he also
oversaw the operation of U.S.-
flag merchant ships that carried
troops and materiel to and from
Saudi Arabia coordinated by the
Military Sealift Command, which
was dien headed by Vice Admiral
Francis R. Donovan.
Moved to Transcom in '89
A native of Aiken, S.C.,
Johnson graduated from the Air
Force Academy in 1959. He flew
423 combat missions over South
and North Vietnam during 1967
and 1968.
After holding numerous posi
tions within the Air Force,
Johnson was deputy commander
in chief of the U.S. Central Com
mand in 1987. He took over the
the military's transportation coor
dination agency in 1989 and held
Gen. Hansford T. Johnson
the position until his retirement.
Prior to replacing Johnson,
Fogleman served as die head of
the Seventh Air Force, deputy
commander of U.S. forces in
Korea and commander of the
joint U.S. and South Korean air
command.
'Changing Times'
Bom in Juniata County, Pa., he
graduated from the Air Force
Academy in 1963. Fogleman
completed 315 combat missions
over southeast Asia between
1968 and 1970. He has served the
Air Force in various positions in
Gen Ronald R. Fogleman
the U.S. and Europe.
At the change d command
ceremony at the Transportation
Command, Fogleman noted, "On
my watch, in all likelihood,
change will be the hallmark of
this command.
"Changes in the world order,
changing threat and a changing
resource environment demand
change in our organizational
stmcture and outlook. We must
focus on our new charter and
what we are asked to do, what we
do best—^provide global mobility
in support of America's security
interests."
AB Ron Mena Recalls
Horror of Andrew
The Menas have begun working on their home since it was struck by
Hurricane Andrew. Since the storm, roof shingles have been put back.
A view of the Mena's suburban Miami neighborhood hit by Andrew.
The worst part of living
through Hurricane Andrew, ac
cording to AB Ron Mena, was
not knowing if any of the debris
banging and slamming against the
house was going to destroy the
structure and leave its occupants
unprotected.
Mena, an able bodied seaman
who most recently sailed on the
Senator, rode out the storm with
its 160-plus mile-per-hour winds
on the morning of August 24 in
the Miami suburban home of his
parents (Pensioner and Mrs.
Pedro Mena), then with his aunt
next door.
"Because of all my years at sea,
the wind did not bother me," Mena
told the Seafarers LOG. "I was
sleeping in a room in my parents'
house when the roof started leaking
on me. Uie house was fiill (of fami-
y members), so I moved to my
aunt's next door to stay with them
)ecause they were scared."
Once the wind started picking
up a few hours later, however, the
storm's ferocity became ap-
)arent. Mena joined the rest of the
"amily under mattresses for
protection.
"The doors sounded like they
were going to come off. The win
dows were breaking. We could
hear debris smacking the house
and we had no idea what it was."
After the storm had passed by
late morning, Mena joined the
family and neighbors in assessing
the damage. "The neighborhood
was destroyed," he said.
While the AB lost only some
clothing, his parents fared far
worse. "The house is non-livable.
It has four walls, but there is no air
(conditioning) and electricity.
They may not have power for two
months. All the furnishings are
ruined."
The leak in Mena's room even
tually led to the storm tearing the
roof off Perisioner Mena's home.
The family's satellite dish was
found down the road in 10 pieces.
His mother's car was damaged
baidly. A pick-up truck tool bed was
found in the Mena's backyard.
They have no idea how it got there.
Collection Under Way
At All SIU Halls
Donations of food, water,
medicine, money and other use
ful items for Hurricane Andrew
victims are being collected at all
SIU halls. Seafarers and their
families are urged to bring their
donations to a local SIU hall.
The materials collected will go
first to brother and sister Seaterers
who need the assistance, and next
to other trade unionists in the dls-
aster-etruck areas.
^ y-i
SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERS LOG 7
Top Performance Awards Go to 7 MSCPAC Siiips
The fleet oiler USNS Andrew J.
Higgins was named the best ship in
the Military Sealift Command,
Pacific Fleet (MSCPAC) and
received the Vice Admiral Roy A.
Gano Award for its service in the
Persian Gulf during 1991.
Besides receiving the Gano
award, which is named for a
former Military Sea Transporta
tion Service commander, the/fig
ging was one of seven vessels
names as 1991 "Smart Ships"
within MSCPAC. These awards
are based on a ship's achieve
ments while on assignment as
well as during command inspec
tions. Vessels usually compete
against other ships performing
similar missions. The Gano
award is for the most outstanding
vessel in MSCPAC.
The other Smart Ship winners
were the USNS Navajo, USNS
Kawishiwi, USNSKilauea, USNS
Observation Island, USNS Zeus
and USNS Mercy.
The SIU's Government Ser
vices Division represents the un
licensed mariners on MSCPAC
vessels, including the Higgins.
According to MSCPAC, the
Higgins and its crew performed
beyond the call of duty to earn the
award. The vessel left port in July
1990 for a brief deployment in the
Indian Ocean, then a trip to Sin
gapore. However, the Iraqi in
vasion of Kuwait the following
month changed that. The fleet
oiler was refueling the USS Inde
pendence and its escorts to allow
them to steam into the Gulf of
Oman. The ship conducted un
derway replenishments in the
Middle East until it struck an un
charted reef in the North Arabian
Seain Janu^ 1991 that put it out
of commission for two months.
Longest Deployment
The Higgins returned to the
Persian Gulf to assist several U.S.
and allied task forces from
Kuwait City to the Straits of Hor-
muz before returning to its
homeport in August 1991. Its
380-day deployment is believed
to be the longest by any Military
Sealift Command vessel.
The USNS Navajo, a tugboat,
had an active year dong the U.S.
Pacific coast. It towed the USS
New Jersey from Long Beach,
Calif, to Bremerton, Wash, and
Vice Adm. Buicher Dies;
SeugM Stnmg Fleet
Vice Admiral Paul D. Butcher called
for a strong U.S.-shipping capability
at 1990 MID board meeting.
Vice Admiral Paul D. Butcher
(Ret.), the second-in-command of
the U.S. Transportation Com
mand during the Persian Gulf
war, suffered a fatal heart attack
August 2 in his Tampa, Fla. apart
ment
Butcher, 62, was a leading
proponent for a strong U.S.-flag
merchant marine. At the 1990
Maritime Trades Department ex
ecutive board meeting. Butcher
warned that the decline in U.S.-
flag merchant ships could leave
America "incapable of support
ing our combatant forces either
for unit equipment or sustainable
issues and we'll rent a ship to
fight a war."
Prior to serving as deputy
commander of the military's
transport logistics arm, the West
Virginia native was the head of
the Military Sealift Command.
Butcher joined the Navy in
1948 as an apprentice seaman. He
received his commission as an en
sign in 1953 after graduating
from Marshall University. He
was known as an officer who
stood up for his sailors and who
wanted to know everyone on his
vessels.
He served as the commanding
officer aboard the USS
Mosopelea, USS Camp, USS
Josephus Daniels and USS Ok
lahoma City. He also was the flag
officer for Task Forces 73 and 75.
Some of Butcher's shoreside
assignments were as commander.
Naval Surface Group, Westem
Pacific and deputy commander-
in-chief and chief of staff, U.S.
Atlantic Fleet.
After retiring from the Navy
last year. Butcher was named
chairman of the board and chief
executive officer of the American
Ship Building Co. in Tampa.
The USNS Andrew J. Higgins was named by the MSG the best ship in the Military Sealift Command,
Pacific Fleet. The SIU's Govemment Services Division represents the unlicensed mariners on the Higgins.
served as the lead search and
recovery platform for the dis
covery of two Orion aircraft that
collided off the coast of San
Diego. It also was involved in
other towing jobs, including one
for oceanographic experiments.
The USNS Kawishiwi took the
Smart Ship honors for older fleet
oilers. In its last full year of opera-
tions, the "flag ship of the
MSCPAC San Diego fleet," as it
is known, provided underway
replenishments for Navy vessels
training off southern California. It
also operated with the USNS Kitty
Hawk in the Gulf of Tehuantepec
off the southern coast of Mexico
and with a destroyer squadron in
the Gulf of Alaska.
Besides receiving a Smart
Ship designation, the USNS
Kilauea also was named the
Seventh Fleet's 1991 Logistics
Ship of the Year. The vessel
provided various battle groups
with ammunition during Desert
Storm and Desert Shield.
Aided Disaster Victims
It was caught in Subic Bay
when Mount Pinatubo erupted.
The ship provided food, water
and messages to MSCPAC
families in the Philippines during
the disaster. Then it participated
in the withdrawal from the base.
The USNS Observation Is
land continued to serve as the
leader among afloat missile
tracking platforms used to
verify foreign ballistic missile
tests. The vessel was at sea more
than 80 percent of its operation
al time in 1991.
The cable ship USNS Zeus was
underway more than 300 days in
1991 working in both the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans. It is a repeat
winner.
By being in the Middle East
and ready for whatever casualties
may have occurred, the hospital
ship USNS Mercy also was recog
nized as a Smart Ship.
Capt. L Pivonka to Head MSCPAC
Captain L. Michael Pivonka is
the new head of the Military
Sealift Command, Pacific Fleet
(MSCPAC).
Pivonka succeeds Captain
Raymond W. Addicott, who has
led MSCPAC for the last two
years. Addicott, a 30-year Navy
veteran, retired from service fol
lowing the change of command.
Prior to taking over MSCPAC,
whose unlicensed , personnel are
Mew MSCPAC commander, Captain L.M. Pivonka, talks with Roy
Buck" Mercer, SlU vice president for govemment services, during the
recent decommission exercises aboard the USNS Kawishiwi.
represented by the SIU's Govem
ment Services Division, Pivonka
held several assignments both at
sea and ashore.
He was the commanding of
ficer aboard the USS Kiska, USS
San Jose and USS Kansas City.
He served as the aide/flag
secretary with the commander of
the Naval Surface Group,
Westem Pacific, later becoming
the chief of staff for the same
organization.
The native of Kansas joined
the Navy in 1964 after complet
ing officer candidate school. Im
mediately before his assignment
at MSCPAC, Pivonka was sta
tioned at MSC headquarters in
Washington, D.C. where he
headed the Command, Control,
Communication and Computer
Systems Office.
MSC Cemmander Denevan Retiies; Kaiieies Named Successer
The man who directed the
largest and fastest sealift in his
tory, Vice Admiral Francis R.
Donovan, last month stepped
down as commander of the U.S.
Navy's Military Sealift Com
mand (MSC). Donovan retired
after 40 years with the U.S. Navy.
Vice Admiral Michael P. Kal-
leres relieved Donovan during a
ceremony at the Washington,
D.C. Navy Yard on August 17.
Kalleres had been serving as
conunander of the U.S. Second
Fleet. Previously, he commanded
the Striking Fleet Atlantic and
Joint Task Force 120, which
operates from Norfolk, Va.
Donovan took command of
MSC in March 1990, five months
before Iraq invaded Kuwait. In
support of the subsequent Opera
tions Desert Shield and Desert
Storm, more than 10 million tons
of equipment, supplies, fuel and
anununition were transported by
sea. By mid-January 1991, MSC
was operating 340 ships around
the world, including more than
280 in direct support of Persian
Gulf operations.
Ninety-five percent of all sup
plies and equipment used during
the gulf war were transported by
sea on MSC-controlled ships.
Began As a Sailor
Donovan began his Navy
career as a sailor recruit in April
1952. He graduated from the U.S.
Naval Academy in 1959.
Kalleres has spent much of his
career serving aboard cruisers,
destroyers and battleships. He
coiimianded the guided missile
destroyer USS Dewey and two
destroyer squadrons.
Directs 150 Ships
While ashore, Kalleres
worked in various Navy financial
management and personnel posi
tions. He was chief financial plan
ner for the Navy and director of
personnel policy.
As the 19th commander of
MSC, Kalleres will direct the
operations of more than 150
ships. MSC is the military's Vice Admiral Francis R. Donovan, Vice Admiral Michael P. Kalleres,
sealift arm, coordinating the USN, stepped down last month as USN, Is the 19th commander of
wateifiome transport ofjnateriel commander of the Navy's Military MSG and will direct mpre than 150
for the U.S. Armed Forces. Sealift Command. military ships.
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SEPTEMBER 1992
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Seafarers: The Time to Register to Vote Is HOWl
To Cast Ballot in Nov. 3 General Election, Most States Require Sign-up by Early October
More than half the
states and the District of
Columbia will close
their voter registration
books the first week of
October, thus keeping
anyone not registered
by then from being able
to vote in the presiden
tial election of Novem
her 3.
This election is im
pOrtant to Seafarers and
their families in many
ways. For the first time
in many years, the ad
ministration and Con
gress are working
together to establish a
national maritime
policy—a key factor
for future job security.
Additionally, the
North American Free
Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) will be ac
cepted or rejected by
the members of the
House of Repre
sentatives and Senate
elected in November.
Bills affecting the
Jones Act, cargo
preference legislation'
and Alaskan oil are ex
pected to be presented
next year that could af
fect members and then-
jobs.
Of course, the num
ber one issue facing the
newly-elected or re
elected president of the
United States and the
newly-elected or re
elected congressmen
and senators is the wor
sening U.S. economy
—joblessness, inade
quate infrastructure, the
skyrocketing cost of
hedth care, and more.
Registration Required
Most states require
residents to be registered
before they can vote.
(The exceptions are
Maine, Minnesota,
North Dakota and Wis
consin, which allow
people to register on
election day.) The only
cost is a few minutes to
fiU out the necessary
paperwork. In many
loc^ities, registration is
being done at shopping
centers, grocery stores
and libraries as well as
voter registration of
fices.
Besides electing the
president and vice
president, 35 Senate
seats and all 435 mem
bers of the House of
Representatives are up
for election. A total of
12 states, Puerto Wco
and American Samoa
will be choosing gover
nors.
fami
Apply Now to Acquire Absentee Ballots
With the November 3 election being only weeks
away, Seafaiere who know they will not be home that
day should apply inunediately for absentee ballots.
Before applying, members need to be registered
to vote. Members on the beach can apply for an
absentee ballot at their local election supervisor or
voter registration office in person, oyer the
telephone or by mail. Each state has individual
rules regarding when the ballots will be available,
which—^in most cases—is no more than 30 days
before the general election.
Members at sea can apply for an absentee ballot
by filling out and mailing the Federal Write-in
Absentee Ballot sent to all vessels and SIU halls
earlier this year.
To use this form, a Seafarer must meet alj the
requirements for being a registered voter in his or
her legal state of residence. He or she must have
requested a regular state absentee baUot early
enough so that after mailing, the request is received
by the appropriate local official at least 30 days
before the election. Finally, voters must be over
seas and have a foreign mailing address or an
APO/FPO postmark.
Political Action Key
Seafarers have a
long tradition of being
politically active be
cause the fate of the
U.S.-flag merchant
marine is affected so
directly by elected offi
cials. Through their
voluntary contributions
to the Seafarers Politi
cal Action Donation
fund (SPAD), members
are able to support can
didates for elected of
fice who back U.S.-flag
shipping. Seafarers and
their families also make
their positions known
by attending rallies and
voting.
Working With AFL-CiO
Another way Sea
farers participate in the
electoral process is
through the AFL-CIO,
the federation of
American trade unions.
At the state and local
levels, the AFL-CIO
provides information
on candidates, their
views on issues and
their voting records to
union members through
the Committee on Politi
cal Education (COPE).
By working with
COPE and the Maritime
Trades Department, the
arm of the AFL-CIO
designed to bring
together all unions that
deal with maritime and
maritime-related fields,
Seafarers join with other
trade unionists in elect
ing candidates who
work in behalf of work
ing people and their
ies.
State by State Registration and Polling Information
STATE
V
Rei^stratlon
Deadllnefor
Ganeral Election
i
Residency
Requirement
More Information
Telephone Number
Senate
Race
Number of
Congressmen
from State
Polling
Hours
Alabama Oct. 23 None (205)242-7210 Yes 7 Varies . |
Alaska Oct. 4 30 days (907)465-4611 Yes 1 7am-8pm |
Am. Samoa Oct. 4 2 years (684) 633-4962 No 1 delegate 6am-6pm
Arizona Oct. 5 29 days (602) 542-8683 Yes 6 6am77pm
Arkansas Oct. 13 None (501)682-1010 Yes 4 7 or 8am-7:30pm
California Oct. 5 None (916) 445-0820 Yes-2 52 7am-8pm
Colorado Oct. 9 32 days (303) 894-2680 Yes 6 7am-7pm
Connecticut Nov. 2 None (203)566-3106 Yes 6 6am-6pm
Delaware Oct. 16 6 months (302)739-4277 No 1 7am-8pm
D.C. Oct. 5 30 days (202)727-2534 No 1 delegate 7am-8pm 1
Florida Oct. 5 None (904) 488-7690 Yes 23 7am-7pm
Georgia Oct. 5 None (404) 656-2871 Yes 11 7am-7pm
Guam Oct. 23 None (671)477-9791 No 1 delegate 8am-8pm
Hawaii Oct. 5 None (808) 453-8683 Yes 2 7am-6pm
Idaho Oct. 23 30 days (208)334-2852 Yes 2 7or8am-8pm
Illinois Oct. 5 30 days ' (217)782-4141 Yes 20 6am-7pm
Indiana Oct. 5 30 days (317)232-3939 Yes 10 6am-7pm
Iowa Oct. 24 10 days (515)281-5865 Yes 5 7am-9pm
Kansas Oct. 19 15 days (913)296-2236 Yes 4 7am-7pm
Kentucky Oct. 5 30 days (502) 564-7100 Yes 6 6am-6pm |
Louisiana Oct. 9 None (504) 389-3940 Yes 7 6am-8pm
Maine Election Day None (207) 289-4189 No 2 6-10am-9pm
Maryland Oct. 5 None (301) 974-3711 Yes 8 7am-8pm
Massachusetts Oct. 6 None (617) 727-2828 No 10 7am-8pm
Michigan
: '.Cii • ' . ^
Oct. 5 ! None (517)373-2540 No 16 7am-8pm
Minnesota Election Day 20 days (612) 296-2805 No 8 7am-8pm
Mississippi Oct. 3 30 days (601) 359-1350 No 5 7am-7pm
Missouri Oct. 14 None (314)751-3295 Yes 9 6am-7pm
Montana Oct. 5 30 days (406) 444-4732 No 1 7am-8pm
Nebraska Oct. 23 None (402) 471-2554 No 3 8-8 central
7-7 mountain
Nevada Oct. 3 30 days (702)687-3176 Yes 2 7am-7pm |
N.Hampshire Oct. 24 10 days (603)271-3242 Yes 2 6-10am-7pm |
New Jersey Oct. 5 30 days (609) 292-3760 No 13 7am-8pm |
New Mexico Oct. 6 None (505) 827-3600 No 3 7am-7pm
NewYork Oct. 10 30 days (518) 474-6220 Yes 31 6am-9pm
N. Carolina Oct. 5 30 days (919) 733-2186 Yes 12 6:30am-
7:30Dm
North Dakota No
reqistration
30 days (701)224-2904 Yes 1 7am-9am-
7pm-9pm
Ohio Oct. 5 30 days (614) 466-2585 Yes 19 6;30am-7:30pm
Oklahoma Oct. 23 None (405)521-2391 Yes 6 7am-7pm
Oregon Oct. 13 20 days (503)378-4144 Yes 5 7am-8pm
Pennsylvania Oct. 5 30 days (717) 787-5280 Yes 21 7am-8pm
Puerto Rico Sept. 14 1 year (809) 724-4979 No 1 res. comm. 8am-4:30pm
Rhode Island Oct. 3 30 days (401) 277-2340 No 2 7am-9pm
S. Carolina Oct. 3 30 days (803) 734-9060 Yes 6 7am-7pm
jsouth Dakota Oct. 19 None (605) 773-3537 Yes 1 8-8 central
7-7 mountain
Tennessee Oct. 3 20 days (615)741-7956 No 9 varies by county
Texas Oct. 4 None (512) 463-5701 No 30 7am-7pm
Utah Oct. 13 30 days (801) 538-1040 Yes 3 7am-8pm
Vermont Oct. 17 None (802) 828-2464 Yes 1 6-10am-7pm
Virginia Oct. 3 None (804) 786-6551 No 11 6am-7pm
Virgin Islands Oct. 4 90 days (809) 774-3107 No 1 delegate 7am-7pm
Washington . Oct. 3 None (206) 753-7121 Yes 9 7am-8pm
West Virginia Oct.5 30 days (304) 345-4000 No • 3 6:30am-7:30pm
Wisconsin Election Day 10 days (608) 266-8005 Yes 9 7-9am-8pm
Wyoming Oct. 5 None (307)777-7186 No 1 7am-7pm
Ait
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1992 SBIFME9SL0G 9
Panei Jlppmves CndenUals of Candidates for 27 Union Posts
The credentials committee made up of six rank-and-file Seafarers electee
at August membership meetings around the country met last month to review
the applications of SIU members seeking union office for the 1993-96 term.
What follows is the full text of the committee's report which is being
submitted for approval to the SIU membership at this month's meetings.
Report of Credentials Committee
On Candidates for 1992 General
Election of Officers, 1993-96
SIUNA,AGLIWD
We, the undersigned members ol'
the Credentials Committee, were
duly elected at the regular member
ship meeting held in Headquarters
Port of Piney Point on August 3
.1992. We have examined the creden
tials of candidates for elective office
or job in the Seafarers Internationa
Union of North America-Atlantic
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters Dis
trict for the years 1993-1996, in ac
cordance with Article XI, Section 1
aiid submit the following report.
Your Committee qualified or dis
qualified those members who sub
mitted for office based upon the
Union Constitution, particularly
those provisions contained in Articles
XII and Xlll. The applicable constitu
tional provisions are as follows:
ARTICLE XU - Quali^ations
for Officers, Assistant Vice-Presi
dents, Headquarters Repre
sentatives, Port Agents, and Other
Elective Jobs.
Section I. Any member of the
Union is eligible to be a candidate
for, and hold, any office or the job of
Assistant Vice-President, Head
quarters Representative, or Port
Agent provided:
(a) He has at least three (3) years
of seatime in an unlicensed capacity
aboard an American-flag merchant
vessel or vessels. In computing time,
time spent in the employ of the Union,
its subsidiaries and its affiliates, or in
any employment at the Union's direc
tion, shall count the same as seatime.
Union records. Welfare Plan records
and/or company records can be usee
to determine eligibility; and
(b)Hehasbeenafullbookmemher
in continuous good standing in the
Union for at least three (3)years imme
diately prior to his nomination; and
(c) He has at least one hundred
(100) days of seatime, in an un
licensed capacity, aboard an
American-flag vessel or vessels
covered by contract with this Union
or one hundred (100) days of employ
ment with, or in any office or Job of,
the Union, its subsidiaries and its af
filiates, or in any employment at the
Union's direction or a.combination
of these, between January 1 and the
time of nomination in the election
year, except if such seatime is wholly
aboard such merchant vessels
operating solely upon the Great
Lakes or, if such seatime is wholly
aboard tugboats, towboats or
dredges and contractual employment
thereon is for fixed days with equal
arnount of days off, he shall have at
least sixty-five (65) days of such
seatime instead of the foregoing one
hundred (100) days; and
(d) He is a citizen of the United
States of America; and
(e) He is not disqualified by law.
He is not receiving a pension from
this Union's Pension Fund, if any, or
from a Union-Management Fund to
which Fund this Union is a party or
from a company under contract with
this Union.
(f) He has not sailed in a licensed
capacity aboard an American-flag
merchant vessel or vessels within 24
consecutive months immediately
prior to the opening of nominations.
Section 2. All candidates for, and
holders of, other elective Jobs not
specified in the preceding sections
shall be full book members of the
Union.
Section 3. All candidates for, and
holders of elective offices and Jobs,
whether elected or appointed in ac
cordance with this Constitution, shall
maintain full book membership in
good standing.
ARTICLE XHI - Elections for
Officers, Assistant Vice-Presidents,
Headquarters Representatives and
Port Agents.
Section I. Nominations.
Except as provided in Section 2(b,
of this Article, any full book member
may submit his name for nomination
for any office, or the Job of Assistant
Vice-President, Headquarters Rep
resentative, or Port Agent, by deliver
ing or causing to be delivered in
person, to the office of the Secretary
Treasurer at Headquarters, or senc
ing a letter addressed to the
Credentials Committee, in care of the
Secretary-Treasurer, at the address
of Headquarters. This letter shall be
dated and shall contain the follow
ing:
(a) The name of the candidate.
(b) His home address and mailing
addre.ss.
(c) His book number.
(d) The title of the office or other
Job for which he is a candidate, in
eluding the name of the Port in the
event the position sought is that of
Port Agent.
(e) Proof of citizenship.
(f) Proof of seatime and/or
employment as required for can
didates.
(g) In the event the member is on
a vessel, he shall notify the Creden
tials Committee what vessel he is on.
This shall be done also if he ships
subsequent to forwarding his creden
tials.
(h) Annexing a certificate in the
following form, signed and dated by
the proposed nominee:
"I hereby certify that I am not
now, nor, for the five (5) years last
past, have I been either a member of
the Communist Party or convicted of,
or served any part of a prison term
resulting from conviction of robbery,
bribery, extortion, embezzlement,
grand larceny, burglary, arson,
violation of narcotics laws, murder,
rape, assault with intent to kill, as
sault which inflicts grievous bodily
injury, or violation of Title II or III of
the Landrum-Griffin Act, or con
spiracy to commit any such crimes."
. bated
Signature of Member..
Book Number
Printed forms of the certificate
shall be made avail^le to iwminees.
Vhere a nominee cannot truthfully
execute such a certificate, but is, in
fact, legally eligible for an office or
'ob by reason of the restoration of
civil rights originally revoked by such
conviction or a favorable determina
tion by the Board of Parole of the
Jnited States Department of Justice,
he shall, in lieu of the foregoing cer
tificate, furnish a complete signed
statement of the facts of his case
together with true copies of the docu
ments supporting his statement.
Any full book member may
nominate any other full book member
in which event such full book member
so nominated shall comply with the
provisions of this Article as they are
set forth herein, relating to the sub
mission of credentials. By reason of
the above self nomination provision
the responsibility, if any, for notifying
a nominee of his nomination to office,
shall be that of the nominator.
All documents required herein
must reach Headquarters no earlier
than July 15 and no later than August
5 of the election year.
The Secretary-Treasurer is
charged with safekeeping of these let
ters and shall turn them over to the
Credentials Committee upon the
Matter's request.
In order to ascertain the meaning
of the term "member in good stand
ing" which is used in Article XII,
Subsection 1(b), the Committee
referred to Article XXIV, Section 9 of
our Constitution which reads as fol-
ows:
"Section 9. The term 'member in
good standing' shall mean a member
whose monetary obligations to the
Union are not in arrears for thirty
30) days or more, or who is not
under suspension or expulsion effec
tive in accordance with this Constitu
tion. Unless otherwise express
indicated, the term 'member' shai
mean a member in good standing.
Your Committee also referred to
Article XX|V, Section 13 for the
definition of the term "seatime." This
section reads as follows:
"Section 13, The term 'seatime
shall include employment upon any
navigable waters, or days of employ
ment in a contracted employer unit
represented by the Union."
We also noted in Article XXIV
Section 14, the meaning of the term
"in an unlicensed capacity aboard an
American-flag merchant vessel or
vessels." This portion of the Constitu
tion reads as follows:
"Section 14. The term 'in an un
licensed capacity aboard an
American-flag merchant vessel or
vessels' shall include persons
employed in an unlicensed or
licensed capacity aboard dredges,
tugboats, towboats and similar Ves
sels used to tow, propel or push bar
ges or other conveyances or assist
merchant vessels in docking or un
docking, or persons otherwise
employed in a contracted employer
unit represented by the Union."
After full and careful delibera
tions, the Committee made its
decisions and sent appropriate
notification to candidates. The ul
timate decisions of this Committee
are later set forth. In arriving at these
ultimate decisions, the Committee
was most concerned with carrying
out a stated principle of our Union
which is that "every qualified mem-
)er shall have the right to nominate
himself for, and, if elected or ap-
lointed, to hold office in this union.
In connection with the foregoing,
we have also consulted with the
Secretary-Treasurer who, under our
Constitution, has the obligation to in
sure appropriate election procedures
as legally required (Article XIII, Sec
tion 7). Our Secretary-Treasurer has
further consulted with the Union's
Counsel as to the law applicable in
Union nominations and elections.
The following [see box on this
page] is a complete listing of all men
vho submitted their credentials to the
I Committee. Their names and the of
fice or job for which they submitted
such credentials are listed in the order
in which this Conunittee feels they
should be placed on the general bal-
ot, that is, in alphabetical order under
the office or job for which they run,
and that the Ports, following the
headquarters offices, beginning with
'iney Point, be arranged on the ballot
jeographically, as has been done in
he past. After each man's name and
)ook number is his qualification or
disqualification, followed by the
reason for that decision.
As you will note in the foregoing
sections of the Committee's Report,
the provisions of the SIU Constitu
tion governing election procedures
made it mandatory that one nominee
je disqualified. In light of these cir
cumstances, the Committee wishes to
call to the attention of all members the
necessity of following all require
ments and procedures which are es
tablished by our Constitution to
;ovem eligibility to candidacy to
Jnion office. However, at this time,
the Committee particularly desires to
>oint out the provisions of Article
XIII, Section 2(c) of the Constitution,
which spell out in detail the right of a
disqualified candidate to appeal from
the decision of the Credentials Com
mittee and how he does it.
In compliance with Article XIII,
Section 2(b) of our Constitution, and
in an attempt to give every nominee
every consideration and to try to
irevent any disqualifications by this
Committee, Woodrow Shelton, Book
o. S-2538, of the Credentials Com
mittee, remained at the entrance of the
rieadquarters building of the Union
until midnight of Saturday, August
5, 1992, to receive any credentials
lat might have been delivered either
by mail or by hand after the closing
of business hours by the Union.
The Committee points out that in
the President's jPre-Balloting Report
approved by the membership as pa- the
Constitution and published in the May
(and June) Seafarers LOG, the exact
offices and jobs for which nominations
were to be made was set forth.
In passing upon the credentials for
certain of the nominees, this Commit
tee had to make one (1) disqualifica
tion, and the following are the details
relative to that disqualification:
Gentry Moore, M-8001 - Can
didate for Port Personnel.
The Committee received a letter
on July 21,1992 from Gentry Moore,
which was dated July 14,1992, to be
a candidate for Port Personnel.
Brother Moore was disqualified by
the Committee in that no such posi
tion exists on the ballot. In addition,
since Brother Moore is now
deceased, there was no need to advise
him of the disqualification.
The Committee received the
credentials of William Truax, T-715,
and noted that this individual inad
vertently omitted to sign the certifica
tion submitted with the nomination.
The intent to sign it was clearly indi
cated and, subsequent to receiving
notification from the Secretary-
Treasurer's office, a signed certificate
was sent and received during &e
nominations period and thus Brother
Truax was deemed qualified to ap
pear on the ballot as a candidate for
Detroit-Algonac Port Agent.
The membership can readily see
from the foregoing report that your
Committee has made every effort
possible within the confines of our
Constitution to qualify every
nominee.
All credentials received as of
August 4, 1992, were turned over to
the Committee in good order, and
those received by mail subsequently,
but not later than August 15, 1992,
have similarly been furnished to the
Committee in good order. All creden
tials have been examined in strict ac
cordance with the Constitution. Any
defect in the credentials disposed of
by the Committee has been the sole
responsibility of the sender and no
person adversely affected by such
defect has denied this to the Commit
tee.
Fraternally submitted. Creden
tials Committee
August 17,1992
List of Persons Who Submitted
Credentials to the Credentials Committee
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
PRESIDENT
Michael Sacco, S-1288
EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT
Joseph Sacco, S-1287 .....
SECRETARY-TREASURER
John Fay, F-363 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF CONTRACTS AND
CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
Augustin Tellez, T-764 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE A TLANTIC COAST
Jack Caffey, C-1010 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE GULF COAST
Dean Corgey, C-5727 . Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE WEST COAST
George McCartney, M-948 ..... Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE SOUTHERN REGION,
GREAT LAKES AND INLAND WATERS
Byron Kelley, K-12039 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
AND FISHING INDUSTRIES
Roy A. Mercer, M-25001 ..... Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF CONTRACTS
AND CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
Kermett Mangram, M-2394 .... Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
THE ATLANTIC COAST
Robert Pomerlane, P-437 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
THE GULF COAST
David Heindel, H-I443 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
THE WEST COAST
Donald Anderson, A-5244 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE
SOUTHERN REGION, GREAT LAKES AND INLAND WATERS
Anthony Sacco, S-2286 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND FISHING INDUSTRIES
Robert Hall, H-5727 Qualified - Credentials in order.
HEADQUARTERS REPRESENTATIVE
Leo Bonser, B-1193 Qualified - Credentials ip order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Carl Peth, P-755
PINEY POINT PORT AGENT
Edward "Edd" W. Morris, M-I358 Qualified - Credentials in order.
NEW YORK PORT AGENT
Robert Selzer, S-1258
PHILADELPHIA PORT AGENT
Thomas J. Fay, F-514
BALTIMORE PORT AGENT
Michael Paladino, P-5581 . . .
MOBILE PORT AGENT
David Carter, C-12088 .....
NEW ORLEANS PORT AGENT
Jose Perez, P-846 Qualified - Credentials in order.
HOUSTON PORT AGENT
James McGee, M-5945
SAN FRANCISCO PORT AGENT
Nick Celona,C-1578
ST. LOUIS PORT AGENT
Steve Ruiz, R-1116
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
DETROIT-ALGONAC PORT AGENT
M. Joseph Sigler, S-2101 .
William G. Tniax, T-715 .
PORT PERSONNEL
Gentry Moore, M-8(X)1 . .
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Disqualified - Position of Port
Personnel not on ballot,
individual since deceased.
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.••,.•41
•':riL-'..<7 SEPTEMBER 1992
Murmansk Medal Evokes Icy Memories
For retired SIU member Steve
Stephens, the medal issued by the
former Soviet Union to U.S. mer
chant mariners who sailed in the
convoy runs to Murmansk,
U.S.S.R. during World War II
evokes memories of a 15-month
voyage which included its share
of close calls and severe weather.
Stephens was an oiler on the
SS West Gotomska from February
15, 1942 until May 12, 1943—
believed to be the longest voyage
of any merchant ship during the
war. The journey started with the
vessel loading a full cargo of
aviation fuel in Houston and then
heading for Boston to load deck
cargo. "We started without an es
cort, at a time when German U-
boats were sinking ships in sight
of the Mississippi River passes
leading to New Orleans," noted
Stephens, who sailed from 1940
to 1970 and then worked on the
Delta Lines shore gang until retir
ing in 1985.
So Close, But So Far
But the West Gotomska made an
unscheduled stop in New York
after recovering the bodies of two
men who were fatally wounded in
an airplane crash. The men had
been flying in a military, land-
based plane that was on submarine
patrol off the Virginia coast.
Several weeks later, the West
Gotomska—carrying the aviation
fuel in 55-gallon drums, plus
crated airplanes and 100 tons of
nitroglycerin oil—^began a series
of frustrating attempts to reach
Russia from Reykjavik, Iceland.
The first time, storms caused the
convoy to scatter and the We^f
Gotomska returned to Iceland.
On the second attempt, four
days out of Iceland, the convoy
again scattered due to bad
weather. This time four ships, in-
cluding the West Gotomska,
proceeded toward Russia without
military escort.
But with the four loaded mer
chant ships less than two days from
Murmansk, an American destroyer
rounded up the vessels and put
them with a convoy of 15 empty
ships leaving Russia and bound for
Scotland. "The destroyer was just
following orders," Stephens ex
plained. "I guess they didn't want
to leave the ships unescorted, but
we were so close."
From Scotland, the West
Gotomska (which still was loaded)
became part of a 13-ship decoy
convoy which sailed without es
corts. "But the Germans didn't buy
it," Stephens recalled. The decoys
got through without incident, but
the other convoy lost more than
half of its 40 ships.
Decoy Convoy Gets Through
The Gotomska finally reached
Murmansk in late December,
only to discover that the Russians
had changed plans and wanted the
cargo delivered to Archangel—
roughly 400 miles away. Since
the White River to Archangel was
frozen solid (approximately nine
feet thick), the ship two days later
unloaded on the ice, about five
miles from Archangel.
"We just went as far as we
could, but once you stop, you're
stuck," said Stephens. "The ship
stayed frozen in the ice for over a
month. It was a daily target for
German bombers, but the Russian
planes fought them off. In fact, I
Russian Medals to WWII Seamen Finally Issued
Many of the U.S. merchant
mariners who applied for com
memorative medals originally is
sued by the Soviet Union for
those JJv(io sailed in the convoy
runs to N^urmansk and Archangel
during World War II should
receive a response very soon.
Earlier this month, the Embas
sy of the Russian Federation sent
letters to approximately 1,300
U.S. mariners who applied and
were approved for the medals.
The embassy tentatively plans
to conduct two awards ceremonies
(for only those mariners already
approved): one on either October 7
or October 15 aboard the Liberty
Ship SS George W. Brown in Bal
timore; and the other on December
8 at the, Russian Embassy in
Washington, D.C.
Mariners who cannot or do not
wish to attend either ceremony
will receive their medals in the
mail.
The letter urges those
mariners who have heen ap
proved for the medal to contact
Mr. Yuri Menshikov, coordinator
of the ceremonies, to advise him
of their preference of where aand
when to receive the medals (Em
bassy of the Russian Federation,
1125 16th Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20036,
telephone 202/347-4392, fax
202/347-5028).
Those eligible WWII veterans
who have not applied for the medal
may do so by submitting a written
request to the above address.
The interested seaman must
provide documentation of service
in World War 11 and, specifically
evidence of having sailed on ves
sels engaged in one or more con
voys to Murmansk or Archangel
Include the following informa
tion: (1) full name ^nd curreni
mailing address; (2) full copy of
the merchant marine veterans DD
Form 214, "Certificate of Release
or Discharge from Active Duty
(which became available when
U.S. merchant mariners gained
veterans status in 1988); and (3) a
list of the name(s) of the vessel(s)
sailed on during the convoys to
Murmansk or Archangel.
The Russian govemment also
will accept applications that in
clude the above information sub
mitted by the next of kin for
deceased seaman. Any questions
should be directed to the above
AB Somerville's Daughter Wins
Wash. Karate Championships
Little did AB Glenn Somer-
viiie and his wife, Clarissa, real
ize when they signed up their
daughter Karla for karate classes
to overcome her shyness that she
would become a state champion
in less than four years.
"We are very proud of her,"
Somerville told the Seafarers
LOG. "She has won all kinds of
medals and awards."
The most recent recognition
for Karla was taking two gold
medals in the 12-year-old class at
the Washington Karate Associa
tion meet at Edmonds (Wash.)
Conununity College. She won the
top award in kumite (self defense)
and kata (stances) among her age
group.
Two Gold Medals
"We have been surprised at
how she has taken to this," Mrs.
Somerville explained. "She was
so shy—just like her mom. We
want^ to find some activity to
make her outgoing."
Karla, who had shown no in
clination toward karate, attended
her first demonstration at the age
AB Glenn Somerville is proud of what his daughter, Karla, has
accomplished in less than four years of studying karate.
of 9. She then participated in an
eight-week class to learn the
basics and has not stopped
since.
"She works hard at it," Mrs.
Somerville added. "She practices
at home in front of a full-length
mirror for a half hour every day.
That practice comes £^er at
tending a 75-minute class four
times a week. On top of that,
Karla has learned basic Japanese
as instructions and commands are
issued in that language.
But the hard work has paid off
in ways other than the awards, ac
cording to her mother. Karla has
leamed self confidence and dis
cipline. She has made many new
fiiends. And her purple belt is just
three stages below kite's highest
recognition, the black belt She also
is homing involved in track.
Talk of Olympic Material
"Her role model is a 15-year-
old with a black belt," Mrs.
Somerville noted. "When Karla
found out (the role model) had as
many problems as she had start
ing out, learning karate became
easier."
Because of the sailing, Glenn
Somerville has yet to see his only
child in competition. Somerville,
who joined the SIU in 1967, did
add he would support her
whatever she wanted to do.
"There has been some talk that
she could be Olympic material,"
the AB noted. "We'll be with her
if that's what she wants to do."
address.
As those who already have ap
plied for the medals realize, the
processing time is lengthy. For
example, SIU retiree Steve
Stephens received his medal in
December 1991—eight months
after he applied. However, all ap
plications will be processed, and
patience is requested.
Steve Stephens pins the long-
awaited WWII medal on his lapel.
don't know this for certain, but I
think some of the planes we
transported were used to defend
the ship. It wasn't a complex
operation to assemble them."
Eventually the West
Gotomska, which was operated
by the Mississippi Shipping
Company (later Delta Lines), was
bombed free of the ice and
returned to New York by way of
Liverpool, England.
"Thank God we didn't get hit"
while the ship was loaded,
Stephens said. "With all of diat
fuel on board, we wouldn't have
had a chance. We would have
gone up like a Roman candle."
Seafarer Cassidy Makes
A 'Pitch * of a Lifetime
SIU member Patrick Cassidy
figured that the way to a basebal
fan's heart is through the
scoreboard.
So, last spring, he popped the
question in front of about 10,000
people attending a game in Jack
sonville, Fla. Before the bottom
of the sixth inning, Cassidy
directed his fianc6e-to-be' s atten
tion to the scoreboard, which
flashed the words:
' Will you
Will you
Will you
Many me?
A joyous, stunned Mary Ellen
DeForge replied with a tearful
yes." The wedding date is
November 14.
Talk of the Town
Cassidy, a chief cook who this
month celebrates his 30th
birthday, told a Seafarers LOG
reporter he never worried about
possible glitches in his electronic
proposal—^such as a rainout or a
surprise trip by Mary Ellen to the
concession stand. "I never
thought about that, and now that
you mention it, I'm glad I didn't!"
he said.
The unconventional invitation
took place April 30, at an exhibi
tion between the Seattle Mariners
and one of their minor league af
filiates, the Class AA Jackson
ville Suns. It made all of the local
sportscasts, "and to this day, I still
meet people who say they recog
nize me from TV," Cassidy said.
'I got the idea because Mary
illen is a baseball fan and she
goes to the stadium often," ex-
)lained Cassidy, who graduated
rom the Lundeberg School 11
years ago and since then has
upgraded twice. "I contacted the
owner about using the
scoreboard, and they were really
nice. Usually, they charge for an
nouncements, but they wouldn't
take any money from me.
"They told me they would put
Patrick Cassidy "popped the
question" at a baseball game. He
and Mary Ellen DeForge will
marry November 14.
up the message sometime during
the sixth inning. The [public ad
dress announcer] asked everyone
to pay attention to the scoreboard,
but I still had to nudge Maiy Ellen
and get her to looL She didn't
know a thing about it, which is
what made it so cool."
Were it not for Cassidy's
travels as a Seafarer, he probably
never would have met DeForge.
"I had been on Maersk ship, and
we had a layover in New York,"
he recalled. "This was in 1989.
Mary Ellen and I were in a (hotel)
bar, and I first saw her just before
I left.
"After I went upstairs, some
thing kept telling me to go back
down. I did, and we really hit it off."
Three years later, DeForge,
sitting behind the first-base
dugout, seemed "in a daze, but
happy" after accepting Cassidy's
proposal. "We left after the next
inning," Cassidy noted. "The
game was a blowout."
(Cassidy said he would like
to hear, from "all my old
riends." He can be reached at
904/260-6588, or write to 11247
San Jose Blvd. #922, Jackson
ville, FL 32223.)
J' j;
SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERSLOG 11
m. Indy Wait Staff Enjoy s Diverse Duties
Periiaps the most visible crewmembers for tourists
sailing on Ae SS Independence are the SIU waiters and
waitresses who work almost around the clock serving
food and drinks at the many meals and snacks prepared
by the galley.
Members of this crew seem to take whatever comes
their way in stride. Whether they are dressed in colorful
Hawaiian-style shirts, providing lemonade and iced tea
on a dew-covered deck, or in formal attire, asking pas
sengers for their dinner choice in the main dining room,
these steward department members keep a smile on their
faces as they assist passengers any way they can.
While some crewmembers openly wonder what it
would be like to sail on other merchant ships, some have
wandered and returned to the Independence or its sister
ship, the SS Constitution, to circle the Hawaiian Islands.
For the outgoing personality of Waiter Marcus Rowe,
returning to the cruise ship where he began his sailing
career in 1982 was a natural.
"I've sailed aboard LNG and (Maritime) Overseas
(Corporation) vessels," Rowe told a reporter for the
Seafarers LOG. "But I like being on here.
"I like going back and forth to the same locations and
got tired of going from one port to the next on the tankers.
But I had to see what it was like," added the port of
Philadelphia member and Lundeberg School upgrader.
Others, like newly weds Brett and Janet Ethridge,
have been sailing the "White Ships" for years. Brett
Ethridge has worked his way up to assistant head waiter
after sailing for six years. His wife, the former Janet
Bindas, has been on board for almost five years. Both
noted the fun they have had in meeting new people with
each one-week voyage.
"There is a great camaraderie among the crew on the
Indy" Brett Ethridge said. "We are like family on here.
We all take care and watch out for each other."
In fact, Brett and Janet met years ago for the first time
as crewmembers on the American Hawaii Cruises vessel.
They began dating and got married during the summer.
Thien there are the newcomers like Deck/Lounge
Steward Lisa Jones, a second generation member who is
Continued on page 19
Waitress Margaret Chen senres guesta sit^
ting at the Captain's Table.
•'••V--;'- --i-"
Taking a passenger's dinner order is Waiter Waiter Marcus Rowe stands ready to assist
Removino Trays to a slaUon fe Assistant his table with their evening meal.
1 •
Puonnnpnf Hawaii's rare chillv damodavs Assistant Waiter Bob Eisert heads for the Waiter Greg Bain has has learned the art The menu aboard ship changes daily,
fanmt wioe thTsm^ sun deck with a thirst-quenching tray of iced of balancing a tray of full soup bowls while Recrtmg the evening^s specials is Waiter
Steward Usa Jonl? "eciOLOunge su passengers the ship gently rocks. Marty Carrico in the Palms Dining Room.
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12 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTEMRER1992
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American Republic Crew Is Used
To Lots of Docking in Tight Spaces
» • S' • s • t
Whereas most deep sea ves
sels have the "luxury" of turn
around areas, wide-open sea
lanes and tugboat assistance
when docking, the SlU-crewed
American Republic gets no such
treatment when it docks at the
LTV terminal in the Cuyahoga
River south of Cleveland.
The navigable portion of the
river ends precisely at the iron ore
dock where a railroad bridge
blocks any further upriver travel.
The American Republic was built
for constant journeys up the
Cuyahoga to deliver iron ore pel
lets at various locations along the
winding river.
For deckhands like Joe
Hance and David Gapske, the
Checking to see how soon un- work of docking and undocking
loading can begin is Conveyor- is almost non-stop. "Day or night,
man Rick Springs. we have to be ready to tie up or
release the vessel," Hance told a
reporter for the Seafarers LOG.
The American Steamship
Company vessel has one of the
shortest round-trips on the Great ^
Lakes—loading in Lorain, Ohio,
saihng about 40 miles across Lake
Erie to Cleveland for unloading,
then returning to Lorain. Depend
ing on river traffic and weather
conditions, all of this takes place in
approximately 24 hours.
To tie up the 635-footer, Hance
and Gapske are lowered to the
dock in a landing chair operated by
flSS ^Dave Cameran checks a valve during bunkering operations.
tossed by able bodied seamen as
the bridge Mid engineroom crew
uses bow and stem thrusters to ease
the ship in. Within minutes of
tying upj the boom swings over
land and offloading begins.
W'''"
1#^
Hvt.
t;-
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= -T";
Deckhands Joe Hance (left) and David Gapske pull a landing line to sl;iore; Ready to pssist with lunch is Porter Yehia Kaid.
Preparing to raise the bunkering
flag is AB/Watchman Ron
Vandercook.
Docking operations are under way as Deckhand David Gapske swings with a mighty heave-ho, AB/Wheelsman Howard Applying a fresh coat of paint in the engineroom is
out on the landing chair to handle dockside operations. Herold tosses a landing line. Wiper Hamid Hizam.
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SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERSLOG 13
Breton Crew Hailed as 'Desert Diamond'
The crew, and in particular the
SIU galley gang aboard the Cape
Breton was recognized for its ex
cellent work while the Ready
Reserve Force vessel was operat
ing in the Persian Gulf theater in
1991 and 1992.
Commodore C.J. Smith, the
commander of the Military Sealift
Command Southwest Asia, praised
the crew as a "desert diamond," and
issued the steward department a
certificate of appreciation.
In announcing this special
recognition. Smith stated,
"During my tenure, I have seen
nearly 500 ship arrivals and
departures. Few ships have a last
ing impression. As with any
human enterprise, ships included,
the character of the master, of
ficers and crew reflect the impres
sion of the ship.
'High Standards'
"As I walked about your ship,
I became quickly aware of Cape
Brecon's pride and high standards
of performance. From the deck
plates to the galley, from the radio
ropm to the engineering spaces, I
observed firsthand seasoned
sailors at work."
Smith concluded by saying.
"l!l\ "W
^ Militate jf fPPntr,,^^
TO ALL W//0_ SHALL Hp; THKI-mRESENTS. GREETINGS
m
\i'to the ajriLen amfM^
™™T7- ASIA
Storm
i _,-l
C6MMA.NDER
The galley crew of the Cape Breton received this certificate for their excellent work in the Persian Gulf.
Your ship will be remembered
as one of those ships that per
formed and participated so very
well here in southwest Asia.
Thank you."
Third Cook Leonard
Ambrose told Une Seafarers LOG
that he and the rest of the crew did
nothing extraordinary to earn the
recognition. "We just performed
our duties to the best of our
abilities," the graduate of Lun-
deberg School class 398 noted.
"We were pleased and thank
ful to receive the award. We were
the only ship chosen for the
(MSC) officers to eat aboard,"
Ambrose recalled. The com
mander "enjoyed the way we
cooked our meals and was brag
ging about us."
Credit to Steward
The Cape Breton was docked at
Ad Damman, Saudi Arabia for al
most all of December 1991. The
vessel, operated by American
President Lines, had been ferrying
ammunition to and from the region.
Ambrose gave a lot of credit
for a great galley department to
Chief Steward Alton Finn. "He's
a great guy to work for," Ambrose
stated. Others serving in the
steward department included
Chief Cook Joseph Tucker and
Steward Assistants Charles
Brown and Steve Soofi.
Besides the Seafarers serving
in the steward department,
SIUNA-affiliated members from
the Sailors' Union of the Pacific
in the deck department and
Marine Firemen's Union in the
engineroom sail in unlicensed
positions aboard the RRF vessel.
QMED Praises Pless Galley Gang
Special recognition was given
to the steward department aboard
Waterman Steamship Corp.'s
SlU-crewed Maj. Stephen W.
Pless.
"I would like to take time out
to give a little recognition to a fine
SIU steward department," stated
QMED "Bud" Tuttle in a letter
to the Seafarers LOG from the
crew and officers aboard ship.
"In keeping with the tradition
of well-respected steward depart
ments," he continued, "this new
steward department deserves
some special recognition. The
members are Chief Steward Tony
Piazza, Chief Cook Pat "Santos
Patricia" McGee, Third Cook
George Carter and Steward As
sistants Gilbert E. Bonitto and
Miguel Castro."
Seafarers Scholarship Program
Accepting Applications
The Pless, built in 1982, is a
25,073 dwt RO/RO vessel. She
Chief Steward Tony Piazza (left) and Chief Cook Pat McGee get the recently docked in the port of
steaks smoking on the grill. Norfolk.
Shipmates Salute
President Grant's
Steward Dept. I
Crewmembers aboard the SIU-
contracted President Grant com
mended the efforts of the ship's
steward department.
In a recent union meeting, the
Grant crew declared, "This is the best
steward department we have ever
seen. The quality of food, food
presentation, menus, service, cleanli
ness and cooperation are first rate."
The galley gang is comprised of
Steward John Hoitschlag, Chief
Cook Laura Cates, Third Cook Car
men Johnson, Crew Messman
Mllfi-edo Rodriguez, Officer Nfessman
AJi Saeed and Officer BR Manuel
Cantre.
The American President Lines
vessel's unlicensed crew comple
ment is made up of members of the
Sailors' Union of the Pacific and the
Marine Firemen's Union as well as
the SIU.
The steward department poses on the fantail of the Maj.
Stephen W. Pless during the Fourth of July cookout. They are
(from left, front row) Steward Assistants Miguel Castro and
Gilbert E. Bonitto, (back row) Chief Cook Pat McGee, Chief
Steward Tony Piazza and Third Cook George Carter.
Seven scholarships will be
awarded in 1993—and now is
the time to start thinking about
applying for one of them.
Of the seven awards, three
are reserved for SIU members
(one in the amount of $15,000
for a four-year scholarship to a
college or university and two
$6,000 two-year scholarships
for study at a vocational school
or community college). The
other four scholarships will be
awarded to spouses and de
pendent children of Seafarers.
Each of these four is a $15,000
stipend for study at a four-year
college or university.
Send for Information
Eligibility requirements for
Seafarers and their spouses and
unmarried dependents are
spelled out in the program book
let. Pensioners are not eligible for
the scholarship awards.
The FIRST step in the ap
plication process is sending
away for the 1993 SIU Scholar
ship Program booklet which
contains eligibility information,
procedures for applying and a
copy of the application form
(see coupon below).
The SECOND step is to start
collecting the necessary paper
work that will need to be sent in
at the same time as the applica
tion form. This includes an
autobiographical statement,
photograph, certified copy of
birth certificate, high school or
college transcript, letters of ref
erence and the results of SAT or
ACT scores. This step will take
some time.
Act Now
Schools can be very slow in
handling transcript requests, so
applicants must be sure to put
their requests in to those institu
tions as soon as possible. ACT
or SAT exams, which are given
approximately six times a year,
must be taken no later than
February 1993.
The THIRD step is to com
plete the application form, col
lect all the other necessary
paperwork—and return the en
tire application package to the
Seafarers Welfare Plan ON OR
BEFORE APRIL 15,1993.
Fill out the coupon below to
get a copy of the 1993 SIU
Scholarship Program booklet
or pick one up at any SIU hall.
With the ever-increasing costs
of a college education, the ap
plicant in search of high educa
tion can't afford not to apply.
' T^lease send me the 1993 SIU Scholarship Program booklet
I V which contains eligibility information, procedures for applying
I and the application form.
I Name
Book Number
' Address
City, State, Zip Code.
j Telephone Number
This application is for:
Self
Dependent
Mail this completed fonn to Scholarship Program, Seafarers Welfare Plan,
5201 Auth Way. Camp Springs. MD 20746
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SEAFARERS LOG SEPTBRBER1992
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The aircraft carrier USS Independence comes into view out of the Persian Gulf horizon
to crewmembers on the MV Lawrence H. Glanella.
The MV Lawrence H. Gianella and her civilian crew
earned a passage in the U.S. military's book of "first times"
when a successful underway replenishment (unrep) opera
tion was completed with the aircraft carrier USS Independence
in the Persian Gulf.
The port-side-to-starboard-side fuel transfers while under
way, which took place in late July, is believed to be the first
time a civilian-operated tanker has replenished a combatant
ship of this class under operational conditions, according to a
statement issued by the U.S. Navy's chief of information.
Dan Powers, the Gianella's chief pumpman from March
to the end of July, reported to the Seafarers LOG that the T-5
tanker "seemed to never stop umepping" when on assignment
in the Persian Gulf. The Gianella conducted 31 urureps for a
variety of U.S. Navy vessels, and for ships from allied naval
forces, many of which Powers described as "repeat cus
tomers."
Credit to the Bosun and Chief Mate
The engine department Seafarer, who provided the LOG
with the photos accompanying this article, said the underway
fuel transfers proceeded smoothly and expertly, without spill
ing a drop of oU. Powers credited Bosun Pete Hulsebosch and
Chief Mate Wayne Stoltz for the "top notch" job performed
by all Gianella hands in the umep operations.
"Pete's the one who got the whole crew together and taught
us all we needed to know," Powers said. The chief pumpman
noted that Hulsebosch not only ran a flawless unrep operation,
but also ensured that all shipboard equipment was maintained
and able to perform at peak efficiency. "Pete maintained the
probes and hoses and watched over them like a hawk. When
he saw anything that needed to be repaired or maintained, he
got it done—immediately."
Meanwhile, Stoltz was on deck and was in charge of
operations there throughout the uru-ep operation. He started
the pumps and directed Powers via walkie-talkie, making
sure Powers maintained the proper amount of pressure on the
hydraulic system.
Self-Contained Station
The Ocean Shipholding 615-foot tanker, which is chartered
by the Military Sealift Command (MSC), h^ been fitted with a
modular fuel delivery system (MPDS). ITie Navy developed this
system to rapidly modify commercial tankers in emergencies,
rendering such ships capable of delivering fuel to underway
Navy vessels.
(Under normal conditions, the Navy's fleet oilers provide
this service, while the MSC-chartered tankers provide point-
to-point shipping service for petroleum products.)
MSC intends to install on five civilian-operated tankers the
modular fuel delivery system, which consists of a self-con
tained fuel station with its own diesel generator, air compres
sor, winches and other fuel station gear. Typically, says the
statement by the Navy's chief of information, two fueling
stations are installed on a tanker.
Refueling the Indy
The system worked when it came to unrepping the more
than 75,()()()-ton fully loaded USS Independence, reports Chief
Pumpman Powers. As the Porrestal class aircraft carrier became
visible through the murky haze, which seems to characterize
Persian Gulf days, the Gianella readied the ship for the upcom
ing unrep.
The crew had been told this would be the first time the
1,086-foot, 33-knot USS Independence, which carries 90
aircraft, would be fueled at sea by a non-Navy vessel. "We
wanted to do a first class job," said Powers.
The Gianella crew prepared for the underway replenish
ment operation, to be done in this case from the port side,
synchronizing their speed with that of the USS Independence.
Prom the rifle shot sending the first line to the Navy ship,
to the tensioning of the span wire and leading of the hoses
over the cable, to the pumping of the fuel and maintaining the
pressure, to signalling and fire watch standing, all Gianella
hands executed their duties capably and professionally, said
Powers.
The MPDS equipment used in the Gianella/USS Inde
pendence unrep allows for a transfer of 3,000 gallons of fuel
per hose per minute.
Prior to its six weeks in the gulf, the Gianella, which
generally is based off Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean,
sailed in Par East and Australian waters. During this period,
the 30,000-dwt tanker transferred fuel to the USNS Andrew
J. Higgins, a 40,000-ton, 677-foot oiler in MSC's Pacific
fleet.
-sr.;
SlU-Crewed Ema Elizabeth
Paved the Way for
Civilian Unrep Operations
The recent record-making underway replenishment mis
sion of the MV Lawrence H. Giannella recalls the role of
Seafarers in proving that U.S. commercial shipping and
its civilian crews are up to the job of conducting non-combat
at-sea functions in support of the military.
Early in 1972, the SlU-crewed SS Ema Elizabeth became
immortalized in military history as the vessel that proved this
point.
The underway replenishment (unrep) experiment came
about after discussions between then Chief of Naval Operations
Admiral Elmo N. Zumwalt and Assistant Secretary of Com
merce for Maritime Affairs Andrew E. Gibson.
Could Civilians Do the Job?
It was 1970 and many Navy ships were World War II
vintage. Punding for replacement ships, at a time when the
nation's defense dollars were being used for an increasingly
unpopular Vietnam conflict, would not come easily, the admird
recognized.
Within the U.S.-flag ship sector, it was felt that commercial
vessels could perform certain milit^ support services at a low
cost to the Navy. Proponents of this line of thinking had their
chance to prove the mettle of their theory in a month-long
experiment with the Ema Elizabeth, the first commercial ship
to attempt an underway replenishment, previously only done
by Navy fleet oilers, which carried a shipboard crew comple
ment of 3()0-plus sailors.
The Ema Elizabeth, a commercial tanker operated by Hud
son Waterways Company, was outfitted with two short, center-
Wlth ail lines secured, the Ema Elizabeth is the first U.S. commerciai vessei with a civilian crew to conduct unrep operations.
line kingposts, one forward and one aft to receive fuel hose rings
from Navy ships. The tanker also was equipped with an astern
fueling rig, a system developed in WWII by the British so their
mercl^t vessels could transfer petroleum products to small
warships.
29 Unreps In 24 Days
In 24 days the Ema Elizabeth, with her normal operating
crew of 41, conducted 29 fuel transfers. Another eight days was
spent with the Navy's Sixth Fleet in similar exercises.
The successful experiment helped underscore the effective
ness of using privately-owned and civilian-crewed vessels in
support of the U.S. military and added from there on in the
option to the Navy of using commercial craft for underway
replenishment operations.
Summing up the exercise. Assistant Secretary Gibson said,
in a March 24, 1972 letter to the Ema Elizabeth master, "The
project was designed to test the hypothesis that a merchant
tanker with no prior training or experience could effectively
refuel naval ships at sea. The voyage of the SS Ema Elizabeth
has clearly proven tihe validity of that hypothesis and has also
shown the skills of our merchant crews to be of the caliber
needed to do the job in a highly professional manner."
• >";< ' '" ' ' ^•^?:
9
- -"^
The port side fuel transfer proceeds.
Outfitted with a modular fuel delivery system, the G/ane//a The Gianella, si T-5 tanker operated by Ocean Shipholding, is the firist
can transfer 3,000 gallons of fuel per hose per minute. non-Navy vessel to undertake an underway fuel transfer with the indy.
-— —:—, .' )
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;"/.w •'•• •:•'
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. A-w
From left. Third Assistant Jeff Hoffman, QMED Emest Lacunza, DEU Tony Stallone
and First Assistant David Morrow, a long-time member of the Gianella's crew, are
part of a team which changed a piston inside of a day.
i-
Moving in perfect harmony with MSG oiler, the USNSAndrewJ. H/gg/ns,the G/ane//a transfers fuel while
operating in Pacific waters.
14
"J
Chief Engineer George Arsenault (above)
and Chief Engineer David Ward (not pictured)
have worked on the Gianella for years.
""'''"- v i 'j'
Onboard since April, QMED Joey E. Acedillo, pictured above, has
participated in scores of unreps.
Dan Fowers, chief pumpman, takes a quick look at the Indy before
getting back to his unrep duties.
> i
_ _
"Credit gossto the bosun and chisf mate," says QMED Fowsrs
VVhile in Diego Garcia, Captain Bill DEU Tony Stallone uses his to the Seafarers LOG. "for ihe Gianella's
It is time for deck department members to do worth (right) serves as master, and off-time to try and catch dm- Hulsebosch leads the G a
gangway watch at Diego Garcia fuel pier. James Carrig is chief mate. ner. /a deck crew to unrep stations.
"
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t
IS XAFARBISL06 SEPIBMUff 19K
Dianne Lupton—The Real Estate Sailor BYWILUAMG.WICKLAND
William G. Wickland
The following feature is a
true story about a Seafarer, by a
Seafarer.
As sailors, most of us under
stand that the seas take up three-
fifths of the surface of the earth,
and that very little of that water
is actually owned by anybody.
On the other hand, when we go
home for a vacation we see that
there are hardly any empty lots
any more, and the former wide-
open spaces are filling up with
condos and malls.
One sailor has noticed that a
little more than most of us.
Dianne Lupton is busy, and
has always been busy. Just one
indicator is that she is the mother
of two grown sets of twins. I met
Dianne when each of us were
divorced parents, her twins
being the same ages as my two
kids. We enjoyed some very
busy family outings.
We've remained friends
since, and she played a major
role in getting me out to sea as a
steward assistant. And though I
never thought I'd become a
lomeowner again, she's guiding
me into that investment.
Long before I met her,
)ianne bought her first house at
age 19, sold it for profit, and did
that six more times. In 1975 she
)assed Oregon's stiff require
ments for a real estate license,
and using her homeowner and
)usy-mom experience, did well(^l
inding homes for other
amilies.
"After a while, though, I
noticed that the contractors were
making the big money," she told
me, "so I hung up the license and
did some remodeling with a
partner." So she has demonstrated
that she knows the game.
But being both smart and
curious means that Dianne gets
into all sorts of adventures.
In 1986 the kids were well on
their way through high school,
and Grandma suggested they
move into the big house and give
Mom an extended vacation. So
Dianne went to visit her sister in
Hawaii. She decided to see what
it was like to work there. Fast-
food and maid jobs were a dime
a dozen, but Dianne asked for
something more.
"You wanna work in Tahiti?"
she was asked. 'Tahiti? What do
I have to do?" It was a waitress
job on The Liberte, but she
would need a passport. That was
Tiiesday. By Friday she had her
passport and had been drug-
tested and was gone, ". . .
before I could think twice about
it."
On that trip she learned that
American Hawaii Cruises also
operated the "White Ships" out
of Hawaii, and she learned about
the union and getting a z-card
and about Piney Point and about
moving upward in the steward
department. Which she did, and
she's now a steward.
Dianne knew that I had ac
quired a z-card in 1960 but had
never used it. As a sort of
itinerant writer/cabbie/espres-
Dlanne Lupton
LOG-A-RHYTHM
On This Ship at Sea
by David M. Davenport
David M. Davenport has been sailing with the SIU for three years
irom the port of Jacksonville. He currently works aboard the Julius
1 'Jammer.
Here I am on this ship at sea
Wondering what the hell is wrong with me.
A beautiful woman back at home
And I go and leave her all alone.
The waves are saying, "Go back! Go back!
Why do you leave a woman like that?
Can't you see she loves you true?
When you're gone her heart is blue."
Here I am on this ship at sea
Wondering what the hell is wrong with me.
I dream at night of holding her close.
Her touch, her warmth, they mean the most.
During my watch a whale passes by.
And yells up to me, "Why, oh, why?
Are you out here alone, far from her arms.
Her dancing, her beauty and her charms?"
But still I am here on this ship at .lea.
Still wondering what the hell is wrong with me.
so-jerk, I had the card as an ace-
in-the-hole, with a junior assis
tant purser endorsement, but
pursers had all but disappeared.
But in her take-charge way, just
as a friend, she actually cdled
me from Tahiti in '86 and urged
me to get to the Coast Guard and
get updated. I did that much.
She would call or visit when
in town, so I followed her rise to
steward in amazement, but not
surprise. She bugged me to get
out to sea, but I was learning
computers in a little publishing
company in the late '80s, and
kept putting it off. Then in '901
got fed up and left the firm. A
few weeks later I had not a clue
as to what to do next, and made
a wish: "I wish Dianne would
get back and take me by the hand
and get me out to sea."
Three days later she called.
"Bill, this Persian Gulf thing is
heating up and this is your best
shot at getting out."
"Okay. I want to do it."
"You do? Okay! Do this and
do that..."
On my 51st birthday I was
told I was on my way to Saudi
Arabia. Now I'm a steward as
sistant on the MA?Advantage for
Red River Carriers, having the
adventure of my life, and ahnost
out of debt.
And Dianne has renewed her
real estate license, which is how
she earned the nickname "Real
Estate Sailor."
So we were both in town this
sununer, and recently went to a
jazz concert in a quiet part of
town not yet caught up in the
skyrocketing real estate boom.
We were, by mistake, a week
early for the concert, so we
drove, around a bit, talking about
how this part is going to boom in
the next five years. I saw a little
place that looked as if I could
afford it if it were for sale, and if
I were out of debt. Lo and be
hold! Dianne found out all about
it in 24 hours. It is "sort of' for
sale, but wiU probably lie quiet
until after my next trip, and
would be a good investment.
"You know," Dianne says,
"real estate is a great investment
for sailors. The right buy can
earn more income than a lot of
other investments. I'm going to
concentrate on finding the right
deals for sailors."
So she hung her license with
the firm Century 21 for two
reasons: they are registered in all
of the U.S. and in foreign
countries, and they work on a
"buddy system" so that when
Dianne is out to sea, her working
partner can handle the par
ticulars of closing deals here,
and affiliates can do the same all
over the world.
She took off in early August
as relief chief cook on the Over
seas Juneau. As the run is
coastwise from Alaska to
California, she'll be able to keep
in touch with her partner and her
mail. Any sailor who would like
to know more about owning a
piece of the ground, no matter
where it is, might write her at
2318 2nd Avenue, #849, Seattle,
WA 98121.
She'll tell you, as she did me,
that you should write to your
state and federal veterans' of
fices if you are a vet, because a
little paperwork can give you an
advantage in home-buying. And
she'll tell you to write to your
bank or credit union and, with a
little more red tape, get an offi
cial "line of credit" so that you
know what you can handle and
will be ready to move when the
right investment pops up,
whether it comes from Dianne
or from your sister-in-law's
hairdresser.
"You know, there is only so
much land left for private
ownership, and the price has al
ways gone up. Of course I don't
expect to close every sailor's
purchase," Dianne says, "but I
think that as a group we might
have been overlooking land or
homes as a way of adding to our
retirement packages, and I think
the sailors ought to know."
And this sailor can tell you
that Dianne Lupton makes red
tape turn into blue ribbons. I ex
pect to be a homeowner or
landlord by next spring.
Letters to the Editor
M^al Purchase Insults
Merchant Marine Veterans
In regard to the recent issue
[June edition. Seafarers LOG ar
ticle] of new med^s for merchant
marine veterans of World War II
Korea and Vietnam, I find the fact
that they must "buy" the medals
earned during the wars to be in
suiting to their voluntary service
to their country. No other service
"buys" theirs.
From experience over the
years, it is clear that nothing in
recognition is given to our mer
chant marine veterans out o:'
thoughtfulness and gratitude. We
have had to fight for any recogni
tion and this continues now.
Some of you will care about
this and share my feelings. I also
realize that some of you will not
care at all.
I do feel that someone shoulc
make a comment.
Vernon C. Warren
New Orleans, La.
*1/ J/
The American Legion Welcomes
WWII Merchant Marine Vets
Editor's note: The following
letter was written in response to a
letter sent by Seafarer Peter
Salvo of McKeesport, Pa. to the
American Legion.
Thank you for sharing your
concern for the treatment of those
who served in the merchant
marine during World War II. I
want you to know that my heart
goes out to you and all those who
served so valiantly and well
without receiving the recognition
you earned by your courage and
sacrifice.
As your National Com
mander, I have the unique honor
of serving Legionnaires who
served in all war eras since 1919.
In my travels around this country
and abroad, I come in contact
with a large number of those
members. When discussing the
merchant marine with them, I am
surprised at how little real
knowledge some of these war
time veterans have regarding the
contributions made and hardships
endured by merchant seamen in
World War II.
It has always been my per
sonal conviction that these con
tributions were the equal of our
comrades who served in the other
)ranches of the Armed Forces.
Over the years, the American
Legion has tried to bring this
same point home to our members
and the general public through the
}lacement of articles and stories
in pur magazine.
In 1988, the United States
government issued a decision
stating that "the service of the
jroup known as the American
Merchant Marine in ocean going
service during the period of
armed conflict, December 7,
1941 to August 15,1945 shall be
considered active duty for the
purposes of all laws administered
by the Veterans Administration."
The American Legion supported
that decision and has welcomed
these long overlooked veterans
into our ranks ever since.
We have a special letter for
membership inquiries from mer
chant seamen containing instruc
tion on how to obtain the proper
certification forms and verify
their veteran status. As we receive
more information such as you
have provided, we will continue
to assist in presenting documenta
tion refuting the type of "lies" to
which you refer
I appreciate you taking the
time to express your feelings on
this important topic with me.
Your membership in the Legion
is important to all our efforts oh
behalf of America's veterans. I
trust my reply proves to be an
appropriate response to your con
cern.
Dominic D. DiFrancesco
National Commander
The American Legion
Veterans Status Needed
For AIJ WWII Seafaring Vets
The following letter, urging
continued support of veteran
status for WWII merchant
mariners, was written to Bill
Eglinton, director of vocational
education at the Harry Lun-
deberg School of Seamanship,
who sent it to the Seafarers LOG.
First, let me thank you and
your staff for the support afforded
me during my recent schooling at
the Lundeberg School. In my
opinion, you and your faculty are
a credit to our organization.
I'm sure that you will recall
that I am very interested in the bill
which is again coming before
Congress this summer concern
ing WWn veterans status.
I am not considered a WWII
veteran even though I was in
training at Sheepshead Bay in
Brooklyn, N.Y. before WWII
ended, because I had not been
assigned to a vessel before the
war with Japan ended....
Any assistance or support you
can give in helping to get the
proper legislation through Con
gress this year will be greatly ap-
jreciated by me. The way
Congress has ruled thus far does
not seem to me to be fair to myself
and a few others who find them
selves in this same situation.
lobeit Lee McDonald
West Lake, La.
Editor's note: SIU members
are urged to write their congres
sional representativies asking
them for their continued support
in extending benefits to all mer
chant marine veterans of WWII.
•'ii'-
• •l-'M
WTBHBER1992
Dispatchers' Report for Deep Sea
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1992
•TOTAL REGISTERED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
TOTAL SHIPPED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Trip
Reliefs
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houstoh
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houston
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houston
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houston
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
27
1
5
8
10
24
28
24
24
30
10
7
34
1
2
0
235
15
1
3
5
.2.
9
0
20
:S
7
5
3
3
0
0
0
78
20 15 30 9
9 7 1 3
13 :• r'- 2 10
15 8 7
16 8 8 9
21 10 11 14
18 17 24
20 8 18 16
27 . 5 ••• 17
27 9 24 18
5 1 6 2
10 14 7 8
21 l'^ 37 'm'-iM
0 1
10 •••••;••• •:-2v::.' 0
1 2 0 2
233 124 191 166
21 ..•^.•"17i 8; 11 2
2 :.V"4!v 6 L 2
3 -'eT . 3 4-, : . 0^.
6 10 7 2 5 4
11 17 6 13 10 1
16 16 9 15 14 0
10 ^ • 14 " 5 ̂ \ry 3
14 17 3 12 9 2
9 • 11 A;-"no:; 6 7 , 3
19 13 7 12 8 3
7 2 0 3 2 0
4 13 15 4 8 10
18 22 nmt'- 10 ^ 5 6
1 2 1 0 0
'5 8 3 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 • 0^
146 173 85 106 101 36 146
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
17 12 13 8 4
3 2 2 2 2 0
6 4 5 0 0
4 6 7 6 0
4 6 2 4 1 2
7 5 4 11 3 1 •
12 8 0 13 :::• :5- 0
.50 10 5 24 , 7 , 1
10 .4 . 2 •;'r-11 >2 ' •• 0
29 7 4 19 3 0
2 1 3 1 1 0
10 22 21 5 17 20
11 5 : 2' 9 3 0
0 0 0 0 1
3 14 -:^;4,. ' :'::.'5:-' ̂ 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
168 106 62 124 57 35
5 39 25 15
0 2 5 8
2 5 14 7
2 14 17 7
0 13 17 8
4 29 20 18
2 18::':1 18 mil
2 25 33
2 : 14 23 14
3 25 15 17
1 9 0 0
3 7 15 9
i • 3^: 25 30 9
0 1 :,;n2' 2
1 ;:;r' •:-n9 ••••.: 7
0 2 0
30 233 265 147
3V
8 28 • 2t 5
2 . ,3 1 ' • 3
•' • -, 'M",: A A . A
6
5
2
37
0
0
'mm
4
7
13
16
18
86
15
40
2
16
m.
fi
2 m
0
99
0
274
4
9
13
14
12
23
9
10
1
27
'M-
0
178
0
6
2
6
0
5
i6::
4
3
19
'1\3-
0
v9-
0
71
ENTRY DEPARTMENT
33
0
8
10
17
24
16
36
11
17
4
53
25
3
30
2
289
39
2
1
10
9
13
24
^•::;v.5-
8
2
128
7
1
^ 1
0
256
10 16 0 ^84n 97
0 0 0 0 3 2 7
§-3; 0 0 5 17 2
4 5 6 0 6 24 28
2 7 0 0 3 32 17
2 8 3 0 14 44 35
•MW: 2 0 : 1 35 15
12 . 6 4 0 56 72 55
7 3 0 ^•::9 23 16
7 10 4 0 13 23 19
2 3 3 0 10 6 4
3 46 115 0 3 49 145
W:5 : 21 0 5 38 15
- 1 0 0 6 0
0 23 0 .0 /v: 0 33 8
0 2 0 0 0 4 0
52 171 148 0 151 492 463
922 Totals All J J 275
•^^TotTRegistered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
** "Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at Ae Po^ at the end of last morUh.
A total of 1,425 jobs were shipped on SlU-contracted deep sea vessels. Of the M25 jobs shipped, 473 jobs
or about 33 percent were taken by "A" seniority members. The rest were filled by B and C seniority
people. From July 16 to August 15,1992, a total of 179 trip relief jobs were shipped. Since the trip relief
program began on April 1,1982, a total of 17,163 jobs have been shipped.
SEAFARERS LOG 17
October & November
Membership Meetings
Deep Sea, Lakes, Inland Waters
Piney Point
Monday: October 5, November 2
New York
Tuesday: October 6, November 3
Philadelphia
Wednesday: October 7, November 4
Baltimore
Thursday: October 8, November 5
Norfolk
Thursday: October 8, November 5
Jacksonville
Thursday: October 8, November 5
Algonac
Friday: October 9, November 6
Houston
Monday: October 12, November 9
New Orleans
Tuesday: October 13, November 10,
Mobile
Wednesday: October 14; Thursday, November 12
San Francisco
Thursday: October 15, November 12
Wilmington
Monday: October 19, November 16
Seattle
Friday: October 23, November 20
San Juan
Thursday: October 8, November 5
St. Louis
Friday: October 16, November 13
Honolulu
Friday: October 16, November 13
Duluth
Wednesday: October 14; Thursday, November 12
Jersey City
Wednesday: October 21, November 18
New Bedford
Tuesday: October 20, November 17
Each port's masting starts at 10:30 a.m.
Personals
JOSEPH BODIE
Please contact your sister, Senobia Nelson at 675
East 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059.
GARY DAHL
Please contact your father at (301) 423-3612, or
write to him at 5909 Delta Lane, Suitland, MD
20746. '
FRANKA.JOHANSON
Please contact Robert Fish at 6000 Ivydene Ter
race, Baltimore, MD 21209.
" V •• ;:C
Four Earn Lundeberg Dipiomas
Four more Seafarers have added their names to the
roll of members who have received their General
Equivalency Diplomas (GED) while studying at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship.
With Instructor Sheila Schug (center) are (left to right)
Mark D. Johnson, Lewis Danwin, Peter Hausmann
and Joe Bernieri. Nearly 2,000 Seafarers have ob
tained their high school equivalency diplomas
through the school's GED program.
m
ms
18 SEAFARE8SL0G SEPmUBER 1992
S':.^ ,-. - •• • ,
Seafarers fnternatfonal
Union Directory
Michael Sacco
President
John Fay
Secretary-Treasurer
Joseph Sacco
Executive vice President
Augustln Tellez
Vice President Collective Bargaining
George McCartney
Vice President West Ctoi >ast
Roy A. ̂ TBuck" Mercer
Vice President Government Services
JackCaffey
Vice President Atlantic Coast
Byron Kelley
Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters
Dean Coraey
Vice President Gulf Coast
U'
I'
HEADQUARTERS
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
(301) 899-0675 '
ALGONAC
520 St. Clair River Dr.
Algonac, MI 48001
(313) 794-4988
BALTIMORE
1216 E. Baltimore St
Baltimore. MD 21202
(410) 327-4900
DULUTH
705 Medical Arts Building
Dulufli,MN 55802
(218)722-4110
HONOLULU
606KaUhiSt.
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 845-5222
HOUSTON
1221 Pierce St.
Houston, TX 77002
(713)659-5152
JACKSONVILLE
3315 UbertySt.
Jacksonville, FL 32206
(904)353-0987
JERSEY CITY
St
Je 7302
MOBILE
1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy.
Mobile, AL 36605
(205)478-0916
NEW BEDFORD
48 Union St.
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508)997-5404
NEW ORLEANS
630 Jackson Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 529-7546
NEW YORK
675 Fourth Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11232
(718) 499-6600
NORFOLK
115 Third St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
(804)622-1892
PHILADELPHIA
oftna <! a
Philadelphia,"PA 19148
(215) 336-3818
PINEY POINT
P.O. Box 75
Piney Point, MD 20674
(301)994-0010
SAN FRANCISCO
350 Fremont St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415)543-5855
Government Services Division
(415)861-3400
SANTURCE
1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave.
Stop l6Vi
Santurce,PR 00907
(809)721-4033
SEATTLE
2505 First Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121
(206)441-1960
ST. LOUIS
4581 Gravois Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63116
(314)752-6500
WILMINGTON
510 N. Broad Ave.
Wilmington, CA 90744
(310)549-4000
Dispatchers' Report for Great Lakes
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1992
CL—Company/Lakes L—^Lakes NP—^Non Priority
•TOTAL REGISTERED TOTAL SHIPPED ••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups All Groups All Groups
Class CL OassL Class NP Class CL Class L Class NP QassCL Class L QassNP
DECK DEPARTMENT
0 49 6
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 25 t ' .
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
0
0
15
5
0 15
ENTRY DEPARTMENT Port
Algonac 0 0 0 . 18
Totals All Departments 0 65 23 0 89 12 0 41 25
* 'Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
Dispatchers' Report for Inland Waters
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1992
•TOTAL REGISTERED TOTAL SHIPPED
Region
Atlantic G
Gulf Coast
All Groups
Class A Class B OassC
All Groups
Class A Class B Oass C
DECK DEPARTMENT
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups
Class A Class B QassC
West Coast
Totals
Region
Atlantic
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
Totals
0 0
6 1 3
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 0 0 0 1 0 0
0
10
0
0
0
2
0
3
0
0
0
1
0
39
Region STEWARD DEPARTMENT
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
Totals
. 0
0 0
4 4
0 4
0 0
0 4
Totals All Departments 41 0 24 12 1 4 160 13
* 'Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
** "Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at the port at the end of last month.
46
CALLING ALL TUGBOAT
ENTHUSIASTS
VETERANS DAY EVENTS
AT THE SOUTH STREET
SEAPORT MUSEUM, N.Y.
New York Seamen Remember
World War H—Wednesday, Novem
ber 11,3-6p.nu in the Seamen's Church
Institute Auditorium, 241 Water Street.
Veteran seamen from New York City
offer first hand accounts of their WWII
experiences. Free.
New York Port in World War H—
Sunday, November 8. Museum
programs pay tribute to the merchant
seamen who risked their lives in WWII.
Period films, tours, demonstrations.
Events free with museum admission.
SURVIVORS OF THE
SS. ROGER B.TANEY
New York Harbor Cruise: Ship
ping Out in World War H—Sunday,
November 8, 11 a.m.-/ p.m. In this
Seaport Lines excursion, explore sites
where seamen prepared for their pivotal
role in the War. $12, $10 for seniors, $6
for children. Purchase tickets at booth.
Any survivors of the S.S. Roger B.
Taney, a Liberty Ship operated by
Waterman Steamship Co. that was sunk
on Sunday, February 7, 1943 in the
South Atlantic Ocean, are asked to con
tact James L. Tucker.
Tucker was Ae bosun aboard ship.
He notes that two lifeboats got away,
and he is particularly interest^ in hear
ing from anyone on the No. 2 boat with
him. "We were picked up 42 days later
off the Coast of Brazil and were put in
the hospital the next day in Santos,
Brazil."
Tucker is hoping to hear from sur
vivors in order to plan a 50 year reunion
next February or March.
Survivors may write to James L.
Tucker at P.O. Box 374, Kenansville,
N.C. 28349, or may call him at (919)
293-7955.
A group dedicated to the preserva
tion of the American tugboat industry
invites interested individuals to join. Or
ganized in 1990, the Tugboat En
thusiasts Society of America (TES)
chronicles the industry—^both its history
and its current status.
The organization publishes a quarter
ly newsletter entitled Tug Bitts, which
covers tug-building news, anecdotes of
tug history, book reviews, tug model
building tips, photographs and other ar
ticles related to tugboats and their crews.
The group's chairman, Joseph P. De-
Muccio, the son of a tugboatman, urges
interested parties to contact him at: TES,
308 Quince Street, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
29464. Membership dues are $25.00 an
nually.
PI
CORRESPONDENCE WITH
1968 PINEY POINT GRADS
Gordon Anderson graduated from
Piney Point on February 14, 1968. He
would like to correspond with members
of his class or anyone else who attended
Piney Point around that time.
Interested grads may write to him at
2732 Valencia, San Bemardino. CA
92406.
m.-:
E4 •
SOFARBRSIOG 19
Indy Wait Staff on the Go
With Safety and Service Duties
Continued from page 11
beginning her maritime career on the Inde
pendence. The daughter of Steward Lon-
nie Jones stated she plans to build up her
seatime on the cruise ship so she will he
able to upgrade at the Lundeherg School
and move up through the steward depart
ment.
Besides all the time and effort members
use in dealing with passengers, working in
the galley and handling food, they also are
involved in safety drills aboard the ship.
Waiters and waitresses can be found at the
various lifeboat stations with their assign
ments ranging from lowering the lifeboats
to checking the roll to account for all pas
sengers in their station.
Whether they move up the galley ladder
on the passenger ships or transfer their craft
to tankers and container ships in the SIU-
contracted fleet, the skills acquired on the
Independence become invaluable as they
continue their maritime careers.
Deck/Lounge Steward Kimberly Cazaropoul
works to release a block during lifeboat drills.
Deck/Lounge Steward Oebra White offers a
drink to a passenger.
The lounge crew of (left to right) Bartender Robert Edward Brock, Deck/Lounge Stewards
Helping during the weekly lifeboat drill is Debra Gardiner, Julie Konas, Kathleen Hodgens, Cheryl Rhodes and Robert Barron and Giving the Hawaiian good luck sign is As-
Waiter Steve Han. Bartender Mickie Frederick pose before a shift. sistant Waiter Henry Commager.
Janet and Brett Ethridge offer a variety of desserts to hungry passengers on sundeck. The dining room crew welcomes passengers aboard with a group singing of "Aloha."
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20 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTEMBER 1992
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The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as i , .
Oil occasion, lyecause of space limitations, some will Im omitted.
Ships minutes first are reviewed by the union's contract department Those issues requiring attention
or resolution are addressixl by the union upon receipt of the ships minutes. The minutes are then
forwarded to the Seafarers LOG.
INGER(Sea\m, Inc.), May 31 —
Chairman Theodore Bush,
Secretary Vincent Sanchez Jr.,
Deck Delegate Kenneth Moore,
Engine Delegate W. Marino,
Steward Delegate John Foster.
Chairman announced payoff. He
praised crew for good trip. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked galley gang for job
well done. Crew advised fellow
SIU seamen to bring U.S. bills
when going to Albania, as
seamen's club there only accepts
American money. Next port: Hous
ton.
ULTRASEA (American Maritime
Transport), May 7 — Chairman
Daniel Laitinen Jr., Deck
Delegate David Garoutte. Chair
man thanked everyone and
reported all going well. Education
al director encouraged members to
upgrade at Lundeberg School. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked steward department.
1STLT. ALEXBONNYMAN
(Maersk Lines), June 26 —^ Chair
man Thomas Anderson, Deck
Delegate J. Thompson, Engine
Delegate Larry Cochrane,
Steward Delegate M. James. Chair
man reported things running
reasonably well. Educational direc
tor advised members to utilize Lun
deberg School to become
better-qualified and more in-
demand merchant mariners. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Steward delegate asked contracts
department for clarification about
random drug testing. Next port:
Jacksonville, Fla.
GREEN ISLAND (Waterman
Steamship), June 28 — Chairman
Marvin Zimhro, Secretary J.
Gleaton, Educational Director W.
Jones. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Next port: Newport
News, Va.
NEDLLOYD HUDSON (Sea-
Land Service), Jime 21 — Chair
man C. James, Secretary Ed
Payoff for Discovery
Bosun Nelson Sale was on
board for the Sea-Land
Discovery's payoff in
Elizabeth, N.J. recently.
Haher, Deck Delegate Edward
RIckard, Engine Delegate Dennis
Davidson. Deck delegate reported
disputed OT. No beefs or disputed
OT reported by engine or steward
delegates. Fans are needed for each
room. Crew was reminded to make
sure gangway lines are kept tight.
Next port: Boston.
LIBERTY SPIRIT (Liberty
Maritime), June 28 — Chairman
J.R. Wilson, Secretary R. Caval-
canti. Educational Director J.
Polito, Deck Delegate S. Jackson,
Engine Delegate Gary Toomer,
Steward Delegate Miguel Angel
Aguilar. Chairman discussed im
portance of federal elections.
Educational director urged mem
bers to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs 6r disputed OT
reported. Chairman reminded mem
bers to rewind videotapes.
1STLT. JACKLUMMUS
(Amsea), June 29 — Chairman S.
Solomon, Secretary L. Oram,
Steward Delegate E. Ellis. Crew
has not been notified of exact
figures for July 1 pay increase.
Educational director urged mem
bers to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew not receiving
Seafarers LOG. Next port: Guam.
MAYAGUEZ(Pnerto Rico
Marine), June 9 — Chairman A1
Caulder, Secretary J. Platts. Chair
man recommended ship be check
ed for asbestos. Engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
steward delegates. Crew asked con
tracts department to seek change
under wldch, permanent jobs
would not be lost due to medical
emergency. Crew thanked galley
gang members Steward A. Pena,
Chief Cook F. Maldiano and SA
B. Harris for job weU done. Next
port: Elizabeth, N.J.
GOLDEN MONARCH
(Westchester Marine), June 21 —
Chairman Pete Loik, Secretary
Jerome Jordan, Educational
Director Hanable Smith, Deck
Delegate Wilfredo Velez, Engine
Delegate Julio Reyes, Steward
Delegate Diego Hatch. Chairman
thanked crew for smooth trip. He
announced payoff. Educational
director noted importance of
upgrading at Lundeberg School.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked steward department
for job well done.
SEA-LAND CONSUMER (Sea-
Land Service), June 27 — Chair
man C. Heick, Secretary A.
Delaney, Education^ Director R.
Howard, Engine Delegate C. Ear-
hart, Steward Delegate F. Maliga.
Chairman noted crew has disputed
OT and needs clarifications regard
ing holiday pay. Other disputed OT
reported by steward delegate. Crew
asked contracts department to look
into abolition of permanent jobs.
Next port: Long Beach, Calif.
DSNS PREVAIL (USMMl), June
1 — Chairman Carl Kriensky,
Secretary Dean Steinmetz, Educa
tional Director Mike Everhart,
Deck Delegate Steve Voss,
Steward Delegate Patrick
Johnson. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
DSNS SILAS BENT (Mar Ship
Operators), June 7 — Chairman R.
Vazquez, Secretary C. Tourere,
Deck Delegate P. Puree, Engine
Delegate William Sylvester. Chair
man noted safety awards were
given by company for months of
March, April and May. He thanked
galley gang for recent barbecues.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
delegate. Next port: Newport
News, Va.
ILEDE FRANCE (Sea-Land Ser
vice), July 19 — Secretary Robert
Hess. Chairman discussed upgrad
ing opportunities available at Lun
deberg School. Secretary reminded
members to vote. He noted impor
tance of SPAD. Educational direc
tor discussed safety procedures. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked galley gang.
Steward delegate thanked crew for
keeping lounge and messhalls
clean.
ITB NEW YORK (Sheridan
Transportation), July 20 — Chair
man Sonny Pinkham, Secretary F.
Cordero, Deck Delegate M.
Perry, Engine Delegate Louis
Secretary Steven Wagner, Educa
tional Director Alberto Aguiar,
Deck Delegate Rodney Pence, En
gine Delegate Richard Rodgers,
Steward Delegate Julio Guity.
Chairman noted raise went into ef
fect July 1. He reminded crew to
separate plastics. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew asked
contracts department to seek grace
period for permanent men who are
going on 60-day relief. Crew gave
vote of thanks to galley gang. Next
port: New Orleans.
OMI WILLAMETTE (OMl
Corp.), July 26 — Chairman M.
McDuffie, Secretary Robert Scott
Chairman announced payoff. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew was reminded not to smoke
in messhall during meal hours.
Looking to Shore
Chief Electrician Charles Gallagher awaits the docking of the Nuevo San Juan when that ship called
on Port Elizabeth, N.J.
Crew was reminded to be cautious
of different traffic laws and pat
terns in Japan. Crew requested new
ice machine.
2ND LT. J.P. BOBO(Amsea),
July 2 — Chairman Thomas
Parisi, Secretary Hans Schmuck,
Educational Director Charles Mc-
Kenna, Deck Delegate Alonso Ar
mada, Engine Delegate Michael
Langehach, Steward Delegate
Dorray Saheron. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew extended
special thanks to steward depart
ment for outstanding job with last
cookout (which included 200
pounds of lobster).
SGT. W.R. BUnON(Amsea),
July 5 — Chairman L.D. Yockey,
Secretary K. White, Educational
Director M. Blackburn, Deck
Delegate S. Berschger, Engine
Delegate T. Christensen, Steward
Delegate K. Johnson. Educational
Director stressed importance of
upgrading at Lundeberg School
and encouraged members to send
articles and photos to the LOG. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
gang. Next port: San Diego.
FRANCES HAMMER (Ocean
Chemical Carriers), July 19 —
Chairman Richard Wilson,
Secretary J. Price, Educational W.
Dooling, Deck Delegate Kevin
Hare, Engine Delegate George
Demetropoulos, Steward Delegate
Toyo Gonzales. Company has
agreed to supply refrigerators in
each seamen's room and to replace
couch in crew lounge. Secretary ad
vised members interested in further
ing their education to apply for
Seafarers scholarship. Vocational
director urged members to upgrade
at Lundeberg School. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew asked
contracts department to look into
reducing time required to maintain
permanent jobs. All departments
were thanked for working well
together. Ship is carrying phos
phoric acid to Madras, India.
SAM HOUSTON (Waterman
Steamship), July 26 — Chairman
Eugene Granhiham, Secretary C.
Rooks. Deck and engine delegates
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by steward
Malave, Steward Delegate D.
Rodriguez. Crew thanked galley
gang for good job.
LIBERTY STAR (Liberty
Maritime), July 26 — Chairman
Tim Koehel, Secretary V. Wallen,
Educational Director W. Howard.
Engine delegate reported disputed
OT. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by deck or steward
delegates. Crew laundry needs
second washing machine. Crew
thanked steward department. .
LNG LIBRA (ETC), July 5 —
Chairman J.B. Rhodes, Secretary
W. Justi, Educational Director
Bruce Zenon, Deck Delegate S.
Ibrahim, Engine Delegate Tim
Van Pelt, Steward Delegate
Lawrence Conklin. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew
thanked steward department for
good job.
LNG TAURUS (ETC), July 12 —
Chairman Ulus Veach, Secretary
Doyle Cornelius, Educational
Director Raymond Culpepper,
Deck Delegate Joseph Morrison,
Engine Delegate Vincent
Larimer, Steward Delegate Ud-
jang Nurdjaja. Chairman intro
duced captain, who welcomed all
crewmembers and commended
them for safety record. Educational
director advised members to
upgrade at Lundeberg School. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew noted non-skid pads on lad
der need to be replaced.
1STLT. JACKLUMMUS
(Amsea), July 12 — Chairman S.
Viomon, Secretary L. Oram,
Educational Director R. Tannis,
Deck Delegate Kevin Devine, En
gine Delegate S. Andereon,
Steward Delegate E. Loret.
Treasurer reported $394.40 in
ship's fund. Deck delegate asked
contracts department for clarifica
tion on payment policy. No beefs
or disputed OT reported. Next port:
Guam.
Crew discussed importance of
upgrading at Lundeberg School.
OVERSEAS ALASKA
(Maritime Overseas), July 28 —
Chairman Carlos Spina, Secretary
F. Nieves, Engine Delegate James
Brown, Steward Delegate V. Car
denas. Chairman reported beefs in
deck department. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported by engine or
steward delegates.
OVERSEAS VALDEZ(Maritime
Overseas), July 19 — Chairman
Frank Cottongin, Secretary G.
Quinn, Educational Director E.
Macom, Deck Delegate A.
Machado, Engine Delegate Ar
chie Bligen, Steward Delegate A.
Fachini. Secretary urged members
to donate to SPAD. Deck delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by engine or
steward delegates. Crew thanked
steward department for fine meals
and menus.
OVERSEAS VIVIAN (Maritime
Overseas), July 12 — Chairman
Jerome Williams, Secretary
Royce Bozeman, Engine Delegate
Mark Stewart, Steward Delegate
Alex Jaradia. Locks to crew
quarters need replacements. Chair
man reminded crew to separate
plastics. Secretary reported
shortage of stores. Engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
steward delegates. Crew discussed
importance of upgrading at Lun
deberg School and donating to
SPAD. Crew thanked galley gang
for good food.
SEA-LAND QUALITY (Sea-
Land Service), July 12 — Chair-
MOKU PAHU (Pacific Gulf
Marine), July 18 — Chairman D.
Ticer Jr., Secretary J. Pratt,
Educational Director M. Peck. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew noted mail service is slow.
OMI DYNACHEM(OMl Coip),
July S — Chairman Larry Kunc,
man Jerry Bass, Secretary J.
Rivera, Educational Director Ken
neth Linah, Steward Delegate F.
Monsihais. Chairman announced
payoff and said this was his best
trip to northern Europe. Secretary
and educational director urged
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Next port: Boston.
SCAN (Amsea), July 25 — Chair
man Al Kirksey, Secretary S. Red
ding, Steward Delegate James
Jordan. Chairman announced
payoff. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
Continued on page 22
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SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERS LOG 21
The Seafarers Pension Plan
this month announces the
retirements of twenty-seven
members.
Sixteen of those signing off
sailed in the deep sea division,
while nine sailed in the inland
division. One sailed on the
Great Lakes and one sailed in
the Atlantic Fishermen division.
Of the retiring Seafarers, 19
served in a branch of the U.S.
armed forces. Some of the SIU
members served during WWII.
Others enlisted in the period up
to and through the Korean con
flict in the early '50s.
Additionally, in this month's
group of pensioners are two
recertified bosuns and three
recertified stewards. Brief
biographical sketches of these
SIU members and the other
new pensioners follow.
DEEP SEA
PAUL
ADAMS
JR., 65,
joined the
SIU in 1956
in the port of
Savannah,
Ga. The
Georgia native sailed in the
deck department He also served
in the U.S. Coast Guard. Brother
Adams has retired to Savannah.
CLAUDE
BANKSTON
JR., 65,
joined the
Seafarers in
1950 in the
port of New
Orleans.
Bom in Bogalusa, La., he com
pleted the bosun recertification
course at the Lundebeig School in
1975. Brother Bankston served in
the U.S. Navy fiom 1944 to 1946.
He resides in Metairie, La.
WILLIE
BRAGGS,
64,
graduated
from the
Andrew
Furuseth
Training
School in Mobile, Ala. in 1959.
He was bom in Alabama and in
1982 completed the steward
recertification course at the
Lundeberg School. Brother
Braggs lives in Fairhope, Ala.
ALVIN
DYER, 65,
joined the
Seafarers in
1945 in the
port of New
York. Bom
in Maine, he
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Dyer served in the U.S.
Air Force from 1946 to 1953.
He lives in Gouldsboro, Maine.
JOSEPH DELISE, 68, joined
the SIU in 1952 in his native
New York. He completed the
steward recertification course
at the Lundeberg School in
1980. Brother Delise served in
the U.S. Army from 1943 to
1946. He has retired to Far-
mingdale, N.Y.
To Our New Pensioners
... Thanks for a Job Well Done
Each month in the Seafarers LOG, the names of SIU members who recently have become
pensioners appear with a brief biographical sketch. These men and women have served the
maritime industry well, and the SIU and all their union brothers and sisters wish them
happiness and health in the days ahead.
BOBBY
ESPANOL,
68,joined
the union in
1970 in the
port of San
Francisco.
He was bom
in the Philippine Islands and
sailed in the steward depart
ment. Brother Espanol served
in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to
1968. He resides in Moreno
Valley, Calif.
EDDIE
FISHER,
61, joined the
SIU in 1965
in his native
New Orleans.
He sailed in
the steward
department. Brother Fisher
served in the U.S. Army from
1952 to 1954. He continues to
call New Orleans home.
EDWARD GLAZDER, 65,
joined the Seafarers in 1952 in
the port of New York. Bom in
Newark, N.J., he sailed in the
steward department. Brother
Glazder served in the U.S.
Navy from 1946 to 1947. He
still lives in Newark.
PAUL
GONCAL-
VES,65,
joined the
SIU in 1955
in the port
of Wil
mington,
Calif. A native of Philadelphia,
he sailed in the engine depart
ment. Brother Goncalves has
retired to Seattle.
SERGIO
MORALES,
66, joined
the
Seafarers in
1979 in the
jort of New
York. He
was bom in Puerto Rico and
sailed in the steward depart
ment. Brother Morales
upgraded at the Lundeberg
School in 1982. He resides in
*4aranjitos, P.R.
CAR-
MELO
MURPHY,
65, joined
the union in
1946 in the
port of Hous
ton. Bom in
Puerto Rico, he sailed in the
steward department. Brother
Vlurphy has retired to Houston.
PAUL ONUFNER, 74, joined
the SIU in 1963 in the port of
^lew York. He was bom in
Whiting, Ind. and sailed in the
deck department. Brother Onuf-
ner upgraded frequently at the
Lundeberg School. He lives in
Northfield, Ohio.
PAUL PAR
SONS, 63,
joined the
Seafarers in
1963 in the
port of Jack
sonville,
Fla. A na
tive of Wilkes County, N.C., he
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Parsons served in the
U.S. Navy from 1946 until
1948. He resides in Lenoir, N.C.
JABEZ
PEGG, 63,
joined the
SIU in 1962
in the port
of Bal
timore. Bom
in Graham,
^.C., he sailed in the deck
department. Brother Pegg
served in the U.S. Army from
1947 to 1953. He has retired to
Fairfield, Calif.
WILLIAM
RAWLUK,
63, joined
the
Seafarers in
1962 in the
port of New
York.
Brother Rawluk was bom in
Canada in the city of Calgary,
Alberta and sailed in the deck
department. Brother Rawluk
resides in Seattle.
LEROY
TEMPLE,
65,joined
the SIU in
1962 in the
port of
Detroit. A
native of
Sandusky,
Ohio, he sailed on the Great
Lakes before transferring to the
union's deep sea division.
Brother Temple completed the
bosun recertification course at
the Lundeberg School in 1982.
He served in the U.S. Army
from 1952 to 1954. Brother
Temple lives in Stockton, Calif.
INLAND
FRANK
GIBSON,
71,joined
the union in
1965 in his
native New
Orleans. He
sailed in the
deck department. Boatman Gib
son served in the U.S. Army
Tom 1941 until 19^. He has
retired to Waveland, Miss.
CLYDE
GRAVES,
63, joined
the union in
1983 in the
port of
Mobile, Ala.
Born in
Prentiss, Miss., he sailed in the
engine department. Boatman
Graves lives in Eight Mile, Ala.
NEWTON
HAHL,67,
joined the
union in
1963 in the
port of St.
Louis. He
was born in
Penns Grove, ^l.J. and sailed in
the engine department. Boat
man Hahl served in the U.S.
Army from 1948 to 1949. He
resides in St. Louis.
LONNIE
HOWARD,
62, joined
the union in
1982 in the
port of Jack
sonville,
Fla. The na-
WILLIAM PETERS, 62,
joined the union in 1973 in the
port of Paducah, Ky. Bom in
Mississippi, he sailed in the
deck department. Boatman
Peters served in the U.S. Aimy
from 1951 to 1953. He lives in
Caruthsville, Mo.
HENRY SOUDELIER, 63,
joined the union in 1964 in the
port of New Orleans. The
Louisiana native sailed in the
deck department. Boatman
Soudelier served in the U.S.
Army from 1950 to 1952. He
lives in Houma, La.
DAVID STILES, 62, joined
the union in 1973 in the port of
Norfolk, Va. A Virginia native,
he sailed in the deck depart
ment. Boatman Stiles served in
the U.S. Navy from 1947 to
1948. He resides in Cape Char
les, Va.
HAROLD
WHIGHT-
SILJR., 62,
joined the
union in
1966 in the
port of New
Orleans. He
live of South Carolina sailed in
the deck department. A U.S.
Army veteran. Boatman
Howard has retired to Jackson
ville.
STEPHEN
PLASH
JR., 63,
joined the
union in
1957 in the
port of Gal
veston,
Texas. He was bom in
Hitchcock, Texas and sailed in
the deck department. Boatman
Plash served in the U.S. Navy
from 1946 to 1948. He has
retired to Sante Fe, Texas.
was bom in Illinois and sailed
in the deck and engine depart
ments. Boatman Whightsil
upgraded at the Lundeberg
School in 1981. He served in
the U.S. Army from 1946 to
1951. Brother Whightsil has
retired to Chalmette, La.
GREAT LAKES
ALl ZIN-
DANI, 69,
joined the
Seafarers in
1957 in the
port of
Detroit.
Born in
Yemen, he sailed in the engine
department. Brother Zindani
has retired to Detroit.
ATLANTIC FISHERMEN
SAMUEL SCOLA, 64, joined
the union in 1966 in his native
Boston. He sailed in the deck .
department. Brother Scola
served in the U.S. Army from
1946 to 1948. He resides in
Gloucester, Mass.
Retired But Not Retired
Brother Robert Jordan may have retired several years ago after 45
years with the Seafarers, but he did not wait long to start a new
career. Jordan, pictured here with his wife Mary, is running a
canvash in Chickasaw, Ala.
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22 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER1992
Ships Digest
I Continued from page 20
SEA-LAND ACHIEVER (Sea-
Land Service), July 5 — Chairman
Frank Marchione, Secretary E.
Winfield. Educational director
urged members to upgrade at Lun-
deberg School. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported.
SEA-LAND A TLANTIC (Sea-
Land Service), July 6 — Chairman
W. Byrd, Secretary R. Seim,
Educational Director J. Ashley.
Chairman reported crew scattered
ashes of SIU retiree John Mc
Clelland. Chairman requested in
formation regarding SIU pension
plan. Department delegates each
reported disputed OT. Deck and
steward delegates also reported
other beefs. Next port: Boston.
SEA-LAND CO/V5t/M£/7 (Sea-
Land Service), July 26 — Chair
man C. Heick, Secretary A.
Delaney, Educational Director R.
Howard, Steward Delegate F.
Mallga. Deck delegate reported dis
puted OT. Steward delegate
reported beefs. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported by engine
delegate. Crew asked contracts
department to look into discontinu
ing permanent jobs. Next port: Oak
land, Calif.
SEA-LAND CRUSADER (Sea-
Land Service), July 20 — Chair
man Berherena Benaia, Secretary
N. Andrews, Education^ Director
Bermeo Oswald, Deck Delegate
Doug Hodges, Engine Delegate
Roy Jackson, Steward Delegate
Willie Grant No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Next port: San Juan,
P.R.
SEA-LAND DISCOVERY(Sea-
Land Service), July 12 — Chair
man Allan Rogers, Secretary Jose
Colls, Steward Delegate O. Rios.
Chairman announced payoff.
Secretary reported new ice
machine will be put on board in
Elizabeth, N.J. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew thanked
galley gang.
SEA-LAND ENTERPRISE (Sea-
Land Service), July 19 — Chair
man Bill Lougfh, Secretary E.
Douroudous, Educational Director
Robert Dehlbom. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Deck delegate
thanked steward department for bar
becue.
SEA-LAND EXPLORER (Sea-
Land Service), July 19 — Chair
man James Craine, Secretary
Ronald Fluker, Educational Direc
tor Sonny Acosta, Deck Delegate
John DeBos, Engine Delegate Ber
nardo Tapia, Steward Delegate
George Lee. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Next port: Long
Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), July 9 —
Chairman Francis Adams,
Secretary Nancy Heyden, Educa
tional Director Don Giacoma,
Deck Delegate Peter Bean, Engine
Delegate James Donohue,
Steward Delegate Ruben Flel.
Chairman thanked crew for smooth
trip. He reminded members to
write their senators and con
gressmen and urge support of U.S.-
flag shipping. He noted importance
of SPAD and MDL. Educational
director advised members to read
Seafarers LOG and upgrade at Lun-
deberg School. Treasurer noted
members will view videotapes
which explain how to save money
when purchasing a car and how to
obtain a mortgage. Deck delegate
reported beef. Engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by steward
delegate. Crew thanked galley
gang for making the ship an excel
lent feeder.
SEA-LAND INNOVATOR (Sea-
Land Service), July 5 — Chairman
T. Anderson, Secretary R.
Armstrong, Educational Director
Bo Francisco, Deck Delegate
George Fries. Engine delegate
reported beef. No beefs or ̂ sputed
OT reported by deck or steward
delegates. Crew noted VCR needs
repair or replacement. Crew
thanked steward department for job
well done.
SEA-LAND INTEGRITY {Sea-
Land Service), July 12 — Chair
man D. Newman, Secretary P.
Laboy, Educational Director D.
Barber, Deck Delegate T. Cud-
dihy. Engine Delegate I. Manley.
No b^fs or disputed OT reported.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
gang.
SENATOR (Crowley Caribbean
Transport), July 6 — Chairman
George Walks, Secretary Paul
Stubblefield, Educational Director
Jim Williams, Deck Delegate
Winston Dodson, Engine Delegate
Curtis Lang, Steward Delegate
Andre Keller. Secretary reminded
crew to have clean linen for re
placements. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew thanked Chief
Steward Stubblefield and his
department.
SEA-LAND SP/#?/T(Sea-Land
Service), July 19 — Chairman
Hayden GifTord, Secretary Steve
Apodaca, Educational Director
Charles Henley. Chairman ad
vised members to write their
senators and congressman and find
out their activities related to
maritime. He urged members to
upgrade at Lundeberg School. No
reefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked steward department
or job well done. Next port:
tlonolulu.
SEA-LAND TRADER {Sea-Land
Service), July 15 — Chairman M.
Willis, Secretary G.R. Shirley,
Educational Director M. Sabin.
Chairman announced payoff.
Secretary urged memters to donate
to SPAD. Educational director ad
vised members to upgrade at Lun-
Houston Seafarers at the Ready
Supplying a recently docked Sea-Land vessel In Houston are, from
the left, J. Zepeda. L. Zepeda, G. Rodriguez, J. Rodriguez, E.
Zepeda, R. Ylwrra and R. Zepeda.
deberg School. Steward delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
engine delegates.
DSNS SILAS BENT {Mar Ship
Operators), July 8 — Chairman R.
Vazquez, Secretary C. Tourere,
Educational Director G. Millsap,
Engine Delegate W. Sylvester.
Chairman reminded members to
submit photos to LOG. Deck
delegate reported disputed OT. No
beefs or disputed OT reported by
engine or steward delegates.
DSNS CHAUVENET{Mai Ship
Operators), July 1 — Chairman
JeHFocardi, Secretary C. Nelson,
Educational Director A1 Matos,
Deck Delegate Jim Keevan,
Steward Delegate Pam White. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. On
July 21, a group of high school stu
dents and teachers sponsored by
National Geographic Society came
aboard in Egypt to participate in
simulated survey operation. Project
will be featured on TV and in an
upcoming issue of National
Geographic.
DSNS PREVAIL (USMMI), July
5 — Chairman Carl Kriensky,
Secretary M. Davidson, Education
al Director Mike Everhart, Deck
Delegate Steven Voss, Steward
Delegate Patrick Johnson. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
DSNS PREVAIL (USMMI), July
31 — Chairman Carl Kriensky,
Secretary M. Davidson, Education
al Director Mike Everhart, Deck
Delegate Steven Voss, Steward
Delegate P. Johnson. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew
thanked galley gang for job well
done.
DSNS WVAMAf (Mar Ship
Operators), July 9 — Chairman
Steve Herring, Secretary D. St
George, Educational Director R.
Clark, Deck Delegate Joseph Grif
fin, Engine Delegate Wesley Wise.
Deck and steward delegates asked
contracts department for clarifica
tions on various work duties. No
beefs or disputed OT reported by
engine delegate.
PFC. DEWAYNE T. WILLIAMS
(Amsea), July 6 — Chairman
Alvin McCants, Secretary S. Aval-
lone, Educational Director F.
Jaworski, Deck Delegate Donnie
Collins. Deck delegate asked con
tracts department for clarification
on ammo pay. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Next port: Honolulu.
GOLDEN MONARCH (Apex
Marine), August 2 — Chairman
Pete Loik, Secretary J. Gonzales,
Educational Director H. Smith. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Chairman and crew thanked Chief
Steward Juan Gonzalez, Chief
Cook David Valle and GSUs
Trinidad Sanchez and Miguel
Collazo for splendid job.
OMI COLUMBIA (OMI Corp.),
August 2 — Chairman J. Miller,
Secretary C. Moss, Educational
Director A. Bomhita, Engine
Delegate Victor Bermudez,
Steward Delegate K. Bragg.
Secretary urged members to donate
to SPAD. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew received new VCR
and new chairs and completed all
repairs.
OMI DYNACHEM{OMl Corp.),
August 8 — Chairman Larry
Kunc, Secretary Wayne Howard,
Educational Director James Long.
Educational director urged mem
bers to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave vote of thanks
to galley gang.
SEA-LAND PATRIOT{Sea-Land
Service), August 2 — Chairman S.
Evans, Secretary P. Schulz, Educa
tional Director H. Bang. Education
al director reminded all hands to
watch safety movies and report any
electrical problems. Steward
delegate reported beef. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
engine delegates. Crew thanked
Chief Cook R. Richardson and
GSU S. Saeed for good work. Next
port: Oakland, Calif.
SEA-LAND RELIANCE {Sea-
Land Service), August 2 — Chair
man R. McGonagle, Secretary D.
Zuls, Educational Director L.
What's Cooking?
Cook/Baker Leo Castro and
Steward Assistant Americus
Bell decide what's for dessert
aboard the USNS Chauvenet.
BryanL Deck Delegate R. Young,
Engine Delegate C. Akers,
Steward Delegate F. Ahdulla.
Secretary urged members to donate
to SPAD and upgrade at Lun
deberg School. Engine delegate
reported beef. No beefs or disputed
OT reported by deck or steward
delegates. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department. Next
port: Tacoma, Wash.
SEA-LAND TACOMA (Sea-Land
Service), August 2 T— Chairman T.
Murphy, Secretary M. Meany,
Deck Del^ate Glom Christianson,
Engine Delegate Mel Fo-gusmi. No'
beefs or diqruted OT reported.
USNS CHAUVENET {Mar Ship
Operators), August 2 — Chairman
JeffFocardi, Secretary C. Nelson,
Educational Director A1 Matos,
Deck Delegate Jim Keevan,
Steward Delegate Louis Mercado.
Steward delegate reported previous
OT beef still unresolved. No beefs
or disputed OT reported by deck or
engine delegates. Next port: Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla.
Last year, the Seq^rers LOG
devoted several pages in the
December issue to print holiday
greetings from active and retired
Seafarers^as well as their family
members-—to friends, shipmates
and loved ones. The feature was
well received and, thus, the LOG is
plaiming a similar feature this year.
In 25 words or less (and in the
in Seafarers; i©#
neatest printing possible), write the
message in the space provided
below. All (legible) greetings that
are written in the holiday spirit will
be incllided in the Decemter 1992
issue of the Seafarers LOG, if they
are received in time.
The deadline for receipt of the
holid^messages is Friday, Novem
ber 13.1^.S^ thernby rnail totte
Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way,
Camp Springs, 20746.
After November 1, facsimile
copies will be accepted The fax
number is (301) 899-7355.
Forms also may be filled out in
any union hall and turned in to the
official at the counter—or may be
given to the boarding patrolman at a
Vessel's payoff.
to: " '
Frofli;.
lU: , V. (3icdk the block which describes your statoS
• Active (teafarer Q fhinily Member of Adivc <Sc»fiiiei'
" Seafarer • family Member of
Send your gineting to the 5eq/brers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Canm Spings, MD 20746v The greeting should
hdieceivedaltbeLOGQfficebyRriday.November 13,1992. ^
9A2
-
•. .'.-V • (•; '.'!X^' ','"• .'•"'• • j/';^'^i •-*v.> ""
•sasw*
SEFTEMBER1992 SBVAmRSLOG 23
DeSteiguer Crew Credits Steward Martin's Teamwork
Step aboard the USNS De-
Steiguer and all that can be heard
is how good the crew is, how well
everyone gets along and what a
wonderful vessel the
oceanographic survey ship is.
Those words resonate from
Captain Wayne Conroy to the
civilian researchers working on
board. When asked why, all point
to the galley gang headed by
Chief Steward Morris Martin as
what holds the vessel together.
"Although everybody on here
is a hard worker, without a doubt
the steward department is our best
[department]," Conroy told a
reporter for the Seafarers LOG
who visited the ship, operated by
Mar Ship Operators, in San Diego
recently^ "The union keeps send- steward Assistant Thomas Route straightens the mess after breakfast. AB Sean Rafferty heads for the Watching over engineroom opera-
deck on another detaii. tions is OMU Robert J. Mulvaney. ing us good people.
Like a Family
OMU Rick Grosso, a •
graduate of Lundebefg School
trainee class 148, noted upon his
return to the DeSteiguer, "It's
great to be on board. It's like ^
family on here."
Martin attributes the success
in the galley to "the top notch
crew we have at all times." Since
Martin first signed on as chief
steward in 1987, the DeSteiguer
consistently has earned top marks
from the Military Sealift Com
mand for its steward department.
Although happy with its latest
grade of 98, Chief Cook Cecil
Husted said the crew was disap
pointed to not receive a perfect
100. "We know we're that good
and that's what we strive for."
Working Together
In training new crewmembers
oni how to work in his department,
Morris Martin preaches the "little
I and big U" theory. "There is no
me or I; it's only us and we. We
work with them and they work
with us."
One galley member who sails
with Martin when he can is
Steward Assistant Thomas
Route. A graduate of Lundeberg
School trainee class 417 (Fall
1987), Route praised Martin as a
man who has taught him a lot
about sailing. "Every time I come
aboard I learn something new
from him," Route said.
Bosun Sidney Whitaker shouts or- Signing in visitors aboard the De- AB Brian McCaulliffe assists with Wiper Ken Route cleans up in the SA Donical Caldas sports a cap
ders from above. Sfe/gueris AB Jim Souci. loading equipment on the crane, engineroom. noting her assignment.
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24 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER1992
• '•'^fJ '.'• ' ''• ' ' • ' ' M::'
''j'-r'i'-
Final Departuf^s Sf- ,;•
'M&
DEEP SEA
HERBERT CHATTOM
Pensioner
Herbert Chat
torn, 65,
passed away
July 29. The
Alabama na
tive joined
the SIU in
1957 in the
port of Mobile, Ala. Brother Chat-
. torn sailed in the engine depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1945 to 1946. Brother Chat-
tom retired in June 1984.
FRED CLOPTON
Pensioner
Fred Clopton
94, died July
1. A native of
Pensacola,
Ra., he
joined the
Seafarers in
1947 in the
port of Baltimore. Brother Clopton
sailed in the engine department. He
began receiving his pension in
August 1973.
RICHARD CUMMINGS
Pensioner
Richard Cum
mings, 88,
passed away
July 12. Bom
in St. Paul,
Minn., he
joined the
union in 1943
in the port of Philadelphia. Brother
Cummings sailed in the deck
department. He served in the U.S.
Navy from 1925 to 1930. He
retired in January 1968.
JOSEPH DECHALUS
Pensioner
Joseph De-
Chalus, 77,
died Novem
ber 7, 1991.
The native of
Brooklyn,
N. Y. joined
the Marine
Cooks and Stewards in 1942.
Brother DeChalus retired in June
1968 before that union merged
with the AGLIWD. He is survived
by his wife, Mary.
ALEJANDRO DENULLY
Pensioner Alejandro DeNully, 75,
passed away June 22. A native of
the Philippine Islands, he joined
the Marine Cooks and Stewards in
1972 in the port of San Francisco,
before that union merged with the
AGLIWD. Brother DeNully began
receiving his pension in January
1983.
DOMENICDISANTO
Domenic Disanto, 68, died July 6.
He joined the SIU in his native
Boston in 1956. Brother Disanto
sailed in the deck department.
HUGH HALLMAN
Pensioner Hugh Hallman, 79,
passed away June 30. Bom in At
lanta, he joined the Seafarers in
1941 in the port of New York.
Brother Hallman sailed in the en
gine department. He retired in
Febmary 1975.
PAUL KENT
Paul Kent, 40, died July 5. The
New York native graduated from
the Lundeberg School in 1973.
Brother Kent sailed in the steward
department. He last shipped in
1977.
GEORGE LAFLEUR
George
Lafleur, 63,
passed away
July 11. He
was bom in
Louisiana and
in 1951
joined the
union in the
port of Norfolk, Va. Brother
Lafleur sailed in the steward depart
ment.
THOMAS MAHER
Thomas Maher, 81, died June 6.
He joined the SIU in 1946 in his
native New York. Brother Maher
sailed in the engine department. He
upgraded at the Lundeberg School
in 1975.
JAMES MANNING
James Man
ning, 49,
passed away
October 24. A
native of
Washington,
D.C.he
joined the
Seafarers in
1967 in the port of New York.
Brother Manning sailed in the deck
department. He served in the U.S.
Navy from 1964 to 1966.
LUIS MEDINA
Pensioner Luis Medina, 81, died
July 21. Bom in Puerto Rico, he
joined the SIU in 1948 in the port
of New York. Brother Medina
sailed in the engine department. He
began receiving his pension in
Janiiaiy 1980.
GOMERSINDO OTERO
Pensioner
Gomersindo
Otero, 83,
passed away
June 26. He
joined the
SIU as a
charter mem
ber in 1938 in
lis native Puerto Rico. Brother
Otero sailed in the engine depart
ment. He retired in January 1972.
MARTIN O'TOOLE
Pensioner
Martin O'-
Toole, 65,
died July 30
due to a heart
attack. A na
tive of Bal
timore, he
joined the
Seafarers in 1955 in the port of
Seattle. Brother O'Toole sailed in
the engine department. He began
receiving his pension in October
981.
MANUEL PINTO
Pensioner
Manuel Pinto,
89, died July
6. Bom in
India, he
joined the
SIU in 1947
in the port of
Philadelphia.
Irother Pinto sailed in the deck
department. He retired in Septem
ber 1968.
ALFRED OTREMBA
Alfred Otremba, 59, passed away
uly 31. He was bom in Hillman,
Minn, and in 1958 graduated from
the Andrew Fumseth Training
School in New York. Brother
Otremba sailed in the deck depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1954 to 1956.
JOSEPH RICHARDSON
Joseph
Richardson,
19, passed
away October
25, 1991. The
native of Mis
sissippi
graduated
from the Lun
deberg School in 1990. Brother
Richardson sailed in the engine
department. He upgraded at the
Lundeberg School in 1991.
SAMMY ROGAMOS
Pensioner
Sammy
Rogamos, 88,
died June 12.
He was bom
in the Philip
pine Islands
and in 1956
joined the
union in the port of San Francisco.
Brother Rogamos sailed in the
steward department. He began
receiving his pension in October
1968.
EDMOND SAHUQUE
Pensioner Ed-
mond Sahu-
que, 75,
passed away
July 9. He
joined the
Seafarers in
1942 in his na
tive New Or
leans. Brother Sahuque sailed in
the steward department. He retired
in July 1976.
CHARLES THORPE
Pensioner
Charles
Thorpe, 64,
died June 25.
The Min
nesota native
joined the
SIU in 1959
in the port of
Baltimore. Brother Thorpe sailed
in the steward department. He
upgraded at the Lundeberg School
in 1980. He served in the U.S.
Army from 1944 until 1949.
Brother Thorpe retired in Septem
ber 1986.
JOHNVIEIRA
Pensioner John Vieira, 81, passed
away June 14. Bom in British
Guiana, he joined the Seafarers in
1948 in the port of New York,
irother Vieira sailed in the steward
department. He began receiving his
pension in October 1970.
EDWARD WICAK
'ensioner Edward Wicak, 81, died
July 10. He was bom in Philadel-
)hia and in 1942 joined the SIU in
le port of Mobile, Ala. Brother
Wicak sailed in the engine depart
ment. He retired in June 1976.
ALFRED WILSON
Pensioner
Alfred Wil
son, 72,
passed away
July 10. A na
tive of Savan
nah, Ga., he
joined the
Marine Cooks and Stewards in
1958 in the port of New York,
before that union merged with the
AGLIWD. Brother Wilson sailed
in the steward department. He
upgraded at the Lundeberg School
in 1981. Brother Wilson retired in
September 1981.
INLAND
LEWIS BELL
Pensioner
Lewis Bell,
64, died May
29. Bom in
Butler Coun
ty, Pa., he
joined the
union in 1976
in the port of
New Orleans. Boatman Bell sailed
in the deck department. He served
in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to
1946. Boatman Bell began receiv
ing his pension in August 1989.
KENNETH COLEMAN
Kenneth Coleman, 62, died July
11. The native of Nederland, Texas
joined the union in 1963 in the port
of Port Arthur, Texas. Boatman
Coleman sailed in the deck depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1951 to 1953.
JOHNDERRICKSON
Pensioner
John Derrick-
son, 80, '
passed away
July 28. He
was bom in
Delaware and
in 1961
joined the
union in the port of Philadelphia.
Boatman Derrickson sailed in the
deck department He retired in
March 1974.
ROBERT KELLER
Pensioner
Robert Keller,
68, died July
17. He joined
the union in
1956 in his na
tive Bal
timore.
Boatman
Keller sailecf in the deck depart
ment. He began receiving his pen
sion in June 1984.
FRANKLIN MURRAY
Pensioner Franklin Murray, 86,
passed away May 17. Bom in Og-
densburg, N.Y., he joined the
union in 1954 in the port of Buf
falo. Boatman Murray sailed in the
deck department. He began receiv
ing his pension in August 1974.
REESE PARKS
Pensioner Reese Parks, 85, passed
away July 20. A native of
Maryland, he joined the union in
1956 in.the port of Baltimore. Boat
man Parks sailed in the engine
department. He retired in Novem
ber 1974.
GEORGE WILLIAMSON
Pensioner George Williamson, 71,
died July 12. Bom in North
Carolina, he joined the union in
1961 in the port of Norfolk, Va.
Boatman Williamson sailed in the
deck department. He retired in
August 1985.
GREAT LAKES
DAVID BAILEY
David Bailey,
51, passed
away June 10.
He was bom
in Port
Huron, Mich,
and in 1985
joined the
Seafarers in
the port of Algonac, Mich. Brother
Bailey sailed in the engine depart
ment.
ROBERT GARTMAN
Pensioner
Robert
Gartman, 68,
died July 16.
A native of
Sheboygen,
Wis., he
joined the
union in 1960
in the port of Detroit. Brother
Gartman sailed in the deck depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Marine
Corps from 1943 to 1946. Brother
Gartman began receiving his pen
sion in August 1988.
RAILROAD MARINE
BERNARD KEARNS
Pensioner Ber
nard Keams,
74, passed
away July 15.
Bom in Jer
sey City, N.J.,
he joined the
union in 1963
in the port of
New York. Brother Keams sailed
in the deck department. He retired
in May 1968.
Former NY Official Pete Loleas Dies at 82
Retired
SIU official
Pete Loleas
died of can
cer on
August 21.
He was 82.
Brother
Loleas, a Philadelphia native,
joined the Seafarers in 1945 in the
port of Boston. Sailing on
European runs, often aboard
Liberty Ships, he developed a
reputation as "one of our better
stewards," said Angus "Red"
Campbell, retired SIU vice presi
dent contracts, who shipped with
Loleas during the late 1940s. "I
never met anybody who had a bad
word about Pete. He was a good
shipmate."
In 1959, Loleas began working
with Leon Hall on the SIU's food
plan program. Then, in 1965, he
became a port official in the port
of New York. Brother Loleas held
several positions there during sub
sequent years before he retired as
a patrolman in 1979.
"Pete always helped the mem
bers and always had nice things to
say," recalled Jack Caffey, SIU
Vice President Atlantic Coast.
"Personally, he was very in-
stmmental in teaching me."
George McCartney, SIU vice
president West Coast, who also
sailed and worked with Loleas,
described him as "very active and
reliable. He will be missed."
r
: -sv'
SEPTEMBER 1992
'^i-5vi''- •' •>
-'•T^~--'-v-.'-»',-<:'*'J- ;-< SEAFARERS LOB 25
Lundeberg School Graduating Classes
' ;.'...----,'ii,^ili:. -
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Fireman, Oiler, Watertender—^Working their way up the engine department ratings are (from
left, front row) Paul Pagano, Kevin Hartley, John Becker, Rey De La Cruz, Kelly McDonald, Chris Snow,
Daniel Rhodes, (second row) Clyde McArn, Ron Micklos, Frank Mannino, Larry Carranza, Daniel Krause,
David Seabrook, Stoney Hardy, Sean Grace, (third row) John Carr (instructor). Tommy Gainey, Cliff
Fleming, Matthew Ditullio, Clifton Simoneaux IV, Thomas Hooper, Trent Sterling, David Jonassen, David
Decker, Bob Flesey, Loring Callwood, (fourth row) Lance Kuster, Howard Hendra, Brian Sailer, Kenny
Thomas, Timothy Smith, William Summers, Marc Poniatowski and Charles Parson. Upgraders Lifeboat—Members of the July 28 graduating
class receiving their lifeboat endorsements are (from left, kneeling)
Patti Ballance, Beverly Briley, (second row) Omar Hassan, Robert
Lamaestra, James Prado and Jim Moore (instructor).
QMED—Graduating from the July 31 QMED class are (from left, front row) Dennis Riley, Karl Friebel
Jr., Chuck Thompson Jr., Bobby Rice Jr., Sellers Brooks, Jeffrey Gelin, Milton Greene Jr., (second row. Marine Electronics Technician II—Successfully com-
kneeling) Samuel Addo, Miguel Rullan, Roy Taylor, Jim Lloyd, Verbu Nix, Thomas Thompson, (standing) . electronics technician class on Julv 28 are ffrom
rtlaronoo Qnntt Qtawan MncUine RranHan MoHnnalH rnnraH I an Prir« Pnrefoncan PranU Marln/a piBling 106 manne eieCircmiCS leCOniCian CiaSS On JUiy are ^IrOm Clarence Scott, Steven Hoskins, Brendan McDonald, Conrad Lau, Eric Forstensen, Frank Markva,
Gerald Daley, Steve Goss, Joseph Letang, Dan Taggart, Robert Muscato, Beau Ratliff, Gordon
Bernloehr, Gregory Derry, Charley Tuna" Cantor, Chris Zubowicz, Eugene McKinny and Bruce Auman.
left) Edmond Hawkins, Robert Farmer, Christopher Barry, Scott
Morris and Mark Rainess.
Oil Spill Containment—Mastering the course of instruction in oil spill containment and cleanup
are (from left, kneeling) Casey Taylor (instructor), Otto Borden, Fereuza Gifford, Anthony Douglas, John
D'Alessiandro, Bryon Jameson, Frederick Lau, (second row) Grant Jones, Mark Hayes, Lawrence
Neslein, Jeffrey Robinson, G. Morrison, Obaid H. AN, Chris Stringer, Warren Barroner, Pascasio "Paco"
Rivera, (third row) James McCarthy, Kenneth Myers, Kim Brown, Joe Carson, Barron Jackson, Jim
Shaffer (instructor) and Fred Cintorino Jr.
Hydraulics—Completing the hydraulics class on July 15 are
(from left, kneeling) Tom Flynn, Joseph Jay Arnold, Jorge Bonelli,
John Kelly, (second row) Ed Sacks, Bob Rudd, James Clement, Tony
Ripoll, Bill Foley (instructor) and Wayne Gonsalves.
Upgraders Lifeboat—Receiving their lifeboat endorsements, members of the July 15 graduating
class are (from left, front row) Ahmed Alaidaroos, Winston Marchman, Nasir Isa, David Vega, Stanley
Stewart, David Penney, (second row) Ben Cusic (instructor), Robert Tree" Triano, Mercurion Abuan,
Michael Noodt, Keith Williams, Mahmood Tahir, (third row) Anthony Nagy, Shane Blechle, Olav Peder-
son, Greg Alstrom and Bill Hahn.
Refrigerated Containers - Advanced Maintenance
Graduating from the four-week course are (from left, kneeling) Dave
Plumb, John Wong, Alberto Garcia, (second row) Eric Malzkuhn
(instmctor), Sheldon Greenberg, Lawrence Holbert, Michael Novak.
Robert "Beamer" Stancavage and Donald Morgan.
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26 sBAfwaa^ue SSnBHBBt 1992
Know Your Rights
FINANCIAL REPORTS. The
constitution of the SlU Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters Dis
trict makes specific provision for
safeguarding the membership's
money and union finances. The con
stitution requires a detailed audit by
certified public accountants every
year, which is to be submitted to the
membership by the secretary-
treasurer. A yearly finance commit
tee of rank-and-file members,
elected by the membership, each
year examines the finances of the
union and reports fully their findings
and recommendations. Members of
this committee may make dissenting
reports, specific recommendations
and separate findings.
TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds
of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
Inland Waters District are ad
ministered in accordance with the
provisions of various trust fund
agreements. All these agreements
specify that the trustees in charge of
these funds shall equally consist of
union and management repre
sentatives and their alternates. All
expenditures and disbursements of
trust funds are made only upon ap
proval by a majority of the trustees.
All trust fund financial records are
available at the headquarters of the
various trust funds.
SHIPPING RIGHTS. A
member's shipping rights and
seniority are protected exclusively
by contracts between the union and
the employers. Members should get
to know their shipping rights.
Copies of these contracts are posted
and available in all union halls. If
members believe there have been
violations of their shipping or
seniority rights as contained in the
contracts between the union and the
employers, they should notify the
Seafarers Appeals Board by cer
tified mail, return receipt requested.
The proper address for this is;
Augustin Teliez, Chairman
Seafarers Appeals Board
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
Full copies of contracts as referred
to are available to members at al^l
times, either by writing directly to thie
union or to the Seafarers Appeals
Board.
CONTRACTS. Copies of all
SIU contracts are available in all SIU
halls. These contracts specify the
wages and conditions under which an
SIU member works and lives aboard
a ship or boat Members should know
their contract rights, as well as their
obligations, such as filing for overtime
(OT) on the proper sheets and in the
proper manner. If, at any time, a mem
ber believes that an SIU patrolman or
other union official fails to protect
their contractual rights properly, he or
she should contact the nearest SlU
port agent.
EDITORIAL POLICY —
THE SEAFARERS LOG. The
Seafarers LOG traditionally has
refrained from publishing any ar
ticle serving the political purposes
of any individual in the union, of
ficer or member. It also has refrained
from publishing articles deemed
harmful to the union or its collective
membership. This established
policy has been reaffirmed by mem
bership action at the September
1960 meetings in all constitutional
ports. The responsibility for
Seafarers LOG policy is vested in
an editorial board which consists
of the executive board of the
union. The executive board may
delegate, from among its ranks,
one individual to carry out this
responsibility.
PAYMENT OF MONIES. No
monies are to be paid to anyone in any
official capacity in the SIU unless an
official union receipt is given for
same. Under no circumstances should
any member pay any money for any
reason unless he is given siich receipt.
In the event anyone attempts to require
any such payment be made without
supplying a receipt, or if a member is
r^uired to make a payment and is
given an official receipt, but feels that
he or she should not have been re
quired to make such payment, this
should immediately be report^ to
iinion headquarters.
CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS.
Copies of the SIU constitution are
av^able in all union halls. All mem
bers should obtain copies of this
constitution so as to familiarize
themselves with its contents. Any
time a member feels any other mem
ber or officer is attempting to
deprive him or her of any constitu
tional right or obligation by any
methods, such as dealing with char
ges, trials, etc., as well as all other
details, the member so affected
should immediately notify head
quarters.
EQUAL RIGHTS. All mem
bers are guaranteed equal rights in
employment and as members of the
SIU. These rights are clearly set
forth in the SIU constitution and in
the contracts which the union has
negotiated with the employers. Con
sequently, no member may be dis
criminated against because of race,
creed, color, sex, national or
geographic origin. If any member
feels that he or she is denied the
equal rights to which he or she is
entitled, the member should notify
union headquarters.
SEAFARERS POLITICAL
ACTIVITY DONATION —
SPAD. SPAD is a separate
segregated fund. Its process are
used to further its objects and pur
poses including, but not limited to,
furthering the political. Social and
economic interests of maritime
workers; the preservation and fur
thering of the American merchant
marine with improved employment
opportunities for seamen and boat
men and the advancement of trade
union concepts. In connection with
such objects, SPAD supports and
contributes to political candidates
for elective office. All contributions
are voluntary. No contribution may
be solicited or received because of
force, job discrimination, financial
reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or
as a condition of membership in the
union or of employment. If a con
tribution is made by reason of the
above improper conduct, the mem
ber should notify the Seafarers Inter
national Union or SPAD by certified
mail within 30 days of the contribu
tion for investigation and ap
propriate action and refund, if
involuntary. A member should
support SPAD to protect and fur
ther his or her economic, political
and social interests, and American
trade union concepts.
If at any time a member feels
that any of the above rights have
been violated, or that he or she has
been denied the constitutional
right of access to union records or
information, the member should
immediately notify SIU President
Michael Sacco at headquarters by
certified mail, return receipt re
quested. The address is 5201 Auth
Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746.
Lundeberg School Graduating Classes
m-.--
Shiphandling Simulator—Successfully completing the shiphandling
simulator course on July 8 are (from left, front row) Dan Carman, Jake Karaczynski
(instructor), Jessie Hoimes (computer operator). Ken Steiner, (second row) Ron Mercer,
Joe Young, Rick Pater, Marc Tayior and Joe Braun.
Diesel Engine Technology—^After course compietion, certification in diesei
engine technology was awarded to (from left, kneeling) John "J.C." Wiegman (instruc
tor), Crescencio Suazo, Frank Boiton, (second row) Frank Bakun, Joe Stores, Adolfo
Schuitze, Ken Stratton, Nathan Hollander, Andrew Lopez and Angelo Persica. Not
pictured is Brian Sengelaub.
Trainee Lifeboat Class 501—Graduating from trainee lifeboat class 501 are (from left, kneeling,
front row) Philiip Morris, Robert Nelson, Efrain Santana, Anne Carlson, Stephen Bowles, Chad Westover,
Timothy Pugh, (second row) Plese Russ, Napoleon Foster, Chris Edyvean, Norman Williams, (third row)
Charles Donley, Lichecta Butler, Troy Mitchell, Joe Ford, Tom Graves, Theodore Brahms, Rodney
Passapera-Barbosa, Thomas Brown, Danny Hoskins, Jason Rutrough and Tim Duggan.
•'i .••.•••'• •. 'V '
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SBTBHIBBR1992
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SEAFARERSLOG 27
rm'T'
WNDBBERCSCimL
I 1992-93WmDIHemURSESeilHHa£
The following is the current course schedule for classes beginning between
October 1992 and February 1993 at the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of
Seamanship located at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education
in Piney Point, Md. All progr^s are geared to improve job skills of Seafarers and
to promote the American maritime industry.
The course schedule may change to reflect the needs of the membership, the
maritime industry and-—in times of conflict—the nation's security.
Course
Check-In Coniiiletion
Date Date
Steward Reeertification February 1 March 8
Course . . • M..
Check-In
.Date^ Date
Able Seaman
Sealift Operations and Maintenance course.
bh«'ehibeir9 DecemberiS
March 12
Course
Slmm^UpgntlhigCoun^
Check-In Completion
Date Date
Asidfii^ Cook^ Cotdta^Bai^
Chief Cooky Chief Steward
Ail open-ended (contact adnilasioil|i
office for starting dates)
All open-ended OsonhMd adgiiEfi^^
<dflce for starting dates)
' • - is" •
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Ihite
Ship Handling
Radar OI»erver Unlindted
Celestial Navigatioh
Third Mate
Tankerman
Noveiiilierl
Februaiy 15
November 16
January 11
Octobers
January 18
January 4
Gbdober26
November 13
February 26
November 20
January 15
October 30
February 12
April 16
November 20
SaMySpedaHyComM
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Date
• _ _
Oil Spill Prevention and
Containment
4 ' '
Lifeboatman
' '' '
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Basic/Advanced Fire Fighting
October 12
October 26
February 15
October 12
October 26
November 9
November 23
December?
January 4
February 1
October 20
January 19
October 16
October 30
February 19
bct<d)er23 -
November 6
November 20
December 4
December 18
January 15
February 12
October 30
January 29
QMED-Any Rating January 4 March 26
October 26 December 4
Janiiary 4 Febnmiy 12
A^U students must take the Oil Spill Prevention and Containment class.
Pumproom Maint. & Operations
Marfaie pectrical Mhlotenanro
Refrigeration Malnt. & Operations
Marine l^ectronics—Technician I
Marine Electronics—^Technicanll
Basic Electronics
Hydraulics
Welding
January 4
October 19
January 18
CKdober 26
February 1
November 9
January 4
November 23
October 12
January 4
February 15
February 12
Deramber 11
Match 12
December 4
March 12
December 18
January 29
December 18
November 6
January 29
March 12
/
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I^MunEducatfonSchadula
The following courses are available through the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School. Please contact die admissions office for enrollment information.
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Date
High School Equivalency (GED) All open-ended (contact
Adult Basic Education (ABE) admissions office for starting
English as a Second Language (ESL) dates)
CoUegaPmgram SchaOula for 1992
FULL 8-week sessions October 26 DeoOmber 18
UPOUUmGAPPUCAmN
Name. Date of Birth
Address
(L«t) (First) (Middle) - Monlh/Day/Year
(Street)
.Telephone _L _L
(CSty) (Stale) (Zip Code) (Area Code)
Deep Sea MemberD Lakes Membo'D Inland Waters MemberD PacificD
If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not
be processed.
Book#
With this application COPIES of your discharges must be submitted showing sufficient
time to qualify yourself for the coursefs) requested. You also must submit a COPY of
each of the following: the first page of your union book indicating your department
and seniority, your clinic card and the front and back of your lundeberg School
identification card listing the course(s)you have taken and completed The Amissions
Office WILL NOT schedule you until all of the above are received
RATING DATE DATE OF
VESSEL HELD SHIPPED DISCHARGE
S(x:ial Security #.
Seniority
U.S. Citizen: • Yes • No Home Port.
Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held
. Department
Are you a graduate of the SHLSS trainee program?
If yes, which program: from to.
Last grade of school completed
• Ves DNO
Have you attended any SHLSS upgrading courses?
If yes, course(s) taken
• Yes GNO
Have you taken any SHLSS Sealift Operations courses?
If yes, how many weeks have you completed?
• Yes • No
Do you hold the U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboatman Endorsement?
• Yes GNO Firefighting:G Yes GNO CPR:GYes GNO
Date available for training ^^
Primary language spoken ; .1 ^
SIGNATURE. J>ATE
I am interested in the following
conrsefs) checked below or indi
cated here if not listed
DECK
• AB/Sealift
• 1st Class Pilot
D Third Mate
Q Radar Observer Unlimited
D Master Inspected Towing
Vessel
D Towboat Operator Inland
D Celestial Navigation
n Simulator Course
ENGINE
• FOWT
D QMED—Any Rating
• Variable Spe^ DC Drive
• Marine Electrical
Maintenance
D Pumproom Maintenance &
Operation
D Refrigeration Systems
Maintenance & Operation
• Diesel Engine Technology
Q Assistant Engineer/Chief
Engineer Motor Vessel
D Original 3rd Engineer Steam
or Motor
Q RefrigeratedContainers
Advanced Maintenance
D Electro-Hydraulic Systems
Q Automation
D Hydraulics
D Marine Electronics
Technician
STEWARD
• Assistant Cook Utility
• Cook and Baker
• ChiefCook
G Chief Steward
• Towboat Inland Cook
ALL DEPARTMENTS'
O Welding
G Lifeboatman (must be taken
with another course)
G Oil Spill Prevention &
Contairunent
ADULT EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
G Adult Basic Education (ABE)
G High School Equivalency
Program ((JED)
G Developmental Studies (DVS)
G English as a Second
Language (ESL)
G ABEmSL Lifeboat
Preparation
COLLEGE PROGRAM
G Associates in Arts Degree
V (UIUUIC OUCCU L/V., L'llVC —_ ,
Systems (Marine Electronics) U Towboat Inland Cook U Associates in Arts Degre
Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present origiiui receipts and succeasftiiiy
pleic the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point
RETURN COMPLETED APPUCATION TO: Seafarers Harry Lundeberg Upgrading Center, P.O. Bos 7S. Piney Point, MD 20674.
9/92
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Volume 54, Number 9 September 1992
Where will you be In
December for the holidays?
Whether at sea or ashore, Seafarers
can send holiday messages to their
loved ones through the LOG.
See page 22.
Nelson Tells of Chauvenet's Final Year
Editor's note: OS Carl Nelson
wrote the following article for the
Seafarers LOG. It recounts the
highlights for Nelson and other
crewmembers during a year
aboard the USNS Chauvenet
After more than 20 years of ser
vice, the SlU-crewed USNS
Chauvenet this month will be
decommissioned in Gulfiport, Miss
For the past two years, the
Chauvenet has been mapping the
waters of the Middle East. It is
unique ship in that it has three
separate crews: crewmembers
from Mar Ship Operators,, Navy
personnel and civilian scientists
from the Naval Oceanographic
Office. The mix makes for very
few dull moments and teaches
people the value of teamwork.
The Chauvenet's final year
started with mapping the coast of
Muscat, Oman. We spent two-
and-a-half months there, and it
was not a particularly pleasant ex
perience. The harsh Muslim laws
are strictly enforced; as a precau
tion against any laws bein
broken, the American embass
and Omani government restrictec
each crewmember from going to
any hotels and also established
midnight curfew.
When the survey work arounc
Muscat was finished, we sailed
the southern end of Oman. The
area we charted is small, so most
of the time it felt like we were
going in circles. (The Chauvenet
itself is used to survey, as are the
special survey boats we carry.)
In late February, we had
frightening but unpreventable ex
perience. While part of the crew
was recovering a survey boat,
shackle on the forward lifting
block snapped. The 12-ton boat
crashed onto the deck and went
over the side—taking the rear
davit arm along. Thankfully
there were no injuries.
Several days later, a salvage
ship arrived to remove the boat
.. The 12-ton boat
crashed onto the deck
and went over the side..
OS Carl "Rusty" Nelson poses on
deck with baby black fin shark.
from our side. Two divers were
securing a strap around the bow
when a 20-foot, baby whale shark
swam for a close-up view of the
operation. The animal provec
harmless.
A month later, after a long stay
in port at Dubai, the Chauvenet
was in southern Oman again. On
shore, just a few miles from the
survey area was the tiny, isolated
village of Madrakah. Most of its
residents are fishermen, and at
one time or another each of them
visited us. We were able to com
municate through GUDE Abdula
Quaraish and Second Cook
Abdo Eljabmi, both of whom
speak Arabic.
About every other day, the
fishermen would come alongside
to show us their catch, which al
ways was sharks. The fishermen
catch them so they can export the
tails and fins, and some of those
Help Find This Missing Child
The National Center for
Missing and Exploited
Children has asked the
Seafarers International Union
to assist them in locating Fal
con Blake Kriegsman, an 8-
year-old boy from Chicago, 111.
Missing since October 6,
1988, the child was abducted
by his non-custodial mother,
Clarette Edlyn Kriegsman,
alias Clarette Frank. At the
time of his disappearance, the
blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy
was 3 ft. 6 in. tall and weighed
45 pounds. His hair may have
been dyed red since his abduc
tion.
A felony warrant for abduc
tion has been issued for his
non-custodial mother who is
37 years old, 5 ft. 5 in. tall, 110
pounds, with blonde hair and
blue eyes.
Anyone having information
about this case should contact
the Center at (800) 843-5678 or
the Chicago (111.) Police
Department's Missing Persons
Unit at (312) 744-8200.
Falcon Blake Kriegsman
Among the USNS Chauvenet crewmembers' experiences in 1992 were a whale mistaking the ship for
another whale, a fisherman attacked by a camel, and sun/eying the coast of Oman. The USNS Chauvenet
will be decommissioned this month after 20 years of service.
sharks are several times the size
of the fishermen.
During one hot morning,
fisherman showed up with his
arm wrapped and dripping blood
We were certain a shark had bit
ten him. After the deck crew got
the wounded man aboard anc
4avy corpsman Greg Peck hac
sewn his arm together with nearly
40 stitches, our second cook in-
brmed us that the poor fellow
lad been attacked by his cahiel.
Another of our favorite tales
rom Madrakah is about
lumpback whale that must have
confused our then barnacle-
covered hull with a friend. The
whiale swam back and forth under
the ship for several minutes, then
rubbed his side on the port quarter
while spraying us spectators.
When the Madrakah survey
was complete, Captain Jerry
^ucks and Navy Commanding
Officer Kathy Garcia allowed all
hands to throw a beach party,
complete with barbecue, Vol-
eyball and rock-and-roll. It was a
much-appreciated break.
On the morning of July 4, the
Chauvenet puUed into fog-
covered Dubai for the last time.
Tom there, we set sail for Port
Suez, Egypt, to pick up a group of
J.S. high school students and
teachers who were participating
in a National Geographic Society
>rogram known as Project Marco
'olo. There were 46 people in the
group, including 15 students, 20
teachers and 11 National
Geographic staff.
lliis portion of the program
consisted of a one-week trip.
.. a humpback whale
must have confused the
ship with a friend...
leginning at the Suez Canal and
ending in Greece. It gave students
an opportunity to witness how the
ship is operated and how the
avy conducts oceanographic re
search.
Earlier, in June, we learned
that these kids would miss many
ghts in Egypt and Greece be
cause of a cash shortage. So,
Chief Engineer Joe Wilson anc
First Assistant Engineer Dave
Lyons began collecting dona
tions. In one day, the civilian
crew collected $2,300 among
themselves, which was donated
to Project Marco Polo.
Our visitors were relieved to
get on board after being harassed
by the beggars and thieves around
Egypt. From there, everything
went smoothly. The participants,
whose favorite stop was Greece,
said the project was a smashing
success.
...SO the kids could see
the sights, the civilian
crew collected $2,300...
We also received a letter from
Gilbert Grosveno, president of
the National Geographic Society.
It reads in part, "It is obvious that
the USNS Chauvenet is a proud
ship, and I am delighted that the
participants in this year's Project
Marco Polo will have the added
advantage of working and ob
serving such spirited and
motivated professionals.
"Thank you for your commit
ment to the education of our
American youth."
Rota, Spain is the last stop for
the Chauvenet before she makes
her final voyage home to
Gulfport. Civilian and military
alike, we all havo worked
together and tried to make the
Chauvenet a sparkling example
of what can be accomplished
through teamwork.
SIU members aboard the
Chauvenet during its final year
include: Bosun Jeff Focardi,
ABs Paula Plaisance, Joe
Smoler, James Keevan, Jon
Williams and Jimmy Smith,
DSs Nelson, Thomas Sneed and
Jimmy Smith, Purser June Per-
nsini. Storekeeper Vicki
Jarnhart and QMED Brett Pur
vis.
Other SIU crewmembers were
JMUs Anthony Bonin, Michael
^tt and Richard Larsen,
GUDEs Robert Howell and Jose
Rodriguez, Chief Steward Char-
les Fincher, Chief Cook
Gregory Johnson, Cook and
Baker Andre Johnson, Second
Cook Robert Wright and ACU
D. Fenimore.
The SA complement was
made up by Sandra Evans, Ar-
turo Lopez, Earle Boykin,
Bryan Nixon, Tyrone Johnson,
Angel Corchado, Eusehio Men-
dez, Stanley Ellis, Bruce
Ryhak, Americos BeU, James
Francis, Louis Mercado and
Monica Woods.
USHS Chauvenet
To Decommission
This month marks the end
of the line for the USNS
Chauvenet. After more than
20 years of service, the SIU-
crewed vessel will be decom
missioned in its home port of
Gulfport, Miss.
For the past two-and-a-half
years, the Chauvenet surveyed
the waters of the Persian Gulf,
A Navy research vessel
operated by Mar Ship
Operators, the Chauvenet has
a crew comprised of merchant
mariners. Navy personnel and
civilian scientists from the
Naval Oceanographic Centre
in Mississippi. Among other
things, the Navy personnel use
echo-sounding and sonar to
survey the ocean floor and col
lect data to be used for updat
ing maps.
The 388-foot ship also car
ries several smaller surveying
craft, which the Chauvenet
launches and recovers.
The Chauvenet arrived in
the Persian Gulf shortly after
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait as
part of the U.S. Navy fleet
working with the amphibious
landing forces during Opera
tion Desert Storm.
Captain Jerry Lucks told
the Gulf News, an English-lan
guage newspaper which
covers happenings in the Per
sian Gulf, that the Chauvenet
will either be scrapp^, sold to
a university as a training ship
or sold to a foreign country.
Volume 54, Number s
#
What Price
Trade?' «/•
L ^:ri%a
he heavy cost of the proposed trade deal
with Mexico will he measured in terms of
massive job losses, factory closings and the
destruction of American communities.
Page 3
Ti.
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2 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTEMBER 1992
President's Report
A Government-Approved Runaway Operation
It is not the mere notion of a free trade agreement with other na
tions that the American labor movement finds objectionable. The
AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions, in particular
the unions representing workers in the transpor
tation sector who earn their living moving
goods, favor free trade if it is conducted f^ly.
Trade agreements generally are designed to
eliminate tariffs and other government
programs which protect domestic interests.
The rub when it comes to the so-called free
trade agreement that has just been signed by
the governments of the United States, Canada
and Mexico, known as the North American
Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA, is that this
is not fair trade. It is an agreement to en
courage American business to move their
operations into Mexico, to use cheaper labor and then send the
goods back here for consumption by Americans. This is a plant-
switch operation.
It is precisely this use of a free trade agreement to allow a trans
ference of U.S. manufacturing capabilities to Mexico and the sale
of the product back to the United States which we in the American
labor movement find objectionable. We object to the opportunity
of capital to avoid the use of American labor while never taking
their eye off the American market, for it will not be Mexican
citizens, each of whom has a per capita income of some $2,000 a
Michael Sacco
year, that will purchase all the goods being manufactured in
Mexico by U.S. companies.
Of course there are the many tales by various economists and
administration representatives that the trade pact with Mexico will
make the world a better place, with high-paying jobs for Mexicans
and Americans alike. Then there are other economists who admit
there will be several hundred thousand American jobs lost at first,
but, they promise, these will be offset later by increased jobs from
producing increased goods for the Mexican market.
Competing for $4.00 a Day
Such thoughts at best are cold comfort to American workers
who are being told that massive layoffs are immediately in store
for them. At worst such talk is a cover-up for the fact that allowing
U.S. capital to go to Mexico by the billions of dollars not only
means job losses in the United States, but it also means decreased
wages, as American workers are forced to compete against their
Mexican counterparts earning between $4 and $10 a day.
And for eve^ economist that predicts a rosy future because of
NAFTA, there is another economist who sees m the agreement job
losses for both Mexican and American workers.
Frankly, I prefer to evaluate this trade agreement by common
sense and our experience in U.S. shipping. Common sense tells us
that if a U.S. company owner has a choice between $10 an hour
employees or $10 a day employees, he will choose the latter. If a
U.S. company owner has a choice between meeting U.S. safety,
environmental and tax regulations or operating in Mexico with
none of those costs, he is bound to choose the latter. If an
American company has a chance to increase proHts substantially
ust by moving factories across the border, it will do so. And if the
U.S. government officially approves the move, so much the better.
Our experience tells us that capital seeks the cheapest costs and
that, given the chance, capital will roam the world looking for the
most exploitable labor and least regulated environment. Imagine
what U.S. investment will do when what they are looking for—
-is just a stone's ow wages and a regulation-free environment-
throw away across the border.
Who Pays the Price?
In sum, it is American workers, their families and their com
munities who pay the price for this greed and shortsightedness.
The victims of a so-called free trade agreement, or in other words
an organized, government-sanctioned runaway operation, are
America's workers and their families—the people who produce
American goods, the people who pay the taxes, the people who
Ight America's wars, the people who raise the next generation of
eaders and the people who most directly bear the brunt of
America's incapable leadership at times, as with the proposed
trade deal with Mexico.
Trade must enrich ordin^ people, not a few on the top who
reserve for themselves the right to the best that the United States
las to offer, but who would deny the same to the America's work
ing people. It is only when trade agreements benefit all citizens in
stead of the few on the capital side of the equation that those of us
in the trade union movement can support such pacts.
Volume 54, Number 9 September 1992
The Seafarers LOG (ISSN 0160-2047) is pub
lished monthly by the Seafarers International
Union; Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters
District; AFL-CIO; 5201 Auth Way; Camp
Springs, Md. 20746. Telephone (301) 899-0675.
Second-class postage paid at MSC Prince Geor
ges, Md. 20790-9998 and at additional mailing
offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to the Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Camp
Springs, Md. 20746.
Communications Department Director and
Editor^ Jessica Smith; Assistant Editor, Daniel
Duncan; Associate Editor, Jordan Biscardo; As
sociate Editor/Production, Deborah Hirtes; Art,
Bill Brower.
Congress Faces Full Maritime Agenda
When U Rehims M BO, nis Month
Several bills affecting the U.S
shipping industiy and the people
who earn their livelihoods at sea
await congressional action as
legislators return to Capitol Hil"
this month following the summer
recess.
Hearings, debates and votes
are expect^ to be fast and furious
as members of the Senate and
House of Representatives ^ to
complete their work and adjourn
by Columbus Day (October 12) in
order to campaign at home for the
November 3 elections^
Closing a Safety Loophole
Maritime bills include remov
ing a safety loophole that allows
inland mariners to sail without
Coast Guard documentation,
creating a federal policy as
proposed by Department of
Transportation Secretary Andrew
Card Jr. this summer to fund U.S.-
flag commercial vessels that
Could be used by the military in
times of emergency and eliminat
ing a proposed "work tax" that
could be imposed when merchant
mariners acquire or upgrade their
merchant mariner documents.
However, congressional atten
tion to these bills could be limited
as the legislators still have to pass
almost all of the Fiscal Year 1993
packages that fund the federal
government—including the
Defense Department measure
that concerns sealift.
The full House of Repre
sentatives almost imniediately
upon its return is expected to
debate H.R. 4394, which would
require inland boatmen who sail
aboard vessels of more than five
gross tons to carry U.S. Coast
Guard merchant mariner docu
ments (Z-cards). The bill, which
passed the House Merchant
Marine and Fisheries Committee
on July 1, would close a loophole
which has exempted the men and
Avomen working aboard tugs and
tows in America's inland water
ways from carrying Z-cards.
Upon passage by the House,
the bill would go to the Senate for
action.
Towards a National Policy
Congress continues to review
the maritime reform initiative
rresented by Card. Both the
iouse and the Senate are working
on separate bills sponsored by the
chairmen of each chamber's mer
chant marine committees.
Along with SIU President
Vlichael Sacco, the presidents of
Maritime Biiis to Foiiow in Faii Session of Congress
BUVNumber
Inland Decuman-
tatlon/HR4394
Maritime
Refonn4tR5627;
S3047
Repeal of Work
Tax on Mariners/
HR4693
Defense
Appropriations
Bill4HR5504
Cruise to
Nowhere
Restrictions/
HR 5257
Description
Would require all inland
l)oatmen on vessels of
more than 5 tons to hold
Coast Guard-issued
merchant mariner
documents
Would help U.S.-flag
companies acquire new
vessels and provide
payments for up to 74
militarily useful
commercial vessels
Would eliminate
proposed fees on Coast
Guard-issued merchant
mariner documents
Included with the
Defense Departmenfs
FY '93 funding bill are
$801.4 million for sealift
to purchase or build
civilian-crewed military
vessels
Would eliminate foreign-
flag cruise ships from
sailing out of U.S. ports
for gambling junkets with
no ports of call
Action by Congress
Passed by House
Merchant Marine &
Fisheries Committee; full
House consideration next
Mark-up expected to be
held in September by
House & Senate
merchant marine
subcommittees
Marked-up by House
Coast Guard
Subcommittee; awaiting
action by House
Merchant Marine &
Fisheries Committee
Passed by House of
Representatives;
awaiting action by the
Senate Appropriations
Committee
Passed by House
Merchant Marine &
Fisheries Committee; full
House consideration next
eight labor unions representing
maritime workers called for rapid
enactment of the reform package.
Within the reform package are
means to help U.S.-flag shipping
companies acquire new vessels,
including governmental pay
ments for up to 74 militarily use
ful commercial ships.
While both Card and legis
lators who serve on maritime
committees have stated their
hopes to pass the legislation by
the end of the year, neither the
House nor the Senate have
scheduled a mark-up session as of
press time. However, spokesmen
for both the Senate and House
merchant marine subconunittees
said session dates would be set
when the legislators return to
Washington after Labor Day.
Nixing the Seaman Tax
The House Merchant Marine
and Fisheries Committee also has
not set a date for further considera
tion of a bill designed to repeal fees
on merchant mariner documents
and licenses. The Coast Guard
Subcommittee marked up the bill,
H.R. 4693, in May for action by the
full committee.
The legislation was introduced
after the Coast Guard announced
it would implement such fees fol
lowing passage of the Otnnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act of
1990. The proposed cost to
mariners ranges from $35 for a
Z-card with no endorsements to
$135 for an AB or QMED endor
sement to $330 for upper level
licenses.
Looking for Sealift Funds
Appropriation bills fund the
federal government for the period
October 1,1992 to Septemter 30,
1993. The House passed the
Defense biU (H.R. 5504) on July 2
with $801.4 million for sealift left
intact. Those fiinds, combined with
$2.7 billion already available,
could be used to acquire vessels
necessary to satisfy the recommen
dations of the Mobility Require
ments Study based on the actions
taken during the Persian Gulf war
and issued in January.
A bill to amend the Passenger
Service Act to prohibit foreign-flag
cruise-to-nowhere voyages awaits
action by the House of Repre
sentatives. The House Merchant
Marine and Fisheries Committee
passed the legislation in August
The bill also would codify U.S.
Customs Service and court rulings
that passenger vessels engaged in
the coastwise trade be U.S. built
and owned.
ITB Olive /Ifoore Returns to Great Lakes after Conversion
The tugboat Olive L Moore, shown above with the barge McKee Sons, relumed to the Great Lakes earlier
this season after being fitted with a new twin-rudder ship control system. Operated by Upper Lakes Towing
of Escanaba, Mich., and crewed top to bottom with SIU members, the integrated tug/barge fiauls salt, stone
and ore all over the Great Lakes region. While the Moore was built in 1928, the McKee Sons recently was
converted into a barge from a steamboat hull. Upper Lakes operates one other steamboat ttiat fias been
converted into a tug/barge—the Joe Thompson/and//.
•fl
SEFrEMBER1992
- I '.-.-••.-i:.;.i>'i.'.
SEAFARERS LOG 3
AFL-CIO Sees Loss
Of 500,000 Jobs
In New Trade Pact
rrnrrnr I I Ml
AP/Wlde World Photos
A trade agreement negotiated
by the Bush administration with
the governments of Mexico and
Canada must be measured in
terms of how American workers
will fare, according to the AFL-
CIO and its affiliated unions, in
cluding the Seafarers
International Union.
The so-called free trade pact
with Mexico and Canada, or the
"North American Free Trade
Agreement" (NAFTA), which
now goes to Congress for ratifica
tion or rejection, in theory is
designed to reduce trade barriers
among the three nations and by
that create jobs and prosperity for
the citizenry.
Proponents of the pact, which
the Bush administration last
month announced had been
signed by all three countries, also
believe it will allow the United
States to compete with a unified
European market and the
economically powerful Japan and
other Asian Pacific Rim
(J 3 Scenes like these are envisioned by the AFL-CIO as a
result of new trade pact with Mexico that will see factories
fleeing from the United States. The man pictured above lost
his job when the General Motors Fisher Body assembly plant in Flint,
Mich, closed in 1987.
countries.
While agreeing with the goals
of job creation and a strong
American economy, opponents
of NAFTA—including the AFL-
CIO and its affiliated unions, en
vironmental groups, many farrher
organizations, among others
believe the pact as it stands now
will result in massive lay-offs,
more than 500,000 in a few years
because of a huge transfer of U.S.
capital south of the border. The
pact also will result in weakened
U.S. communities and a lower
standard of living for American
workers.
Cindy Slephen/UAW/So/AHari^ MagazlnB
In Mexico, if the proposed NAFTA agreement goes
into effect, hundreds of U.S. companies will relocate
and invest in factories south of the border, making
products to sell back in the U.S. Many already have. Pictured above
is a General Motors plant in Matamoros, Mexico.
Looking for Profits
With increased profits as a mo
tive, it is not unnatural for
American investment dollars to
seek the so-called advantages of
setting up production facilities in
Mexico. In wages, the 1990
Mexican minimum wage was
equivalent to 59 cents per hour. In
the United States the federal min
imum wage is $4.25.
The average 1990 manufactur
ing wage in Mexico is $1.80, al
though this is lower in the 2,000-
mile area bordering the Unitec
States where thousands of
American companies have estab
lished factories known as "ma-
quiladoras." In the United States
the average 1990 manufacturing
wage is $14.77.
Federal, state and local en
vironmental standards, also in-
plant safety and health
regulations, are far more stringent
in the U.S. than in Mexico.
A Mexican Market?
NAFTA boosters argue job los
ses in the United States will be
made up by the newly-opened
Mexican market This theory con
tends that U.S. jobs will be created
by the need to supply Mexicans
with American-made goods.
However, the AFL-CIO has
pointed out that a nation with one-
third the population of the United
States and with a per person per
capita income of $2,010 per year
does not make a market of suffi
cient capacity and unmet needs to
generate the more than half a mil
lion American jobs that would be
lost because of the transfer to
Mexico of U.S. manufacturing
capability.
Studies, More Studies
To put Mexico's economy in
jerspective, it has been noted that
jusinesses in the state of Florida
produce as much in goods and
services annually as all the busi
nesses in Mexico. And Florida's
population is one-seventh of that
of Mexico. All told, the Mexican
economy has only 5 percent of
U.S. buying power.
The Bush administration, in
attempting to sell the trade treaty
with Mexico to a skeptical
American public facing high un
employment and a sputtering
economy, has cited several
studies by economists to prop up
its case. However, for every
economist who sees growth and
prosperity for the American
worker in NAFTA, there is
another economist who charts
thousands of U.S. job losses and
declining American wages.
The AFL-CIO has noted that
the Bush administration is fond of
arguing that for every billion dol
lars of U.S. exports, 20,000 jobs
are created. The federation has
pointed out that the
administration's glowing num
bers fail to consider the reverse:
For every billion dollars of excess
imports to the United States,
20,000 jobs are lost.
The Economic Policy Institute
(EPI), a Washington, D.C.-based
group of economists, analyzed
three of the studies cited by the
Bush administration and found
them wanting. In an analysis of the
three studies, EPI found that the
rosy projections for NAFTA were
made possible by making two as
sumptions—first, a full employ
ment economy in the U.S. and
second, no transfer of investment
from the United States to Mexico.
One-Seventh of U.S. Wages
By using the same studies and
factoring in a small transfer of
American investment to Mexico,
EPI found a 550,000 job loss for
the U.S. and a reduction of U.S.
gross domestic product (GDP) of
$36 billion over 10 years.
EPFs report concluded, ". . .
the attraction of Mexico for U.S.
manufacturers is not Mexico's
small consumer economy, it is the
labor force of almost 30 million
willing to work for wages that
average one seventh of ours in
Mexican manufacturing and one
fourteenth in maquiladoras."
A group of economists from
the University of Massachusetts,
Amherst and Skidmore College
estimate that NAFTA will force
job losses in both Mexico and the
United States. This group argues
that imported com from the U.S.
and Canada will force 800,000 to
2,000,000 Mexican corn
producers into unemployment.
Even the 680,000jobs created by
the transfer of U.S. investment to
Mexico will not offset these job
losses, state the economists. Ad-
Continued on page 5
The 'Brotherhooci of the Sea' Comes to Aid of Hurricane Victims
In Storm, Ships Crewed, Moved to Sea
Relief supplies donated by
SIU members from the ports of
New York and Jacksonville are
arriving in south Florida to help
fellow Seafarers who were caught
by the destructive force of Hur
ricane Andrew late last month.
Members and their families
have donated boxes of food,
water and clothing to help those
who suffered losses.
Pensioner Pedro Mena, son
AB Ron Mena and family lost
everything when the 160-plus
mile-per-hour winds destroyed
their home in Cutler Ridge, a sub
urb 10 miles south of Miami.
AJso, Steward William Robles
and his family lost part of the roof
of their home in Homestead, Fla.,
approximately 20 miles south of
Miami. Robles has been without
electricity and running water
since the storm, but told Port Rep
resentative Ambrose Cucinotta,
who is based in Dania, Fla., his
family is lucky because their
home remained standing after the
storm.
The first Seafarer-donated
supplies from New York arrived
in Dania on September 2 and
promptly were delivered to the
Menas, who told Cucinotta how
grateful they were that other
members remembered them.
"This means a lot to my family
and me to know the 'Brotherhood
of the Sea' was there when we
needed them," Ron Mena said
when he saw the relief packages.
Andrew slammed into south
Florida during the pre-dawn Seafarers at the SIU hall in New York pack boxes with food and other items to help hurricane victims.
Continued on page 6 Pictured from left are Bert Macary, John Perez, Saleh Hasson, Larry Brown, John Wolfe and John Halpin.
~ '.i'
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4 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTBRRER1992
CredenRals Commitlee Reviews
Neminatiens far AGUWD RaUat
The credentials committee
made up of six rank-and-file
Seafarers has reviewed al
nominating petitions of SIU mem
bers seeking office in the 1992 dis-
trictwide elections in the union's
Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inlanc
Waters District (AGLIWD).
1:t
i». If - " •
V*:" •H
'I-.
• 'X,
•Fi
u-
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The full text of the
credentials committee
report appears on page 9.
After meeting on August 17
and studying the nomination ap
plications to ensure each can
didate had complied with the
criteria set out in the SIU's con
stitution, the credentials commit
tee issued its report, which will be
presented to the membership for
its approval at the September
meetings.
Twenty-eight candidates for
27 ballot positions qualified to
run in the election, which takes
place November 1 through
December 31, reported the
credentials conunittee members
who were elected at the August
headquarters membership meet
ing in Piney Point.
Elected to serve on August 3
were Bosun Steve Parr, 41, firom
the port of New Orleans; AB
Woodrow Shelton Jr,, 37, from
the port of Piney Point; Electrician
Jeff McCranie, 31, from the port
of Piney Point; QMED John
Wong, 53, from the port of San
Francisco; Chief Steward Brian
Burchette, 25, from the port of
Honolulu and Chief Steward
Donald Williams, 31, from the
port of Jacksonville.
At the August meeting, SIU
Secretary-Treasurer John Fay
called the election to order for the
credentials committee positions.
Studying the petitions filed by various members are (left to right) AB
Woodrow Shelton Jr., Chief Steward Brian Burchette, Bosun Steve
Parr and Electrician Jeff McCranie.
Members had to present their
union books in order to be
nominated to the committee.
Each person seeking to serve in
troduced himself to the member
ship before voting took place with
the results being made Imown im
mediately.
Al! Departments Represented
The AGLIWD constitution es
tablishes guidelines for the
credentials committee in Article
XIII, Section 2. The committee is
to be elected at the port where
headquarters is located (Piney
Point). Committee membership
consists of six full book members
composed of two members from
each of the three shipboard
departments—deck, engine and
steward. No elected official or
candidate for office is permitted
o serve on the committee.
Members seeking the position
of president, executive vice presi-
QMED John Wong (left) and Chief
Steward Donald Williams review
the qualifying petitions submitted
by members seeking to run in the
1992 SIU AGLIWD election.
dent, secretary-treasurer, vice
prefsident, assistant vice presi
dent, one of two headquarters rep
resentative positions or one of 10
port agent posts had to submit
nominating papers between July
15 and August 15.
Subic Bay U.S. Naval Operations
Move to Guam, Singapore, Japan
All U.S. Navy operations, in
cluding Military Sealift Com
mand-Pacific Fleet (MSCPAC)
naval support services, are "basi
cally over" at the U.S. milit^base
at Subic Bay in the Philippines,
according to a Navy spokesman.
Subic Bay activities have
moved to bases throughout the
Pacific theater, including Guam,
Singapore and Japan. Lt. Ken
Ross, who works in the office of
the commander-in-chief for the
Navy's Pacific Fleet, noted
MSCPAC vessels already have
been calling on these ports since
the withdrawal from the base was
announced last September when
the Filipino government refused
to extend its lease.
Ross told the Seafarers LOG
that the withdrawal from Subic
Bay is moving ahead of schedule.
"Our plans were to have every
thing—cranes, barges.
drydock—moved out before bad
weather and typhoons hit (in mid-
August)," he said. "That has been
done. TTie move basically is over
for MSCPAC vessels."
(The SIU's Government Ser
vices Division represents the un
licensed crewmembers aboard
MSCPAC vessels.)
Ross added operations in
Guam were fully functional while
the post in Singapore is "almost at
full strength."
The U.S. government plans to
tum over the base to the Philip
pines on December 16. However,
that date could be moved up be-
cause of the speed of the
withdrawal, Ross added.
Following the eruption of
Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the U.S.
decided not to rebuild heavily
damaged Clark Air Base and to
seek an extension on the lease for
Subic Bay, which is 50 miles west
of Manila. Despite support from
forma: president Corazon Aquino,
the Philippine senate reject^ the
extension.
Gentry Moore Dies at 67;
Was San Fran. Patrolman
Gentry Moore, SIU patrolman
in the port of San Francisco and a
key figure in the SIU-AGLIWD's
merger with the Marine Cooks
and Stewards, passed away
August 1 after a long bout witfi
cancer. He was 67.
Brother Moore's popularity
among Seafarers from all ports
and districts and different walks
of life was reflected by the swift
reaction to news of his passing.
For example, the SIU crew
aboard the Sea-Land Developer
immediately sent condolences to
his family. (That crew consisted
of deck department members H
Gibbs, T. Bryant, K. Sbaibi, G.
Holland and G. Lusk, engine
department members J.
Pamlniano, J. Ross and R.
Llanes, and steward department
members M. Baker, L. Finn, J.
Ross and R. Gegenbeimer.)
Joined in 1946
A native of Jackson, Miss.,
Moore joined the Marine Cooks
and Stewards in San Francisco in
1946. He usually shipped out of
San Francisco and sailed on the
South American runs aboard
Moore-McCormick Lines.
Brother Moore became an
MC&S official in 1967, then was
elected a San Francisco port
employee for the SIU in 1978, the
year of the merger.
Gentty Moore was one of the
most dedicated, sincere and reli
able union representatives I have
ever worked with," said George
McCartney, SIU vice president
West Coast.
Buck Mercer, SIU vice presi
dent Government Services
Division, knew Moore for 30
(fears. "He helped everybody,"
Gentry Moore
Mercer said. "He was one of the
best. Gentry was a good union
official and he got along with
everybody—shipowners and
merchant mariners alike.
'Gave to Maritime Labor'
California State Senator Mil
ton Marks (D), chairman of the
California Senate Select Com
mittee on Maritime Industry,
wrote in a letter to Gentry
Moore's wife, Delores, "Gentry
was highly respected ... he gave
greatly of himself to the maritime
abor movement and to the com
munity. It was an honor to have
adjourned the Senate in his
memory."
In addition to Mrs. Moore,
Gentry is survived by four
daughters and numerous
grandchildren.
Donations in Gentry Moore's
memory may be sent to the
United Negro College Fund, 500
East 62nd Street, New York, NY
10027.
Rescues by MSCPAC Vessels
Save Twe Marbwrs' Uves
One of many vessels used to evacuate the Navy base at Subic Bay, the SlU-crewed MaerskConstellation
loads some of the equipment to be taken from the last American military post in the Philippines.
Quick responses by crew-
members aboard two Military
Sealift Command-Pacific Fleet
MSCPAC) vessels, whose un
licensed crewmembers are repre
sented by the SIU's Government
Services Division, helped save
the lives of two mariners earlier
this year, the U.S. Navy agency
announced last month.
The USNS Kilauea, MSC's
only ammunitions vessel, rescued
one of its own sailors who was
swept overboard in the southern
'acific in May. Petty Officer
Second Class Kenneth C. Nor-
mand lost his footing and landed
in the sea when the Kilauea took
a heavy roll to port in the middle
of the night.
Saved by Shipmate
The mishap was seen by a fel
low crewmember who iirunedi-
ately alerted the bridge. By the
time Normand surfaced, the 564-
foot vessel already was a length
away.
The Kilauea, which is 81 feet
wide and has a range of 18,000
nautical miles, turned around and
launched a helicopter which pin
pointed Normand's location in
the ocean. The petty officer was
rescued and returned to the ship
in a lifeboat. Although he swal
lowed a large amount of sea
water, Normand suffered no sig
nificant injuries.
(The Kilauea is schedule to
sail to the West Coast at the end
time in several years the vessel
will be in the U.S.)
The other rescue operation
was performed by the fleet oiler
USNS Andrew J. Higgins on
Easter (April 19) morning. The
ship, which can carry 180,000
barrels of gas turbine and diesel
fuel, was conducting underway
replenishments for vessels of the
U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet
Immediate Medical Care
The 677.5-foot Higgins, a
Henry J. Kaiser class vessel
operating in the western Pacific,
received an urgent request for
medical assistance for an injured
Korean mariner sailing aboard
the South Korean merchant ship
Hyundai Nine. The mariner had
suffered a serious injury to an arm
when he fell 20 feet the previous
day.
The oiler's motor boat
transported the injured mariner to
the Higgins where he received
preliminary treatment before a
helicopter from the USS Bunker
Hill took him to a hospital in the
Philippines. (The Higgins' land
ing platform for helicopters is
usually utilized in conducting
vertical replenishment.)
The medical officer for the
Bunker Hill, Navy Lt. Tony Mas-
sp3
Hi
:y, noted the action taken by the
iggins' crew "most likely saved
of November, marking the first his life.
the mariner's arm and possibly
—
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'mm
SEmMBER 1992 SEAFARERS LOG
Pro-Runaway Trade Pact
Goes Before Gengress bi '93
Continued from page 3
ditionally, the movement o
American capital to Mexican-
based manufacturing will result
in a decrease of 290,000 to
490,000 American jobs, they say.
These economists estimate
American wages will go down
because of NAFTA, predicting a
decline of 2.3 percent.
Maquiladoras
The studies showing severe
job losses in the United States
under NAFTA are backed up by
the experience of the maquiladora
program. For more than a decade,
through government policy, U.S.
companies have been encouraged
to establish manufacturing fac
tories in Mexico, along the U.S.
border. The products from these
plants are exported into the
United States market at reduced
tariffs.
The result of this government-
sanctioned program is the reloca
tion of 500,000 American jobs.
While the United States has
lost 951,000 manufacturing jobs
since the early '80s, the ma
quiladoras have increased
employment from 120,000 in
1980 to now more than 500,000
workers, who earn as little as 50
cents to $1.25 an hour, including
insurance and other benefits.
The explosion of manufactur
ing sites along the border has
given rise to hundreds of boom-
towns and squatter communities,
filled with cardboard shanties and
housing made from scrap wood
for the thousands of workers who
have come to fill positions build
ing cars, making furniture, as
sembling tele-communication
and electronics components,
manufacturing car parts.
Despite living conditions
characterized by insufficient and
inadequate housing, lack of run
ning water or sewage facilities
and spotty electricity, thousands
of Mexicans stream into towns
along the frontier to take jobs that
were once performed in Philadel
phia; Cortland, N.Y.; Radford,
Va.; Evansville, Ind.; Flint,
Mich.; Los Angeles; Springfield,
Basic Economic and Social Indicators
U.S., Canada, Mexico
U.S. Canada Mexico
Population
1990
250,000,000 27,000,000 88,000,000
GNP
1989
$5233 billion $514 billion $187 billion
GNP
Per Capita 1989
$21,082 $19,600 $2,165
Minimum Hourly
Wage 1990
$4.25 $3.35 $0.59^
Manufacturing 1980
Average Hourly Wage
$13.85 $13.53 $1.99 overall
,98 Maquiladora
ManufaGturina1997
Average Hourly Wage
$14.77 $16.02 $1.80 overall
1.25 Maquiladora
' WsBWy minimum wage of 11894.00 pews, poso-toOonar rate 2920.00: hourly minimum wago In doBais 0.59.
SOURCE: An-OlO material from the Economic Comlssion for UUn America antf the Carlbbbean: AFLOlO material from the
World DevBlo|*nenl Report the World Fact Book, OOL; Department of Latior; emtraeay of Canada.
Mo.; Baltimore, Md. and so on.
The maquiladoras, free of
strict environmental standards
and free of rigorous enforcement
of the nominal regulations that
are on the books, dump toxic
materials into the air, water and
soil. These contaminants pose a
threat to all those living on either
side of the border.
While the United States has
lost hundreds of thousands of
jobs, it has gained a pollution
nightmare, stemming from the
side of the border beyond the
reach of American laws.
Europe's Trade Pact
The AfT-CIO, in testimony to
the Congress and in submissions
to the United States Trade Repre
sentative, notes there is an alter
nate trade model to follow other
than the maquiladora program.
For example, the AFL-CIO said,
in preparing for free trade and
meaningful integration of nation
al economies between the
countries of Europe, the
European Community (EC) real
ized a great deal of attention
would have to be paid to the gap
between so-called "rich" and
poor" European nations.
The EC recognized the
economies of Greece, Portugal
and Spain, with lower wages than
West Germany, France and the
United Kingdom, as well as other
nations, could drive down living
standards across Europe once
economic borders came down.
Thus, before the united
European market goes into place
at the end of this year, the EC has
spent the last 15 years transfer
ring direct government aid to the
poorer EC nations designed to
raise wages, regularize safety and
environmental standards, im
prove living conditions and
generally accelerate develop
ment.
The Future
The AFL-CIO, the SIU and
other affiliated unions will be as
king Congress to take a second
look at the NAFTA agreement
when it is considered early next
year.
The opponents of NAFTA in
tend to urge Congress to vote
down the Bush administration's
NAFTA proposals. Under the
"fast track" authority extended to
the administration last year by
Congress, the legislators now
only can accept or reject the
proposed agreement. The AFL-
CIO also will urge repre
sentatives and senators to revise
the rules under which trade agree-
ments are debated so the
American people will have an op
portunity to hear a full airing of
all aspects and consequences of
the proposed trade treaty with
Mexico and Canada.
Additionally, the AFL-CIO
will be working with elected offi
cials and other policy-makers to
formulate a national trade policy
that makes the welfare and
security of American workers,
their families and their com
munities and U.S. economic
growth its centerpiece.
Jeffry Scott/Impact Visuals
Workers at Zenith's Springfield, Mo. plant meet for the last time in the
employee parking area as the plant is shutting down. In February
1992, these Zenith workers, and 1,500 others, were laid off. The
company announced it was moving production to Mexico.
lUENews
Zenith is one of hundreds of U.S. companies that has transferred
production to maquiladora plants in Mexico located near the U.S.
border. However, Zenith has not transferred its customers. The giant
company continues selling its products to Americans.
PANICS DC TEtCVISlbN K
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A paycheck stub belonging to a Zenith employee nete 71,700 pesos.
In February 1990, this was equal to $26.16 for a 48-hour work week.
This maquiladora worker earned 61 cents an hour gross pay.
Plants 1,886 2000
1500
1000
1980 1984 1987 1990
Employees
500,000
4 <M»o
1980 1984 1987 1^
HMlttM •nd'Btnoo
'Free Trade' Already Exists, And It's No Paradise
Since the early 1980s, the number
of jobs has skyrocketed in Mexican
towns and cities near the U.S. bor
der. Bringing hundreds of
thousands of Mexican workers to
these areas are maquiladoras, the
plants established by U.S. com
panies taking advantage of govern
ment offered tariff advantages.
In 1980 there were 605 maquiladora
filants employing 120,000 workers,
n 1990, 1,886 maquiladoras
employed half a million people. At
wages as low as 50 cents an hour
ligh
tions are abysmal. Because the ma-
wag
and as high as $1.80, living condi-
tmestoMoia/ACTWU
quiladoras operate free of
government environmental and
safety regulations, pollution is ram
pant m streams, the soil and air.
Ernesto Mora/ACTWU Jim SaMAFL-aO NEWS
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6 SEAFARERS LOa SEFTEMRER1992
PMnen New, U.S.-BuiH Contalnership
SIUNA members are crewing
ih&MVRJ. Pfeijfer, the first large
commercial ship built in the
United States since 1987.
The 714-foot Pfeijfer,
operated by San Francisco-based
Matson Navigation Co., late last
month completed its maiden
voyage from Oakland, Calif, to
Hawaii. The building cost was
$129 million and did not include
government subsidies.
The ship is named after
Matson's chairman and will
operate with a crew of 21.
The Pfeijfer features a 992-ton
diesel engine which is nearly four
stories high. Matson's eight other
long-haul vessels are less fuel ^i-
... steam-powered ships. The
Matson Navigation Company's new 714-foot containership MVR.J. Pfe/ffer departs San Francisco Bay diesel engine may reduce
on its maiden voyage to Honolulu. fuel costs by as much as 40 percent.
The ship's main route will be
between Los Angeles and
Honolulu. It is expected to make
26 round-trip voyages per year.
The Pfeijfer was built at Na
tional Steel and Shipbuilding Co.
in San Diego. It took two-and-a-
half years to complete. (Like all
other Matson ships, the Pfeijfer is
serving only U.S. ports. There
fore, according to provisions in
the Jones Act, it is required to be
built domestically.)
The unlicensed positions on
the vessel will be manned by
members of the SIUNA affiliated
unions—AGLIWD for the galley
crew; Sailors' Union Of the
Pacific, deck gang; and Marine
Firemen's Union for the engine
department members.
Seafarers Launch Donatien Drive
Continued from page 3
hours of August 24, crossed the
peninsula, entered the Gulf of
Mexico, then hit south central
Louisiana during the night of
August 25-26. While many
people lost homes and other pos
sessions in Louisiana, the area is
not as populated as where
Andrew raced through the Miami
suburbs. As of press time, neither
the New Orleans nor Houston
SIU halls had heard from any
members affected by Andrew in
Louisiana.
After the storm, "I told the
guys we had some members in
trouble. They said they wanted to
help in a food drive," said Assis
tant Vice President Kermett
Mangram, who works in the port
of New York. "The next day, we
had 15 cases of food—rice,
beans, peas, water, etc. Everyone
participated and some of the local
merchants donated."
Before Andrew hit both
Florida and Louisiana, the ports
of Jacksonville, New Orleans and
Houston were busy crewing fast
sealift vessels docked in reserve
status in their areas. Within 24
hours of notification. New Or
leans had crewed the USNS
Regulus and USNS Pollux docked
in Gretna, La., while Houston
filled the jobs on the USNS
Denebola and USNS Algol. All
four ships sailed toward Mexico
to wait out the hurricane. While
the USNS Antares arid USNS
Capella were placed on alert in
Jacksonville, they did not have to
sail as the storm stayed 350 miles
to the south.
The only SlU-contracted ves
sel directly affected by Andrew
was the Senator, a Crowley
American Transport RO/RO,
which was tied up in Port
Everglades, Fla. for engine
repairs. A reduced crew led by
Bosun Donald Wagner helped
secure the ship for the storm.
The Senator was moved to
where it could ride out the storm
on an east/west axis fore and aft
Both anchors were dropped anc
all available lines were used to tie
up the vessel. Preparations took
12 hours, according to Captain Ec
Seca.
"All of us on board, anc
Gwendolyn Shinholster, our
steward—everybody helped. The
good part is the way people
worked together to help," Seca
said.
Seca recorded sustained winds
between 60 and 80 miles-per-
hour with gusts up to 100 during
the height of Anch-ew whose eye
passed 35 miles to the south.
The other SIU crewmembers
who rode out the storm on the
Senator included QMEDs Merle
Duckworth, Kelly Feldman and
Alfred Lane; Wiper Curtis
Lang and Steward Assistant
Andre Keller.
GeneralJohnson Retires; Oversaw
Transportation Logistics in Gnif War
The man who directed the
transportation logistics of the
largest rapid military deployment
in history has retired from active
military duty.
Air Force General Hansford T.
Johnson turned over the top job of
the U.S. Transportation Com
mand last month to fellow Air
Force General Ronald R.
Fogleman during ceremonies at
Scott Air Force Base, 111.
Johnson led the command,
which controls the movement of
U.S. troops and their equipment
and supplies, during the Persian
Gulf war. In that capacity, he also
oversaw the operation of U.S.-
flag merchant ships that carried
troops and materiel to and from
Saudi Arabia coordinated by the
Military Sealift Command, which
was dien headed by Vice Admiral
Francis R. Donovan.
Moved to Transcom in '89
A native of Aiken, S.C.,
Johnson graduated from the Air
Force Academy in 1959. He flew
423 combat missions over South
and North Vietnam during 1967
and 1968.
After holding numerous posi
tions within the Air Force,
Johnson was deputy commander
in chief of the U.S. Central Com
mand in 1987. He took over the
the military's transportation coor
dination agency in 1989 and held
Gen. Hansford T. Johnson
the position until his retirement.
Prior to replacing Johnson,
Fogleman served as die head of
the Seventh Air Force, deputy
commander of U.S. forces in
Korea and commander of the
joint U.S. and South Korean air
command.
'Changing Times'
Bom in Juniata County, Pa., he
graduated from the Air Force
Academy in 1963. Fogleman
completed 315 combat missions
over southeast Asia between
1968 and 1970. He has served the
Air Force in various positions in
Gen Ronald R. Fogleman
the U.S. and Europe.
At the change d command
ceremony at the Transportation
Command, Fogleman noted, "On
my watch, in all likelihood,
change will be the hallmark of
this command.
"Changes in the world order,
changing threat and a changing
resource environment demand
change in our organizational
stmcture and outlook. We must
focus on our new charter and
what we are asked to do, what we
do best—^provide global mobility
in support of America's security
interests."
AB Ron Mena Recalls
Horror of Andrew
The Menas have begun working on their home since it was struck by
Hurricane Andrew. Since the storm, roof shingles have been put back.
A view of the Mena's suburban Miami neighborhood hit by Andrew.
The worst part of living
through Hurricane Andrew, ac
cording to AB Ron Mena, was
not knowing if any of the debris
banging and slamming against the
house was going to destroy the
structure and leave its occupants
unprotected.
Mena, an able bodied seaman
who most recently sailed on the
Senator, rode out the storm with
its 160-plus mile-per-hour winds
on the morning of August 24 in
the Miami suburban home of his
parents (Pensioner and Mrs.
Pedro Mena), then with his aunt
next door.
"Because of all my years at sea,
the wind did not bother me," Mena
told the Seafarers LOG. "I was
sleeping in a room in my parents'
house when the roof started leaking
on me. Uie house was fiill (of fami-
y members), so I moved to my
aunt's next door to stay with them
)ecause they were scared."
Once the wind started picking
up a few hours later, however, the
storm's ferocity became ap-
)arent. Mena joined the rest of the
"amily under mattresses for
protection.
"The doors sounded like they
were going to come off. The win
dows were breaking. We could
hear debris smacking the house
and we had no idea what it was."
After the storm had passed by
late morning, Mena joined the
family and neighbors in assessing
the damage. "The neighborhood
was destroyed," he said.
While the AB lost only some
clothing, his parents fared far
worse. "The house is non-livable.
It has four walls, but there is no air
(conditioning) and electricity.
They may not have power for two
months. All the furnishings are
ruined."
The leak in Mena's room even
tually led to the storm tearing the
roof off Perisioner Mena's home.
The family's satellite dish was
found down the road in 10 pieces.
His mother's car was damaged
baidly. A pick-up truck tool bed was
found in the Mena's backyard.
They have no idea how it got there.
Collection Under Way
At All SIU Halls
Donations of food, water,
medicine, money and other use
ful items for Hurricane Andrew
victims are being collected at all
SIU halls. Seafarers and their
families are urged to bring their
donations to a local SIU hall.
The materials collected will go
first to brother and sister Seaterers
who need the assistance, and next
to other trade unionists in the dls-
aster-etruck areas.
^ y-i
SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERS LOG 7
Top Performance Awards Go to 7 MSCPAC Siiips
The fleet oiler USNS Andrew J.
Higgins was named the best ship in
the Military Sealift Command,
Pacific Fleet (MSCPAC) and
received the Vice Admiral Roy A.
Gano Award for its service in the
Persian Gulf during 1991.
Besides receiving the Gano
award, which is named for a
former Military Sea Transporta
tion Service commander, the/fig
ging was one of seven vessels
names as 1991 "Smart Ships"
within MSCPAC. These awards
are based on a ship's achieve
ments while on assignment as
well as during command inspec
tions. Vessels usually compete
against other ships performing
similar missions. The Gano
award is for the most outstanding
vessel in MSCPAC.
The other Smart Ship winners
were the USNS Navajo, USNS
Kawishiwi, USNSKilauea, USNS
Observation Island, USNS Zeus
and USNS Mercy.
The SIU's Government Ser
vices Division represents the un
licensed mariners on MSCPAC
vessels, including the Higgins.
According to MSCPAC, the
Higgins and its crew performed
beyond the call of duty to earn the
award. The vessel left port in July
1990 for a brief deployment in the
Indian Ocean, then a trip to Sin
gapore. However, the Iraqi in
vasion of Kuwait the following
month changed that. The fleet
oiler was refueling the USS Inde
pendence and its escorts to allow
them to steam into the Gulf of
Oman. The ship conducted un
derway replenishments in the
Middle East until it struck an un
charted reef in the North Arabian
Seain Janu^ 1991 that put it out
of commission for two months.
Longest Deployment
The Higgins returned to the
Persian Gulf to assist several U.S.
and allied task forces from
Kuwait City to the Straits of Hor-
muz before returning to its
homeport in August 1991. Its
380-day deployment is believed
to be the longest by any Military
Sealift Command vessel.
The USNS Navajo, a tugboat,
had an active year dong the U.S.
Pacific coast. It towed the USS
New Jersey from Long Beach,
Calif, to Bremerton, Wash, and
Vice Adm. Buicher Dies;
SeugM Stnmg Fleet
Vice Admiral Paul D. Butcher called
for a strong U.S.-shipping capability
at 1990 MID board meeting.
Vice Admiral Paul D. Butcher
(Ret.), the second-in-command of
the U.S. Transportation Com
mand during the Persian Gulf
war, suffered a fatal heart attack
August 2 in his Tampa, Fla. apart
ment
Butcher, 62, was a leading
proponent for a strong U.S.-flag
merchant marine. At the 1990
Maritime Trades Department ex
ecutive board meeting. Butcher
warned that the decline in U.S.-
flag merchant ships could leave
America "incapable of support
ing our combatant forces either
for unit equipment or sustainable
issues and we'll rent a ship to
fight a war."
Prior to serving as deputy
commander of the military's
transport logistics arm, the West
Virginia native was the head of
the Military Sealift Command.
Butcher joined the Navy in
1948 as an apprentice seaman. He
received his commission as an en
sign in 1953 after graduating
from Marshall University. He
was known as an officer who
stood up for his sailors and who
wanted to know everyone on his
vessels.
He served as the commanding
officer aboard the USS
Mosopelea, USS Camp, USS
Josephus Daniels and USS Ok
lahoma City. He also was the flag
officer for Task Forces 73 and 75.
Some of Butcher's shoreside
assignments were as commander.
Naval Surface Group, Westem
Pacific and deputy commander-
in-chief and chief of staff, U.S.
Atlantic Fleet.
After retiring from the Navy
last year. Butcher was named
chairman of the board and chief
executive officer of the American
Ship Building Co. in Tampa.
The USNS Andrew J. Higgins was named by the MSG the best ship in the Military Sealift Command,
Pacific Fleet. The SIU's Govemment Services Division represents the unlicensed mariners on the Higgins.
served as the lead search and
recovery platform for the dis
covery of two Orion aircraft that
collided off the coast of San
Diego. It also was involved in
other towing jobs, including one
for oceanographic experiments.
The USNS Kawishiwi took the
Smart Ship honors for older fleet
oilers. In its last full year of opera-
tions, the "flag ship of the
MSCPAC San Diego fleet," as it
is known, provided underway
replenishments for Navy vessels
training off southern California. It
also operated with the USNS Kitty
Hawk in the Gulf of Tehuantepec
off the southern coast of Mexico
and with a destroyer squadron in
the Gulf of Alaska.
Besides receiving a Smart
Ship designation, the USNS
Kilauea also was named the
Seventh Fleet's 1991 Logistics
Ship of the Year. The vessel
provided various battle groups
with ammunition during Desert
Storm and Desert Shield.
Aided Disaster Victims
It was caught in Subic Bay
when Mount Pinatubo erupted.
The ship provided food, water
and messages to MSCPAC
families in the Philippines during
the disaster. Then it participated
in the withdrawal from the base.
The USNS Observation Is
land continued to serve as the
leader among afloat missile
tracking platforms used to
verify foreign ballistic missile
tests. The vessel was at sea more
than 80 percent of its operation
al time in 1991.
The cable ship USNS Zeus was
underway more than 300 days in
1991 working in both the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans. It is a repeat
winner.
By being in the Middle East
and ready for whatever casualties
may have occurred, the hospital
ship USNS Mercy also was recog
nized as a Smart Ship.
Capt. L Pivonka to Head MSCPAC
Captain L. Michael Pivonka is
the new head of the Military
Sealift Command, Pacific Fleet
(MSCPAC).
Pivonka succeeds Captain
Raymond W. Addicott, who has
led MSCPAC for the last two
years. Addicott, a 30-year Navy
veteran, retired from service fol
lowing the change of command.
Prior to taking over MSCPAC,
whose unlicensed , personnel are
Mew MSCPAC commander, Captain L.M. Pivonka, talks with Roy
Buck" Mercer, SlU vice president for govemment services, during the
recent decommission exercises aboard the USNS Kawishiwi.
represented by the SIU's Govem
ment Services Division, Pivonka
held several assignments both at
sea and ashore.
He was the commanding of
ficer aboard the USS Kiska, USS
San Jose and USS Kansas City.
He served as the aide/flag
secretary with the commander of
the Naval Surface Group,
Westem Pacific, later becoming
the chief of staff for the same
organization.
The native of Kansas joined
the Navy in 1964 after complet
ing officer candidate school. Im
mediately before his assignment
at MSCPAC, Pivonka was sta
tioned at MSC headquarters in
Washington, D.C. where he
headed the Command, Control,
Communication and Computer
Systems Office.
MSC Cemmander Denevan Retiies; Kaiieies Named Successer
The man who directed the
largest and fastest sealift in his
tory, Vice Admiral Francis R.
Donovan, last month stepped
down as commander of the U.S.
Navy's Military Sealift Com
mand (MSC). Donovan retired
after 40 years with the U.S. Navy.
Vice Admiral Michael P. Kal-
leres relieved Donovan during a
ceremony at the Washington,
D.C. Navy Yard on August 17.
Kalleres had been serving as
conunander of the U.S. Second
Fleet. Previously, he commanded
the Striking Fleet Atlantic and
Joint Task Force 120, which
operates from Norfolk, Va.
Donovan took command of
MSC in March 1990, five months
before Iraq invaded Kuwait. In
support of the subsequent Opera
tions Desert Shield and Desert
Storm, more than 10 million tons
of equipment, supplies, fuel and
anununition were transported by
sea. By mid-January 1991, MSC
was operating 340 ships around
the world, including more than
280 in direct support of Persian
Gulf operations.
Ninety-five percent of all sup
plies and equipment used during
the gulf war were transported by
sea on MSC-controlled ships.
Began As a Sailor
Donovan began his Navy
career as a sailor recruit in April
1952. He graduated from the U.S.
Naval Academy in 1959.
Kalleres has spent much of his
career serving aboard cruisers,
destroyers and battleships. He
coiimianded the guided missile
destroyer USS Dewey and two
destroyer squadrons.
Directs 150 Ships
While ashore, Kalleres
worked in various Navy financial
management and personnel posi
tions. He was chief financial plan
ner for the Navy and director of
personnel policy.
As the 19th commander of
MSC, Kalleres will direct the
operations of more than 150
ships. MSC is the military's Vice Admiral Francis R. Donovan, Vice Admiral Michael P. Kalleres,
sealift arm, coordinating the USN, stepped down last month as USN, Is the 19th commander of
wateifiome transport ofjnateriel commander of the Navy's Military MSG and will direct mpre than 150
for the U.S. Armed Forces. Sealift Command. military ships.
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SEPTEMBER 1992
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Seafarers: The Time to Register to Vote Is HOWl
To Cast Ballot in Nov. 3 General Election, Most States Require Sign-up by Early October
More than half the
states and the District of
Columbia will close
their voter registration
books the first week of
October, thus keeping
anyone not registered
by then from being able
to vote in the presiden
tial election of Novem
her 3.
This election is im
pOrtant to Seafarers and
their families in many
ways. For the first time
in many years, the ad
ministration and Con
gress are working
together to establish a
national maritime
policy—a key factor
for future job security.
Additionally, the
North American Free
Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) will be ac
cepted or rejected by
the members of the
House of Repre
sentatives and Senate
elected in November.
Bills affecting the
Jones Act, cargo
preference legislation'
and Alaskan oil are ex
pected to be presented
next year that could af
fect members and then-
jobs.
Of course, the num
ber one issue facing the
newly-elected or re
elected president of the
United States and the
newly-elected or re
elected congressmen
and senators is the wor
sening U.S. economy
—joblessness, inade
quate infrastructure, the
skyrocketing cost of
hedth care, and more.
Registration Required
Most states require
residents to be registered
before they can vote.
(The exceptions are
Maine, Minnesota,
North Dakota and Wis
consin, which allow
people to register on
election day.) The only
cost is a few minutes to
fiU out the necessary
paperwork. In many
loc^ities, registration is
being done at shopping
centers, grocery stores
and libraries as well as
voter registration of
fices.
Besides electing the
president and vice
president, 35 Senate
seats and all 435 mem
bers of the House of
Representatives are up
for election. A total of
12 states, Puerto Wco
and American Samoa
will be choosing gover
nors.
fami
Apply Now to Acquire Absentee Ballots
With the November 3 election being only weeks
away, Seafaiere who know they will not be home that
day should apply inunediately for absentee ballots.
Before applying, members need to be registered
to vote. Members on the beach can apply for an
absentee ballot at their local election supervisor or
voter registration office in person, oyer the
telephone or by mail. Each state has individual
rules regarding when the ballots will be available,
which—^in most cases—is no more than 30 days
before the general election.
Members at sea can apply for an absentee ballot
by filling out and mailing the Federal Write-in
Absentee Ballot sent to all vessels and SIU halls
earlier this year.
To use this form, a Seafarer must meet alj the
requirements for being a registered voter in his or
her legal state of residence. He or she must have
requested a regular state absentee baUot early
enough so that after mailing, the request is received
by the appropriate local official at least 30 days
before the election. Finally, voters must be over
seas and have a foreign mailing address or an
APO/FPO postmark.
Political Action Key
Seafarers have a
long tradition of being
politically active be
cause the fate of the
U.S.-flag merchant
marine is affected so
directly by elected offi
cials. Through their
voluntary contributions
to the Seafarers Politi
cal Action Donation
fund (SPAD), members
are able to support can
didates for elected of
fice who back U.S.-flag
shipping. Seafarers and
their families also make
their positions known
by attending rallies and
voting.
Working With AFL-CiO
Another way Sea
farers participate in the
electoral process is
through the AFL-CIO,
the federation of
American trade unions.
At the state and local
levels, the AFL-CIO
provides information
on candidates, their
views on issues and
their voting records to
union members through
the Committee on Politi
cal Education (COPE).
By working with
COPE and the Maritime
Trades Department, the
arm of the AFL-CIO
designed to bring
together all unions that
deal with maritime and
maritime-related fields,
Seafarers join with other
trade unionists in elect
ing candidates who
work in behalf of work
ing people and their
ies.
State by State Registration and Polling Information
STATE
V
Rei^stratlon
Deadllnefor
Ganeral Election
i
Residency
Requirement
More Information
Telephone Number
Senate
Race
Number of
Congressmen
from State
Polling
Hours
Alabama Oct. 23 None (205)242-7210 Yes 7 Varies . |
Alaska Oct. 4 30 days (907)465-4611 Yes 1 7am-8pm |
Am. Samoa Oct. 4 2 years (684) 633-4962 No 1 delegate 6am-6pm
Arizona Oct. 5 29 days (602) 542-8683 Yes 6 6am77pm
Arkansas Oct. 13 None (501)682-1010 Yes 4 7 or 8am-7:30pm
California Oct. 5 None (916) 445-0820 Yes-2 52 7am-8pm
Colorado Oct. 9 32 days (303) 894-2680 Yes 6 7am-7pm
Connecticut Nov. 2 None (203)566-3106 Yes 6 6am-6pm
Delaware Oct. 16 6 months (302)739-4277 No 1 7am-8pm
D.C. Oct. 5 30 days (202)727-2534 No 1 delegate 7am-8pm 1
Florida Oct. 5 None (904) 488-7690 Yes 23 7am-7pm
Georgia Oct. 5 None (404) 656-2871 Yes 11 7am-7pm
Guam Oct. 23 None (671)477-9791 No 1 delegate 8am-8pm
Hawaii Oct. 5 None (808) 453-8683 Yes 2 7am-6pm
Idaho Oct. 23 30 days (208)334-2852 Yes 2 7or8am-8pm
Illinois Oct. 5 30 days ' (217)782-4141 Yes 20 6am-7pm
Indiana Oct. 5 30 days (317)232-3939 Yes 10 6am-7pm
Iowa Oct. 24 10 days (515)281-5865 Yes 5 7am-9pm
Kansas Oct. 19 15 days (913)296-2236 Yes 4 7am-7pm
Kentucky Oct. 5 30 days (502) 564-7100 Yes 6 6am-6pm |
Louisiana Oct. 9 None (504) 389-3940 Yes 7 6am-8pm
Maine Election Day None (207) 289-4189 No 2 6-10am-9pm
Maryland Oct. 5 None (301) 974-3711 Yes 8 7am-8pm
Massachusetts Oct. 6 None (617) 727-2828 No 10 7am-8pm
Michigan
: '.Cii • ' . ^
Oct. 5 ! None (517)373-2540 No 16 7am-8pm
Minnesota Election Day 20 days (612) 296-2805 No 8 7am-8pm
Mississippi Oct. 3 30 days (601) 359-1350 No 5 7am-7pm
Missouri Oct. 14 None (314)751-3295 Yes 9 6am-7pm
Montana Oct. 5 30 days (406) 444-4732 No 1 7am-8pm
Nebraska Oct. 23 None (402) 471-2554 No 3 8-8 central
7-7 mountain
Nevada Oct. 3 30 days (702)687-3176 Yes 2 7am-7pm |
N.Hampshire Oct. 24 10 days (603)271-3242 Yes 2 6-10am-7pm |
New Jersey Oct. 5 30 days (609) 292-3760 No 13 7am-8pm |
New Mexico Oct. 6 None (505) 827-3600 No 3 7am-7pm
NewYork Oct. 10 30 days (518) 474-6220 Yes 31 6am-9pm
N. Carolina Oct. 5 30 days (919) 733-2186 Yes 12 6:30am-
7:30Dm
North Dakota No
reqistration
30 days (701)224-2904 Yes 1 7am-9am-
7pm-9pm
Ohio Oct. 5 30 days (614) 466-2585 Yes 19 6;30am-7:30pm
Oklahoma Oct. 23 None (405)521-2391 Yes 6 7am-7pm
Oregon Oct. 13 20 days (503)378-4144 Yes 5 7am-8pm
Pennsylvania Oct. 5 30 days (717) 787-5280 Yes 21 7am-8pm
Puerto Rico Sept. 14 1 year (809) 724-4979 No 1 res. comm. 8am-4:30pm
Rhode Island Oct. 3 30 days (401) 277-2340 No 2 7am-9pm
S. Carolina Oct. 3 30 days (803) 734-9060 Yes 6 7am-7pm
jsouth Dakota Oct. 19 None (605) 773-3537 Yes 1 8-8 central
7-7 mountain
Tennessee Oct. 3 20 days (615)741-7956 No 9 varies by county
Texas Oct. 4 None (512) 463-5701 No 30 7am-7pm
Utah Oct. 13 30 days (801) 538-1040 Yes 3 7am-8pm
Vermont Oct. 17 None (802) 828-2464 Yes 1 6-10am-7pm
Virginia Oct. 3 None (804) 786-6551 No 11 6am-7pm
Virgin Islands Oct. 4 90 days (809) 774-3107 No 1 delegate 7am-7pm
Washington . Oct. 3 None (206) 753-7121 Yes 9 7am-8pm
West Virginia Oct.5 30 days (304) 345-4000 No • 3 6:30am-7:30pm
Wisconsin Election Day 10 days (608) 266-8005 Yes 9 7-9am-8pm
Wyoming Oct. 5 None (307)777-7186 No 1 7am-7pm
Ait
'"I
.'t
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1-1
:,n*i
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1992 SBIFME9SL0G 9
Panei Jlppmves CndenUals of Candidates for 27 Union Posts
The credentials committee made up of six rank-and-file Seafarers electee
at August membership meetings around the country met last month to review
the applications of SIU members seeking union office for the 1993-96 term.
What follows is the full text of the committee's report which is being
submitted for approval to the SIU membership at this month's meetings.
Report of Credentials Committee
On Candidates for 1992 General
Election of Officers, 1993-96
SIUNA,AGLIWD
We, the undersigned members ol'
the Credentials Committee, were
duly elected at the regular member
ship meeting held in Headquarters
Port of Piney Point on August 3
.1992. We have examined the creden
tials of candidates for elective office
or job in the Seafarers Internationa
Union of North America-Atlantic
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters Dis
trict for the years 1993-1996, in ac
cordance with Article XI, Section 1
aiid submit the following report.
Your Committee qualified or dis
qualified those members who sub
mitted for office based upon the
Union Constitution, particularly
those provisions contained in Articles
XII and Xlll. The applicable constitu
tional provisions are as follows:
ARTICLE XU - Quali^ations
for Officers, Assistant Vice-Presi
dents, Headquarters Repre
sentatives, Port Agents, and Other
Elective Jobs.
Section I. Any member of the
Union is eligible to be a candidate
for, and hold, any office or the job of
Assistant Vice-President, Head
quarters Representative, or Port
Agent provided:
(a) He has at least three (3) years
of seatime in an unlicensed capacity
aboard an American-flag merchant
vessel or vessels. In computing time,
time spent in the employ of the Union,
its subsidiaries and its affiliates, or in
any employment at the Union's direc
tion, shall count the same as seatime.
Union records. Welfare Plan records
and/or company records can be usee
to determine eligibility; and
(b)Hehasbeenafullbookmemher
in continuous good standing in the
Union for at least three (3)years imme
diately prior to his nomination; and
(c) He has at least one hundred
(100) days of seatime, in an un
licensed capacity, aboard an
American-flag vessel or vessels
covered by contract with this Union
or one hundred (100) days of employ
ment with, or in any office or Job of,
the Union, its subsidiaries and its af
filiates, or in any employment at the
Union's direction or a.combination
of these, between January 1 and the
time of nomination in the election
year, except if such seatime is wholly
aboard such merchant vessels
operating solely upon the Great
Lakes or, if such seatime is wholly
aboard tugboats, towboats or
dredges and contractual employment
thereon is for fixed days with equal
arnount of days off, he shall have at
least sixty-five (65) days of such
seatime instead of the foregoing one
hundred (100) days; and
(d) He is a citizen of the United
States of America; and
(e) He is not disqualified by law.
He is not receiving a pension from
this Union's Pension Fund, if any, or
from a Union-Management Fund to
which Fund this Union is a party or
from a company under contract with
this Union.
(f) He has not sailed in a licensed
capacity aboard an American-flag
merchant vessel or vessels within 24
consecutive months immediately
prior to the opening of nominations.
Section 2. All candidates for, and
holders of, other elective Jobs not
specified in the preceding sections
shall be full book members of the
Union.
Section 3. All candidates for, and
holders of elective offices and Jobs,
whether elected or appointed in ac
cordance with this Constitution, shall
maintain full book membership in
good standing.
ARTICLE XHI - Elections for
Officers, Assistant Vice-Presidents,
Headquarters Representatives and
Port Agents.
Section I. Nominations.
Except as provided in Section 2(b,
of this Article, any full book member
may submit his name for nomination
for any office, or the Job of Assistant
Vice-President, Headquarters Rep
resentative, or Port Agent, by deliver
ing or causing to be delivered in
person, to the office of the Secretary
Treasurer at Headquarters, or senc
ing a letter addressed to the
Credentials Committee, in care of the
Secretary-Treasurer, at the address
of Headquarters. This letter shall be
dated and shall contain the follow
ing:
(a) The name of the candidate.
(b) His home address and mailing
addre.ss.
(c) His book number.
(d) The title of the office or other
Job for which he is a candidate, in
eluding the name of the Port in the
event the position sought is that of
Port Agent.
(e) Proof of citizenship.
(f) Proof of seatime and/or
employment as required for can
didates.
(g) In the event the member is on
a vessel, he shall notify the Creden
tials Committee what vessel he is on.
This shall be done also if he ships
subsequent to forwarding his creden
tials.
(h) Annexing a certificate in the
following form, signed and dated by
the proposed nominee:
"I hereby certify that I am not
now, nor, for the five (5) years last
past, have I been either a member of
the Communist Party or convicted of,
or served any part of a prison term
resulting from conviction of robbery,
bribery, extortion, embezzlement,
grand larceny, burglary, arson,
violation of narcotics laws, murder,
rape, assault with intent to kill, as
sault which inflicts grievous bodily
injury, or violation of Title II or III of
the Landrum-Griffin Act, or con
spiracy to commit any such crimes."
. bated
Signature of Member..
Book Number
Printed forms of the certificate
shall be made avail^le to iwminees.
Vhere a nominee cannot truthfully
execute such a certificate, but is, in
fact, legally eligible for an office or
'ob by reason of the restoration of
civil rights originally revoked by such
conviction or a favorable determina
tion by the Board of Parole of the
Jnited States Department of Justice,
he shall, in lieu of the foregoing cer
tificate, furnish a complete signed
statement of the facts of his case
together with true copies of the docu
ments supporting his statement.
Any full book member may
nominate any other full book member
in which event such full book member
so nominated shall comply with the
provisions of this Article as they are
set forth herein, relating to the sub
mission of credentials. By reason of
the above self nomination provision
the responsibility, if any, for notifying
a nominee of his nomination to office,
shall be that of the nominator.
All documents required herein
must reach Headquarters no earlier
than July 15 and no later than August
5 of the election year.
The Secretary-Treasurer is
charged with safekeeping of these let
ters and shall turn them over to the
Credentials Committee upon the
Matter's request.
In order to ascertain the meaning
of the term "member in good stand
ing" which is used in Article XII,
Subsection 1(b), the Committee
referred to Article XXIV, Section 9 of
our Constitution which reads as fol-
ows:
"Section 9. The term 'member in
good standing' shall mean a member
whose monetary obligations to the
Union are not in arrears for thirty
30) days or more, or who is not
under suspension or expulsion effec
tive in accordance with this Constitu
tion. Unless otherwise express
indicated, the term 'member' shai
mean a member in good standing.
Your Committee also referred to
Article XX|V, Section 13 for the
definition of the term "seatime." This
section reads as follows:
"Section 13, The term 'seatime
shall include employment upon any
navigable waters, or days of employ
ment in a contracted employer unit
represented by the Union."
We also noted in Article XXIV
Section 14, the meaning of the term
"in an unlicensed capacity aboard an
American-flag merchant vessel or
vessels." This portion of the Constitu
tion reads as follows:
"Section 14. The term 'in an un
licensed capacity aboard an
American-flag merchant vessel or
vessels' shall include persons
employed in an unlicensed or
licensed capacity aboard dredges,
tugboats, towboats and similar Ves
sels used to tow, propel or push bar
ges or other conveyances or assist
merchant vessels in docking or un
docking, or persons otherwise
employed in a contracted employer
unit represented by the Union."
After full and careful delibera
tions, the Committee made its
decisions and sent appropriate
notification to candidates. The ul
timate decisions of this Committee
are later set forth. In arriving at these
ultimate decisions, the Committee
was most concerned with carrying
out a stated principle of our Union
which is that "every qualified mem-
)er shall have the right to nominate
himself for, and, if elected or ap-
lointed, to hold office in this union.
In connection with the foregoing,
we have also consulted with the
Secretary-Treasurer who, under our
Constitution, has the obligation to in
sure appropriate election procedures
as legally required (Article XIII, Sec
tion 7). Our Secretary-Treasurer has
further consulted with the Union's
Counsel as to the law applicable in
Union nominations and elections.
The following [see box on this
page] is a complete listing of all men
vho submitted their credentials to the
I Committee. Their names and the of
fice or job for which they submitted
such credentials are listed in the order
in which this Conunittee feels they
should be placed on the general bal-
ot, that is, in alphabetical order under
the office or job for which they run,
and that the Ports, following the
headquarters offices, beginning with
'iney Point, be arranged on the ballot
jeographically, as has been done in
he past. After each man's name and
)ook number is his qualification or
disqualification, followed by the
reason for that decision.
As you will note in the foregoing
sections of the Committee's Report,
the provisions of the SIU Constitu
tion governing election procedures
made it mandatory that one nominee
je disqualified. In light of these cir
cumstances, the Committee wishes to
call to the attention of all members the
necessity of following all require
ments and procedures which are es
tablished by our Constitution to
;ovem eligibility to candidacy to
Jnion office. However, at this time,
the Committee particularly desires to
>oint out the provisions of Article
XIII, Section 2(c) of the Constitution,
which spell out in detail the right of a
disqualified candidate to appeal from
the decision of the Credentials Com
mittee and how he does it.
In compliance with Article XIII,
Section 2(b) of our Constitution, and
in an attempt to give every nominee
every consideration and to try to
irevent any disqualifications by this
Committee, Woodrow Shelton, Book
o. S-2538, of the Credentials Com
mittee, remained at the entrance of the
rieadquarters building of the Union
until midnight of Saturday, August
5, 1992, to receive any credentials
lat might have been delivered either
by mail or by hand after the closing
of business hours by the Union.
The Committee points out that in
the President's jPre-Balloting Report
approved by the membership as pa- the
Constitution and published in the May
(and June) Seafarers LOG, the exact
offices and jobs for which nominations
were to be made was set forth.
In passing upon the credentials for
certain of the nominees, this Commit
tee had to make one (1) disqualifica
tion, and the following are the details
relative to that disqualification:
Gentry Moore, M-8001 - Can
didate for Port Personnel.
The Committee received a letter
on July 21,1992 from Gentry Moore,
which was dated July 14,1992, to be
a candidate for Port Personnel.
Brother Moore was disqualified by
the Committee in that no such posi
tion exists on the ballot. In addition,
since Brother Moore is now
deceased, there was no need to advise
him of the disqualification.
The Committee received the
credentials of William Truax, T-715,
and noted that this individual inad
vertently omitted to sign the certifica
tion submitted with the nomination.
The intent to sign it was clearly indi
cated and, subsequent to receiving
notification from the Secretary-
Treasurer's office, a signed certificate
was sent and received during &e
nominations period and thus Brother
Truax was deemed qualified to ap
pear on the ballot as a candidate for
Detroit-Algonac Port Agent.
The membership can readily see
from the foregoing report that your
Committee has made every effort
possible within the confines of our
Constitution to qualify every
nominee.
All credentials received as of
August 4, 1992, were turned over to
the Committee in good order, and
those received by mail subsequently,
but not later than August 15, 1992,
have similarly been furnished to the
Committee in good order. All creden
tials have been examined in strict ac
cordance with the Constitution. Any
defect in the credentials disposed of
by the Committee has been the sole
responsibility of the sender and no
person adversely affected by such
defect has denied this to the Commit
tee.
Fraternally submitted. Creden
tials Committee
August 17,1992
List of Persons Who Submitted
Credentials to the Credentials Committee
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
PRESIDENT
Michael Sacco, S-1288
EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT
Joseph Sacco, S-1287 .....
SECRETARY-TREASURER
John Fay, F-363 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF CONTRACTS AND
CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
Augustin Tellez, T-764 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE A TLANTIC COAST
Jack Caffey, C-1010 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE GULF COAST
Dean Corgey, C-5727 . Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE WEST COAST
George McCartney, M-948 ..... Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE SOUTHERN REGION,
GREAT LAKES AND INLAND WATERS
Byron Kelley, K-12039 Qualified - Credentials in order.
VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES
AND FISHING INDUSTRIES
Roy A. Mercer, M-25001 ..... Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF CONTRACTS
AND CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
Kermett Mangram, M-2394 .... Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
THE ATLANTIC COAST
Robert Pomerlane, P-437 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
THE GULF COAST
David Heindel, H-I443 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
THE WEST COAST
Donald Anderson, A-5244 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF THE
SOUTHERN REGION, GREAT LAKES AND INLAND WATERS
Anthony Sacco, S-2286 Qualified - Credentials in order.
ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT IN CHARGE OF
GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND FISHING INDUSTRIES
Robert Hall, H-5727 Qualified - Credentials in order.
HEADQUARTERS REPRESENTATIVE
Leo Bonser, B-1193 Qualified - Credentials ip order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Carl Peth, P-755
PINEY POINT PORT AGENT
Edward "Edd" W. Morris, M-I358 Qualified - Credentials in order.
NEW YORK PORT AGENT
Robert Selzer, S-1258
PHILADELPHIA PORT AGENT
Thomas J. Fay, F-514
BALTIMORE PORT AGENT
Michael Paladino, P-5581 . . .
MOBILE PORT AGENT
David Carter, C-12088 .....
NEW ORLEANS PORT AGENT
Jose Perez, P-846 Qualified - Credentials in order.
HOUSTON PORT AGENT
James McGee, M-5945
SAN FRANCISCO PORT AGENT
Nick Celona,C-1578
ST. LOUIS PORT AGENT
Steve Ruiz, R-1116
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
DETROIT-ALGONAC PORT AGENT
M. Joseph Sigler, S-2101 .
William G. Tniax, T-715 .
PORT PERSONNEL
Gentry Moore, M-8(X)1 . .
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Qualified - Credentials in order.
Disqualified - Position of Port
Personnel not on ballot,
individual since deceased.
V:
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in SEARARERSL06
.••,.•41
•':riL-'..<7 SEPTEMBER 1992
Murmansk Medal Evokes Icy Memories
For retired SIU member Steve
Stephens, the medal issued by the
former Soviet Union to U.S. mer
chant mariners who sailed in the
convoy runs to Murmansk,
U.S.S.R. during World War II
evokes memories of a 15-month
voyage which included its share
of close calls and severe weather.
Stephens was an oiler on the
SS West Gotomska from February
15, 1942 until May 12, 1943—
believed to be the longest voyage
of any merchant ship during the
war. The journey started with the
vessel loading a full cargo of
aviation fuel in Houston and then
heading for Boston to load deck
cargo. "We started without an es
cort, at a time when German U-
boats were sinking ships in sight
of the Mississippi River passes
leading to New Orleans," noted
Stephens, who sailed from 1940
to 1970 and then worked on the
Delta Lines shore gang until retir
ing in 1985.
So Close, But So Far
But the West Gotomska made an
unscheduled stop in New York
after recovering the bodies of two
men who were fatally wounded in
an airplane crash. The men had
been flying in a military, land-
based plane that was on submarine
patrol off the Virginia coast.
Several weeks later, the West
Gotomska—carrying the aviation
fuel in 55-gallon drums, plus
crated airplanes and 100 tons of
nitroglycerin oil—^began a series
of frustrating attempts to reach
Russia from Reykjavik, Iceland.
The first time, storms caused the
convoy to scatter and the We^f
Gotomska returned to Iceland.
On the second attempt, four
days out of Iceland, the convoy
again scattered due to bad
weather. This time four ships, in-
cluding the West Gotomska,
proceeded toward Russia without
military escort.
But with the four loaded mer
chant ships less than two days from
Murmansk, an American destroyer
rounded up the vessels and put
them with a convoy of 15 empty
ships leaving Russia and bound for
Scotland. "The destroyer was just
following orders," Stephens ex
plained. "I guess they didn't want
to leave the ships unescorted, but
we were so close."
From Scotland, the West
Gotomska (which still was loaded)
became part of a 13-ship decoy
convoy which sailed without es
corts. "But the Germans didn't buy
it," Stephens recalled. The decoys
got through without incident, but
the other convoy lost more than
half of its 40 ships.
Decoy Convoy Gets Through
The Gotomska finally reached
Murmansk in late December,
only to discover that the Russians
had changed plans and wanted the
cargo delivered to Archangel—
roughly 400 miles away. Since
the White River to Archangel was
frozen solid (approximately nine
feet thick), the ship two days later
unloaded on the ice, about five
miles from Archangel.
"We just went as far as we
could, but once you stop, you're
stuck," said Stephens. "The ship
stayed frozen in the ice for over a
month. It was a daily target for
German bombers, but the Russian
planes fought them off. In fact, I
Russian Medals to WWII Seamen Finally Issued
Many of the U.S. merchant
mariners who applied for com
memorative medals originally is
sued by the Soviet Union for
those JJv(io sailed in the convoy
runs to N^urmansk and Archangel
during World War II should
receive a response very soon.
Earlier this month, the Embas
sy of the Russian Federation sent
letters to approximately 1,300
U.S. mariners who applied and
were approved for the medals.
The embassy tentatively plans
to conduct two awards ceremonies
(for only those mariners already
approved): one on either October 7
or October 15 aboard the Liberty
Ship SS George W. Brown in Bal
timore; and the other on December
8 at the, Russian Embassy in
Washington, D.C.
Mariners who cannot or do not
wish to attend either ceremony
will receive their medals in the
mail.
The letter urges those
mariners who have heen ap
proved for the medal to contact
Mr. Yuri Menshikov, coordinator
of the ceremonies, to advise him
of their preference of where aand
when to receive the medals (Em
bassy of the Russian Federation,
1125 16th Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20036,
telephone 202/347-4392, fax
202/347-5028).
Those eligible WWII veterans
who have not applied for the medal
may do so by submitting a written
request to the above address.
The interested seaman must
provide documentation of service
in World War 11 and, specifically
evidence of having sailed on ves
sels engaged in one or more con
voys to Murmansk or Archangel
Include the following informa
tion: (1) full name ^nd curreni
mailing address; (2) full copy of
the merchant marine veterans DD
Form 214, "Certificate of Release
or Discharge from Active Duty
(which became available when
U.S. merchant mariners gained
veterans status in 1988); and (3) a
list of the name(s) of the vessel(s)
sailed on during the convoys to
Murmansk or Archangel.
The Russian govemment also
will accept applications that in
clude the above information sub
mitted by the next of kin for
deceased seaman. Any questions
should be directed to the above
AB Somerville's Daughter Wins
Wash. Karate Championships
Little did AB Glenn Somer-
viiie and his wife, Clarissa, real
ize when they signed up their
daughter Karla for karate classes
to overcome her shyness that she
would become a state champion
in less than four years.
"We are very proud of her,"
Somerville told the Seafarers
LOG. "She has won all kinds of
medals and awards."
The most recent recognition
for Karla was taking two gold
medals in the 12-year-old class at
the Washington Karate Associa
tion meet at Edmonds (Wash.)
Conununity College. She won the
top award in kumite (self defense)
and kata (stances) among her age
group.
Two Gold Medals
"We have been surprised at
how she has taken to this," Mrs.
Somerville explained. "She was
so shy—just like her mom. We
want^ to find some activity to
make her outgoing."
Karla, who had shown no in
clination toward karate, attended
her first demonstration at the age
AB Glenn Somerville is proud of what his daughter, Karla, has
accomplished in less than four years of studying karate.
of 9. She then participated in an
eight-week class to learn the
basics and has not stopped
since.
"She works hard at it," Mrs.
Somerville added. "She practices
at home in front of a full-length
mirror for a half hour every day.
That practice comes £^er at
tending a 75-minute class four
times a week. On top of that,
Karla has learned basic Japanese
as instructions and commands are
issued in that language.
But the hard work has paid off
in ways other than the awards, ac
cording to her mother. Karla has
leamed self confidence and dis
cipline. She has made many new
fiiends. And her purple belt is just
three stages below kite's highest
recognition, the black belt She also
is homing involved in track.
Talk of Olympic Material
"Her role model is a 15-year-
old with a black belt," Mrs.
Somerville noted. "When Karla
found out (the role model) had as
many problems as she had start
ing out, learning karate became
easier."
Because of the sailing, Glenn
Somerville has yet to see his only
child in competition. Somerville,
who joined the SIU in 1967, did
add he would support her
whatever she wanted to do.
"There has been some talk that
she could be Olympic material,"
the AB noted. "We'll be with her
if that's what she wants to do."
address.
As those who already have ap
plied for the medals realize, the
processing time is lengthy. For
example, SIU retiree Steve
Stephens received his medal in
December 1991—eight months
after he applied. However, all ap
plications will be processed, and
patience is requested.
Steve Stephens pins the long-
awaited WWII medal on his lapel.
don't know this for certain, but I
think some of the planes we
transported were used to defend
the ship. It wasn't a complex
operation to assemble them."
Eventually the West
Gotomska, which was operated
by the Mississippi Shipping
Company (later Delta Lines), was
bombed free of the ice and
returned to New York by way of
Liverpool, England.
"Thank God we didn't get hit"
while the ship was loaded,
Stephens said. "With all of diat
fuel on board, we wouldn't have
had a chance. We would have
gone up like a Roman candle."
Seafarer Cassidy Makes
A 'Pitch * of a Lifetime
SIU member Patrick Cassidy
figured that the way to a basebal
fan's heart is through the
scoreboard.
So, last spring, he popped the
question in front of about 10,000
people attending a game in Jack
sonville, Fla. Before the bottom
of the sixth inning, Cassidy
directed his fianc6e-to-be' s atten
tion to the scoreboard, which
flashed the words:
' Will you
Will you
Will you
Many me?
A joyous, stunned Mary Ellen
DeForge replied with a tearful
yes." The wedding date is
November 14.
Talk of the Town
Cassidy, a chief cook who this
month celebrates his 30th
birthday, told a Seafarers LOG
reporter he never worried about
possible glitches in his electronic
proposal—^such as a rainout or a
surprise trip by Mary Ellen to the
concession stand. "I never
thought about that, and now that
you mention it, I'm glad I didn't!"
he said.
The unconventional invitation
took place April 30, at an exhibi
tion between the Seattle Mariners
and one of their minor league af
filiates, the Class AA Jackson
ville Suns. It made all of the local
sportscasts, "and to this day, I still
meet people who say they recog
nize me from TV," Cassidy said.
'I got the idea because Mary
illen is a baseball fan and she
goes to the stadium often," ex-
)lained Cassidy, who graduated
rom the Lundeberg School 11
years ago and since then has
upgraded twice. "I contacted the
owner about using the
scoreboard, and they were really
nice. Usually, they charge for an
nouncements, but they wouldn't
take any money from me.
"They told me they would put
Patrick Cassidy "popped the
question" at a baseball game. He
and Mary Ellen DeForge will
marry November 14.
up the message sometime during
the sixth inning. The [public ad
dress announcer] asked everyone
to pay attention to the scoreboard,
but I still had to nudge Maiy Ellen
and get her to looL She didn't
know a thing about it, which is
what made it so cool."
Were it not for Cassidy's
travels as a Seafarer, he probably
never would have met DeForge.
"I had been on Maersk ship, and
we had a layover in New York,"
he recalled. "This was in 1989.
Mary Ellen and I were in a (hotel)
bar, and I first saw her just before
I left.
"After I went upstairs, some
thing kept telling me to go back
down. I did, and we really hit it off."
Three years later, DeForge,
sitting behind the first-base
dugout, seemed "in a daze, but
happy" after accepting Cassidy's
proposal. "We left after the next
inning," Cassidy noted. "The
game was a blowout."
(Cassidy said he would like
to hear, from "all my old
riends." He can be reached at
904/260-6588, or write to 11247
San Jose Blvd. #922, Jackson
ville, FL 32223.)
J' j;
SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERSLOG 11
m. Indy Wait Staff Enjoy s Diverse Duties
Periiaps the most visible crewmembers for tourists
sailing on Ae SS Independence are the SIU waiters and
waitresses who work almost around the clock serving
food and drinks at the many meals and snacks prepared
by the galley.
Members of this crew seem to take whatever comes
their way in stride. Whether they are dressed in colorful
Hawaiian-style shirts, providing lemonade and iced tea
on a dew-covered deck, or in formal attire, asking pas
sengers for their dinner choice in the main dining room,
these steward department members keep a smile on their
faces as they assist passengers any way they can.
While some crewmembers openly wonder what it
would be like to sail on other merchant ships, some have
wandered and returned to the Independence or its sister
ship, the SS Constitution, to circle the Hawaiian Islands.
For the outgoing personality of Waiter Marcus Rowe,
returning to the cruise ship where he began his sailing
career in 1982 was a natural.
"I've sailed aboard LNG and (Maritime) Overseas
(Corporation) vessels," Rowe told a reporter for the
Seafarers LOG. "But I like being on here.
"I like going back and forth to the same locations and
got tired of going from one port to the next on the tankers.
But I had to see what it was like," added the port of
Philadelphia member and Lundeberg School upgrader.
Others, like newly weds Brett and Janet Ethridge,
have been sailing the "White Ships" for years. Brett
Ethridge has worked his way up to assistant head waiter
after sailing for six years. His wife, the former Janet
Bindas, has been on board for almost five years. Both
noted the fun they have had in meeting new people with
each one-week voyage.
"There is a great camaraderie among the crew on the
Indy" Brett Ethridge said. "We are like family on here.
We all take care and watch out for each other."
In fact, Brett and Janet met years ago for the first time
as crewmembers on the American Hawaii Cruises vessel.
They began dating and got married during the summer.
Thien there are the newcomers like Deck/Lounge
Steward Lisa Jones, a second generation member who is
Continued on page 19
Waitress Margaret Chen senres guesta sit^
ting at the Captain's Table.
•'••V--;'- --i-"
Taking a passenger's dinner order is Waiter Waiter Marcus Rowe stands ready to assist
Removino Trays to a slaUon fe Assistant his table with their evening meal.
1 •
Puonnnpnf Hawaii's rare chillv damodavs Assistant Waiter Bob Eisert heads for the Waiter Greg Bain has has learned the art The menu aboard ship changes daily,
fanmt wioe thTsm^ sun deck with a thirst-quenching tray of iced of balancing a tray of full soup bowls while Recrtmg the evening^s specials is Waiter
Steward Usa Jonl? "eciOLOunge su passengers the ship gently rocks. Marty Carrico in the Palms Dining Room.
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12 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTEMRER1992
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American Republic Crew Is Used
To Lots of Docking in Tight Spaces
» • S' • s • t
Whereas most deep sea ves
sels have the "luxury" of turn
around areas, wide-open sea
lanes and tugboat assistance
when docking, the SlU-crewed
American Republic gets no such
treatment when it docks at the
LTV terminal in the Cuyahoga
River south of Cleveland.
The navigable portion of the
river ends precisely at the iron ore
dock where a railroad bridge
blocks any further upriver travel.
The American Republic was built
for constant journeys up the
Cuyahoga to deliver iron ore pel
lets at various locations along the
winding river.
For deckhands like Joe
Hance and David Gapske, the
Checking to see how soon un- work of docking and undocking
loading can begin is Conveyor- is almost non-stop. "Day or night,
man Rick Springs. we have to be ready to tie up or
release the vessel," Hance told a
reporter for the Seafarers LOG.
The American Steamship
Company vessel has one of the
shortest round-trips on the Great ^
Lakes—loading in Lorain, Ohio,
saihng about 40 miles across Lake
Erie to Cleveland for unloading,
then returning to Lorain. Depend
ing on river traffic and weather
conditions, all of this takes place in
approximately 24 hours.
To tie up the 635-footer, Hance
and Gapske are lowered to the
dock in a landing chair operated by
flSS ^Dave Cameran checks a valve during bunkering operations.
tossed by able bodied seamen as
the bridge Mid engineroom crew
uses bow and stem thrusters to ease
the ship in. Within minutes of
tying upj the boom swings over
land and offloading begins.
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Deckhands Joe Hance (left) and David Gapske pull a landing line to sl;iore; Ready to pssist with lunch is Porter Yehia Kaid.
Preparing to raise the bunkering
flag is AB/Watchman Ron
Vandercook.
Docking operations are under way as Deckhand David Gapske swings with a mighty heave-ho, AB/Wheelsman Howard Applying a fresh coat of paint in the engineroom is
out on the landing chair to handle dockside operations. Herold tosses a landing line. Wiper Hamid Hizam.
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SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERSLOG 13
Breton Crew Hailed as 'Desert Diamond'
The crew, and in particular the
SIU galley gang aboard the Cape
Breton was recognized for its ex
cellent work while the Ready
Reserve Force vessel was operat
ing in the Persian Gulf theater in
1991 and 1992.
Commodore C.J. Smith, the
commander of the Military Sealift
Command Southwest Asia, praised
the crew as a "desert diamond," and
issued the steward department a
certificate of appreciation.
In announcing this special
recognition. Smith stated,
"During my tenure, I have seen
nearly 500 ship arrivals and
departures. Few ships have a last
ing impression. As with any
human enterprise, ships included,
the character of the master, of
ficers and crew reflect the impres
sion of the ship.
'High Standards'
"As I walked about your ship,
I became quickly aware of Cape
Brecon's pride and high standards
of performance. From the deck
plates to the galley, from the radio
ropm to the engineering spaces, I
observed firsthand seasoned
sailors at work."
Smith concluded by saying.
"l!l\ "W
^ Militate jf fPPntr,,^^
TO ALL W//0_ SHALL Hp; THKI-mRESENTS. GREETINGS
m
\i'to the ajriLen amfM^
™™T7- ASIA
Storm
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C6MMA.NDER
The galley crew of the Cape Breton received this certificate for their excellent work in the Persian Gulf.
Your ship will be remembered
as one of those ships that per
formed and participated so very
well here in southwest Asia.
Thank you."
Third Cook Leonard
Ambrose told Une Seafarers LOG
that he and the rest of the crew did
nothing extraordinary to earn the
recognition. "We just performed
our duties to the best of our
abilities," the graduate of Lun-
deberg School class 398 noted.
"We were pleased and thank
ful to receive the award. We were
the only ship chosen for the
(MSC) officers to eat aboard,"
Ambrose recalled. The com
mander "enjoyed the way we
cooked our meals and was brag
ging about us."
Credit to Steward
The Cape Breton was docked at
Ad Damman, Saudi Arabia for al
most all of December 1991. The
vessel, operated by American
President Lines, had been ferrying
ammunition to and from the region.
Ambrose gave a lot of credit
for a great galley department to
Chief Steward Alton Finn. "He's
a great guy to work for," Ambrose
stated. Others serving in the
steward department included
Chief Cook Joseph Tucker and
Steward Assistants Charles
Brown and Steve Soofi.
Besides the Seafarers serving
in the steward department,
SIUNA-affiliated members from
the Sailors' Union of the Pacific
in the deck department and
Marine Firemen's Union in the
engineroom sail in unlicensed
positions aboard the RRF vessel.
QMED Praises Pless Galley Gang
Special recognition was given
to the steward department aboard
Waterman Steamship Corp.'s
SlU-crewed Maj. Stephen W.
Pless.
"I would like to take time out
to give a little recognition to a fine
SIU steward department," stated
QMED "Bud" Tuttle in a letter
to the Seafarers LOG from the
crew and officers aboard ship.
"In keeping with the tradition
of well-respected steward depart
ments," he continued, "this new
steward department deserves
some special recognition. The
members are Chief Steward Tony
Piazza, Chief Cook Pat "Santos
Patricia" McGee, Third Cook
George Carter and Steward As
sistants Gilbert E. Bonitto and
Miguel Castro."
Seafarers Scholarship Program
Accepting Applications
The Pless, built in 1982, is a
25,073 dwt RO/RO vessel. She
Chief Steward Tony Piazza (left) and Chief Cook Pat McGee get the recently docked in the port of
steaks smoking on the grill. Norfolk.
Shipmates Salute
President Grant's
Steward Dept. I
Crewmembers aboard the SIU-
contracted President Grant com
mended the efforts of the ship's
steward department.
In a recent union meeting, the
Grant crew declared, "This is the best
steward department we have ever
seen. The quality of food, food
presentation, menus, service, cleanli
ness and cooperation are first rate."
The galley gang is comprised of
Steward John Hoitschlag, Chief
Cook Laura Cates, Third Cook Car
men Johnson, Crew Messman
Mllfi-edo Rodriguez, Officer Nfessman
AJi Saeed and Officer BR Manuel
Cantre.
The American President Lines
vessel's unlicensed crew comple
ment is made up of members of the
Sailors' Union of the Pacific and the
Marine Firemen's Union as well as
the SIU.
The steward department poses on the fantail of the Maj.
Stephen W. Pless during the Fourth of July cookout. They are
(from left, front row) Steward Assistants Miguel Castro and
Gilbert E. Bonitto, (back row) Chief Cook Pat McGee, Chief
Steward Tony Piazza and Third Cook George Carter.
Seven scholarships will be
awarded in 1993—and now is
the time to start thinking about
applying for one of them.
Of the seven awards, three
are reserved for SIU members
(one in the amount of $15,000
for a four-year scholarship to a
college or university and two
$6,000 two-year scholarships
for study at a vocational school
or community college). The
other four scholarships will be
awarded to spouses and de
pendent children of Seafarers.
Each of these four is a $15,000
stipend for study at a four-year
college or university.
Send for Information
Eligibility requirements for
Seafarers and their spouses and
unmarried dependents are
spelled out in the program book
let. Pensioners are not eligible for
the scholarship awards.
The FIRST step in the ap
plication process is sending
away for the 1993 SIU Scholar
ship Program booklet which
contains eligibility information,
procedures for applying and a
copy of the application form
(see coupon below).
The SECOND step is to start
collecting the necessary paper
work that will need to be sent in
at the same time as the applica
tion form. This includes an
autobiographical statement,
photograph, certified copy of
birth certificate, high school or
college transcript, letters of ref
erence and the results of SAT or
ACT scores. This step will take
some time.
Act Now
Schools can be very slow in
handling transcript requests, so
applicants must be sure to put
their requests in to those institu
tions as soon as possible. ACT
or SAT exams, which are given
approximately six times a year,
must be taken no later than
February 1993.
The THIRD step is to com
plete the application form, col
lect all the other necessary
paperwork—and return the en
tire application package to the
Seafarers Welfare Plan ON OR
BEFORE APRIL 15,1993.
Fill out the coupon below to
get a copy of the 1993 SIU
Scholarship Program booklet
or pick one up at any SIU hall.
With the ever-increasing costs
of a college education, the ap
plicant in search of high educa
tion can't afford not to apply.
' T^lease send me the 1993 SIU Scholarship Program booklet
I V which contains eligibility information, procedures for applying
I and the application form.
I Name
Book Number
' Address
City, State, Zip Code.
j Telephone Number
This application is for:
Self
Dependent
Mail this completed fonn to Scholarship Program, Seafarers Welfare Plan,
5201 Auth Way. Camp Springs. MD 20746
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SEAFARERS LOG SEPTBRBER1992
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The aircraft carrier USS Independence comes into view out of the Persian Gulf horizon
to crewmembers on the MV Lawrence H. Glanella.
The MV Lawrence H. Gianella and her civilian crew
earned a passage in the U.S. military's book of "first times"
when a successful underway replenishment (unrep) opera
tion was completed with the aircraft carrier USS Independence
in the Persian Gulf.
The port-side-to-starboard-side fuel transfers while under
way, which took place in late July, is believed to be the first
time a civilian-operated tanker has replenished a combatant
ship of this class under operational conditions, according to a
statement issued by the U.S. Navy's chief of information.
Dan Powers, the Gianella's chief pumpman from March
to the end of July, reported to the Seafarers LOG that the T-5
tanker "seemed to never stop umepping" when on assignment
in the Persian Gulf. The Gianella conducted 31 urureps for a
variety of U.S. Navy vessels, and for ships from allied naval
forces, many of which Powers described as "repeat cus
tomers."
Credit to the Bosun and Chief Mate
The engine department Seafarer, who provided the LOG
with the photos accompanying this article, said the underway
fuel transfers proceeded smoothly and expertly, without spill
ing a drop of oU. Powers credited Bosun Pete Hulsebosch and
Chief Mate Wayne Stoltz for the "top notch" job performed
by all Gianella hands in the umep operations.
"Pete's the one who got the whole crew together and taught
us all we needed to know," Powers said. The chief pumpman
noted that Hulsebosch not only ran a flawless unrep operation,
but also ensured that all shipboard equipment was maintained
and able to perform at peak efficiency. "Pete maintained the
probes and hoses and watched over them like a hawk. When
he saw anything that needed to be repaired or maintained, he
got it done—immediately."
Meanwhile, Stoltz was on deck and was in charge of
operations there throughout the uru-ep operation. He started
the pumps and directed Powers via walkie-talkie, making
sure Powers maintained the proper amount of pressure on the
hydraulic system.
Self-Contained Station
The Ocean Shipholding 615-foot tanker, which is chartered
by the Military Sealift Command (MSC), h^ been fitted with a
modular fuel delivery system (MPDS). ITie Navy developed this
system to rapidly modify commercial tankers in emergencies,
rendering such ships capable of delivering fuel to underway
Navy vessels.
(Under normal conditions, the Navy's fleet oilers provide
this service, while the MSC-chartered tankers provide point-
to-point shipping service for petroleum products.)
MSC intends to install on five civilian-operated tankers the
modular fuel delivery system, which consists of a self-con
tained fuel station with its own diesel generator, air compres
sor, winches and other fuel station gear. Typically, says the
statement by the Navy's chief of information, two fueling
stations are installed on a tanker.
Refueling the Indy
The system worked when it came to unrepping the more
than 75,()()()-ton fully loaded USS Independence, reports Chief
Pumpman Powers. As the Porrestal class aircraft carrier became
visible through the murky haze, which seems to characterize
Persian Gulf days, the Gianella readied the ship for the upcom
ing unrep.
The crew had been told this would be the first time the
1,086-foot, 33-knot USS Independence, which carries 90
aircraft, would be fueled at sea by a non-Navy vessel. "We
wanted to do a first class job," said Powers.
The Gianella crew prepared for the underway replenish
ment operation, to be done in this case from the port side,
synchronizing their speed with that of the USS Independence.
Prom the rifle shot sending the first line to the Navy ship,
to the tensioning of the span wire and leading of the hoses
over the cable, to the pumping of the fuel and maintaining the
pressure, to signalling and fire watch standing, all Gianella
hands executed their duties capably and professionally, said
Powers.
The MPDS equipment used in the Gianella/USS Inde
pendence unrep allows for a transfer of 3,000 gallons of fuel
per hose per minute.
Prior to its six weeks in the gulf, the Gianella, which
generally is based off Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean,
sailed in Par East and Australian waters. During this period,
the 30,000-dwt tanker transferred fuel to the USNS Andrew
J. Higgins, a 40,000-ton, 677-foot oiler in MSC's Pacific
fleet.
-sr.;
SlU-Crewed Ema Elizabeth
Paved the Way for
Civilian Unrep Operations
The recent record-making underway replenishment mis
sion of the MV Lawrence H. Giannella recalls the role of
Seafarers in proving that U.S. commercial shipping and
its civilian crews are up to the job of conducting non-combat
at-sea functions in support of the military.
Early in 1972, the SlU-crewed SS Ema Elizabeth became
immortalized in military history as the vessel that proved this
point.
The underway replenishment (unrep) experiment came
about after discussions between then Chief of Naval Operations
Admiral Elmo N. Zumwalt and Assistant Secretary of Com
merce for Maritime Affairs Andrew E. Gibson.
Could Civilians Do the Job?
It was 1970 and many Navy ships were World War II
vintage. Punding for replacement ships, at a time when the
nation's defense dollars were being used for an increasingly
unpopular Vietnam conflict, would not come easily, the admird
recognized.
Within the U.S.-flag ship sector, it was felt that commercial
vessels could perform certain milit^ support services at a low
cost to the Navy. Proponents of this line of thinking had their
chance to prove the mettle of their theory in a month-long
experiment with the Ema Elizabeth, the first commercial ship
to attempt an underway replenishment, previously only done
by Navy fleet oilers, which carried a shipboard crew comple
ment of 3()0-plus sailors.
The Ema Elizabeth, a commercial tanker operated by Hud
son Waterways Company, was outfitted with two short, center-
Wlth ail lines secured, the Ema Elizabeth is the first U.S. commerciai vessei with a civilian crew to conduct unrep operations.
line kingposts, one forward and one aft to receive fuel hose rings
from Navy ships. The tanker also was equipped with an astern
fueling rig, a system developed in WWII by the British so their
mercl^t vessels could transfer petroleum products to small
warships.
29 Unreps In 24 Days
In 24 days the Ema Elizabeth, with her normal operating
crew of 41, conducted 29 fuel transfers. Another eight days was
spent with the Navy's Sixth Fleet in similar exercises.
The successful experiment helped underscore the effective
ness of using privately-owned and civilian-crewed vessels in
support of the U.S. military and added from there on in the
option to the Navy of using commercial craft for underway
replenishment operations.
Summing up the exercise. Assistant Secretary Gibson said,
in a March 24, 1972 letter to the Ema Elizabeth master, "The
project was designed to test the hypothesis that a merchant
tanker with no prior training or experience could effectively
refuel naval ships at sea. The voyage of the SS Ema Elizabeth
has clearly proven tihe validity of that hypothesis and has also
shown the skills of our merchant crews to be of the caliber
needed to do the job in a highly professional manner."
• >";< ' '" ' ' ^•^?:
9
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The port side fuel transfer proceeds.
Outfitted with a modular fuel delivery system, the G/ane//a The Gianella, si T-5 tanker operated by Ocean Shipholding, is the firist
can transfer 3,000 gallons of fuel per hose per minute. non-Navy vessel to undertake an underway fuel transfer with the indy.
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From left. Third Assistant Jeff Hoffman, QMED Emest Lacunza, DEU Tony Stallone
and First Assistant David Morrow, a long-time member of the Gianella's crew, are
part of a team which changed a piston inside of a day.
i-
Moving in perfect harmony with MSG oiler, the USNSAndrewJ. H/gg/ns,the G/ane//a transfers fuel while
operating in Pacific waters.
14
"J
Chief Engineer George Arsenault (above)
and Chief Engineer David Ward (not pictured)
have worked on the Gianella for years.
""'''"- v i 'j'
Onboard since April, QMED Joey E. Acedillo, pictured above, has
participated in scores of unreps.
Dan Fowers, chief pumpman, takes a quick look at the Indy before
getting back to his unrep duties.
> i
_ _
"Credit gossto the bosun and chisf mate," says QMED Fowsrs
VVhile in Diego Garcia, Captain Bill DEU Tony Stallone uses his to the Seafarers LOG. "for ihe Gianella's
It is time for deck department members to do worth (right) serves as master, and off-time to try and catch dm- Hulsebosch leads the G a
gangway watch at Diego Garcia fuel pier. James Carrig is chief mate. ner. /a deck crew to unrep stations.
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IS XAFARBISL06 SEPIBMUff 19K
Dianne Lupton—The Real Estate Sailor BYWILUAMG.WICKLAND
William G. Wickland
The following feature is a
true story about a Seafarer, by a
Seafarer.
As sailors, most of us under
stand that the seas take up three-
fifths of the surface of the earth,
and that very little of that water
is actually owned by anybody.
On the other hand, when we go
home for a vacation we see that
there are hardly any empty lots
any more, and the former wide-
open spaces are filling up with
condos and malls.
One sailor has noticed that a
little more than most of us.
Dianne Lupton is busy, and
has always been busy. Just one
indicator is that she is the mother
of two grown sets of twins. I met
Dianne when each of us were
divorced parents, her twins
being the same ages as my two
kids. We enjoyed some very
busy family outings.
We've remained friends
since, and she played a major
role in getting me out to sea as a
steward assistant. And though I
never thought I'd become a
lomeowner again, she's guiding
me into that investment.
Long before I met her,
)ianne bought her first house at
age 19, sold it for profit, and did
that six more times. In 1975 she
)assed Oregon's stiff require
ments for a real estate license,
and using her homeowner and
)usy-mom experience, did well(^l
inding homes for other
amilies.
"After a while, though, I
noticed that the contractors were
making the big money," she told
me, "so I hung up the license and
did some remodeling with a
partner." So she has demonstrated
that she knows the game.
But being both smart and
curious means that Dianne gets
into all sorts of adventures.
In 1986 the kids were well on
their way through high school,
and Grandma suggested they
move into the big house and give
Mom an extended vacation. So
Dianne went to visit her sister in
Hawaii. She decided to see what
it was like to work there. Fast-
food and maid jobs were a dime
a dozen, but Dianne asked for
something more.
"You wanna work in Tahiti?"
she was asked. 'Tahiti? What do
I have to do?" It was a waitress
job on The Liberte, but she
would need a passport. That was
Tiiesday. By Friday she had her
passport and had been drug-
tested and was gone, ". . .
before I could think twice about
it."
On that trip she learned that
American Hawaii Cruises also
operated the "White Ships" out
of Hawaii, and she learned about
the union and getting a z-card
and about Piney Point and about
moving upward in the steward
department. Which she did, and
she's now a steward.
Dianne knew that I had ac
quired a z-card in 1960 but had
never used it. As a sort of
itinerant writer/cabbie/espres-
Dlanne Lupton
LOG-A-RHYTHM
On This Ship at Sea
by David M. Davenport
David M. Davenport has been sailing with the SIU for three years
irom the port of Jacksonville. He currently works aboard the Julius
1 'Jammer.
Here I am on this ship at sea
Wondering what the hell is wrong with me.
A beautiful woman back at home
And I go and leave her all alone.
The waves are saying, "Go back! Go back!
Why do you leave a woman like that?
Can't you see she loves you true?
When you're gone her heart is blue."
Here I am on this ship at sea
Wondering what the hell is wrong with me.
I dream at night of holding her close.
Her touch, her warmth, they mean the most.
During my watch a whale passes by.
And yells up to me, "Why, oh, why?
Are you out here alone, far from her arms.
Her dancing, her beauty and her charms?"
But still I am here on this ship at .lea.
Still wondering what the hell is wrong with me.
so-jerk, I had the card as an ace-
in-the-hole, with a junior assis
tant purser endorsement, but
pursers had all but disappeared.
But in her take-charge way, just
as a friend, she actually cdled
me from Tahiti in '86 and urged
me to get to the Coast Guard and
get updated. I did that much.
She would call or visit when
in town, so I followed her rise to
steward in amazement, but not
surprise. She bugged me to get
out to sea, but I was learning
computers in a little publishing
company in the late '80s, and
kept putting it off. Then in '901
got fed up and left the firm. A
few weeks later I had not a clue
as to what to do next, and made
a wish: "I wish Dianne would
get back and take me by the hand
and get me out to sea."
Three days later she called.
"Bill, this Persian Gulf thing is
heating up and this is your best
shot at getting out."
"Okay. I want to do it."
"You do? Okay! Do this and
do that..."
On my 51st birthday I was
told I was on my way to Saudi
Arabia. Now I'm a steward as
sistant on the MA?Advantage for
Red River Carriers, having the
adventure of my life, and ahnost
out of debt.
And Dianne has renewed her
real estate license, which is how
she earned the nickname "Real
Estate Sailor."
So we were both in town this
sununer, and recently went to a
jazz concert in a quiet part of
town not yet caught up in the
skyrocketing real estate boom.
We were, by mistake, a week
early for the concert, so we
drove, around a bit, talking about
how this part is going to boom in
the next five years. I saw a little
place that looked as if I could
afford it if it were for sale, and if
I were out of debt. Lo and be
hold! Dianne found out all about
it in 24 hours. It is "sort of' for
sale, but wiU probably lie quiet
until after my next trip, and
would be a good investment.
"You know," Dianne says,
"real estate is a great investment
for sailors. The right buy can
earn more income than a lot of
other investments. I'm going to
concentrate on finding the right
deals for sailors."
So she hung her license with
the firm Century 21 for two
reasons: they are registered in all
of the U.S. and in foreign
countries, and they work on a
"buddy system" so that when
Dianne is out to sea, her working
partner can handle the par
ticulars of closing deals here,
and affiliates can do the same all
over the world.
She took off in early August
as relief chief cook on the Over
seas Juneau. As the run is
coastwise from Alaska to
California, she'll be able to keep
in touch with her partner and her
mail. Any sailor who would like
to know more about owning a
piece of the ground, no matter
where it is, might write her at
2318 2nd Avenue, #849, Seattle,
WA 98121.
She'll tell you, as she did me,
that you should write to your
state and federal veterans' of
fices if you are a vet, because a
little paperwork can give you an
advantage in home-buying. And
she'll tell you to write to your
bank or credit union and, with a
little more red tape, get an offi
cial "line of credit" so that you
know what you can handle and
will be ready to move when the
right investment pops up,
whether it comes from Dianne
or from your sister-in-law's
hairdresser.
"You know, there is only so
much land left for private
ownership, and the price has al
ways gone up. Of course I don't
expect to close every sailor's
purchase," Dianne says, "but I
think that as a group we might
have been overlooking land or
homes as a way of adding to our
retirement packages, and I think
the sailors ought to know."
And this sailor can tell you
that Dianne Lupton makes red
tape turn into blue ribbons. I ex
pect to be a homeowner or
landlord by next spring.
Letters to the Editor
M^al Purchase Insults
Merchant Marine Veterans
In regard to the recent issue
[June edition. Seafarers LOG ar
ticle] of new med^s for merchant
marine veterans of World War II
Korea and Vietnam, I find the fact
that they must "buy" the medals
earned during the wars to be in
suiting to their voluntary service
to their country. No other service
"buys" theirs.
From experience over the
years, it is clear that nothing in
recognition is given to our mer
chant marine veterans out o:'
thoughtfulness and gratitude. We
have had to fight for any recogni
tion and this continues now.
Some of you will care about
this and share my feelings. I also
realize that some of you will not
care at all.
I do feel that someone shoulc
make a comment.
Vernon C. Warren
New Orleans, La.
*1/ J/
The American Legion Welcomes
WWII Merchant Marine Vets
Editor's note: The following
letter was written in response to a
letter sent by Seafarer Peter
Salvo of McKeesport, Pa. to the
American Legion.
Thank you for sharing your
concern for the treatment of those
who served in the merchant
marine during World War II. I
want you to know that my heart
goes out to you and all those who
served so valiantly and well
without receiving the recognition
you earned by your courage and
sacrifice.
As your National Com
mander, I have the unique honor
of serving Legionnaires who
served in all war eras since 1919.
In my travels around this country
and abroad, I come in contact
with a large number of those
members. When discussing the
merchant marine with them, I am
surprised at how little real
knowledge some of these war
time veterans have regarding the
contributions made and hardships
endured by merchant seamen in
World War II.
It has always been my per
sonal conviction that these con
tributions were the equal of our
comrades who served in the other
)ranches of the Armed Forces.
Over the years, the American
Legion has tried to bring this
same point home to our members
and the general public through the
}lacement of articles and stories
in pur magazine.
In 1988, the United States
government issued a decision
stating that "the service of the
jroup known as the American
Merchant Marine in ocean going
service during the period of
armed conflict, December 7,
1941 to August 15,1945 shall be
considered active duty for the
purposes of all laws administered
by the Veterans Administration."
The American Legion supported
that decision and has welcomed
these long overlooked veterans
into our ranks ever since.
We have a special letter for
membership inquiries from mer
chant seamen containing instruc
tion on how to obtain the proper
certification forms and verify
their veteran status. As we receive
more information such as you
have provided, we will continue
to assist in presenting documenta
tion refuting the type of "lies" to
which you refer
I appreciate you taking the
time to express your feelings on
this important topic with me.
Your membership in the Legion
is important to all our efforts oh
behalf of America's veterans. I
trust my reply proves to be an
appropriate response to your con
cern.
Dominic D. DiFrancesco
National Commander
The American Legion
Veterans Status Needed
For AIJ WWII Seafaring Vets
The following letter, urging
continued support of veteran
status for WWII merchant
mariners, was written to Bill
Eglinton, director of vocational
education at the Harry Lun-
deberg School of Seamanship,
who sent it to the Seafarers LOG.
First, let me thank you and
your staff for the support afforded
me during my recent schooling at
the Lundeberg School. In my
opinion, you and your faculty are
a credit to our organization.
I'm sure that you will recall
that I am very interested in the bill
which is again coming before
Congress this summer concern
ing WWn veterans status.
I am not considered a WWII
veteran even though I was in
training at Sheepshead Bay in
Brooklyn, N.Y. before WWII
ended, because I had not been
assigned to a vessel before the
war with Japan ended....
Any assistance or support you
can give in helping to get the
proper legislation through Con
gress this year will be greatly ap-
jreciated by me. The way
Congress has ruled thus far does
not seem to me to be fair to myself
and a few others who find them
selves in this same situation.
lobeit Lee McDonald
West Lake, La.
Editor's note: SIU members
are urged to write their congres
sional representativies asking
them for their continued support
in extending benefits to all mer
chant marine veterans of WWII.
•'ii'-
• •l-'M
WTBHBER1992
Dispatchers' Report for Deep Sea
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1992
•TOTAL REGISTERED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
TOTAL SHIPPED
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Trip
Reliefs
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups
Class A Class B Class C
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houstoh
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houston
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houston
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
Port
New York
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Norfolk
Mobile
New Orleans
Jacksonville
San Francisco
Wilmington
Seattle
Puerto Rico
Honolulu
Houston
St. Louis
Piney Point
Algonac
Totals
27
1
5
8
10
24
28
24
24
30
10
7
34
1
2
0
235
15
1
3
5
.2.
9
0
20
:S
7
5
3
3
0
0
0
78
20 15 30 9
9 7 1 3
13 :• r'- 2 10
15 8 7
16 8 8 9
21 10 11 14
18 17 24
20 8 18 16
27 . 5 ••• 17
27 9 24 18
5 1 6 2
10 14 7 8
21 l'^ 37 'm'-iM
0 1
10 •••••;••• •:-2v::.' 0
1 2 0 2
233 124 191 166
21 ..•^.•"17i 8; 11 2
2 :.V"4!v 6 L 2
3 -'eT . 3 4-, : . 0^.
6 10 7 2 5 4
11 17 6 13 10 1
16 16 9 15 14 0
10 ^ • 14 " 5 ̂ \ry 3
14 17 3 12 9 2
9 • 11 A;-"no:; 6 7 , 3
19 13 7 12 8 3
7 2 0 3 2 0
4 13 15 4 8 10
18 22 nmt'- 10 ^ 5 6
1 2 1 0 0
'5 8 3 0 0
0 1 0 0 0 • 0^
146 173 85 106 101 36 146
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
17 12 13 8 4
3 2 2 2 2 0
6 4 5 0 0
4 6 7 6 0
4 6 2 4 1 2
7 5 4 11 3 1 •
12 8 0 13 :::• :5- 0
.50 10 5 24 , 7 , 1
10 .4 . 2 •;'r-11 >2 ' •• 0
29 7 4 19 3 0
2 1 3 1 1 0
10 22 21 5 17 20
11 5 : 2' 9 3 0
0 0 0 0 1
3 14 -:^;4,. ' :'::.'5:-' ̂ 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
168 106 62 124 57 35
5 39 25 15
0 2 5 8
2 5 14 7
2 14 17 7
0 13 17 8
4 29 20 18
2 18::':1 18 mil
2 25 33
2 : 14 23 14
3 25 15 17
1 9 0 0
3 7 15 9
i • 3^: 25 30 9
0 1 :,;n2' 2
1 ;:;r' •:-n9 ••••.: 7
0 2 0
30 233 265 147
3V
8 28 • 2t 5
2 . ,3 1 ' • 3
•' • -, 'M",: A A . A
6
5
2
37
0
0
'mm
4
7
13
16
18
86
15
40
2
16
m.
fi
2 m
0
99
0
274
4
9
13
14
12
23
9
10
1
27
'M-
0
178
0
6
2
6
0
5
i6::
4
3
19
'1\3-
0
v9-
0
71
ENTRY DEPARTMENT
33
0
8
10
17
24
16
36
11
17
4
53
25
3
30
2
289
39
2
1
10
9
13
24
^•::;v.5-
8
2
128
7
1
^ 1
0
256
10 16 0 ^84n 97
0 0 0 0 3 2 7
§-3; 0 0 5 17 2
4 5 6 0 6 24 28
2 7 0 0 3 32 17
2 8 3 0 14 44 35
•MW: 2 0 : 1 35 15
12 . 6 4 0 56 72 55
7 3 0 ^•::9 23 16
7 10 4 0 13 23 19
2 3 3 0 10 6 4
3 46 115 0 3 49 145
W:5 : 21 0 5 38 15
- 1 0 0 6 0
0 23 0 .0 /v: 0 33 8
0 2 0 0 0 4 0
52 171 148 0 151 492 463
922 Totals All J J 275
•^^TotTRegistered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
** "Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at Ae Po^ at the end of last morUh.
A total of 1,425 jobs were shipped on SlU-contracted deep sea vessels. Of the M25 jobs shipped, 473 jobs
or about 33 percent were taken by "A" seniority members. The rest were filled by B and C seniority
people. From July 16 to August 15,1992, a total of 179 trip relief jobs were shipped. Since the trip relief
program began on April 1,1982, a total of 17,163 jobs have been shipped.
SEAFARERS LOG 17
October & November
Membership Meetings
Deep Sea, Lakes, Inland Waters
Piney Point
Monday: October 5, November 2
New York
Tuesday: October 6, November 3
Philadelphia
Wednesday: October 7, November 4
Baltimore
Thursday: October 8, November 5
Norfolk
Thursday: October 8, November 5
Jacksonville
Thursday: October 8, November 5
Algonac
Friday: October 9, November 6
Houston
Monday: October 12, November 9
New Orleans
Tuesday: October 13, November 10,
Mobile
Wednesday: October 14; Thursday, November 12
San Francisco
Thursday: October 15, November 12
Wilmington
Monday: October 19, November 16
Seattle
Friday: October 23, November 20
San Juan
Thursday: October 8, November 5
St. Louis
Friday: October 16, November 13
Honolulu
Friday: October 16, November 13
Duluth
Wednesday: October 14; Thursday, November 12
Jersey City
Wednesday: October 21, November 18
New Bedford
Tuesday: October 20, November 17
Each port's masting starts at 10:30 a.m.
Personals
JOSEPH BODIE
Please contact your sister, Senobia Nelson at 675
East 120th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90059.
GARY DAHL
Please contact your father at (301) 423-3612, or
write to him at 5909 Delta Lane, Suitland, MD
20746. '
FRANKA.JOHANSON
Please contact Robert Fish at 6000 Ivydene Ter
race, Baltimore, MD 21209.
" V •• ;:C
Four Earn Lundeberg Dipiomas
Four more Seafarers have added their names to the
roll of members who have received their General
Equivalency Diplomas (GED) while studying at the
Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship.
With Instructor Sheila Schug (center) are (left to right)
Mark D. Johnson, Lewis Danwin, Peter Hausmann
and Joe Bernieri. Nearly 2,000 Seafarers have ob
tained their high school equivalency diplomas
through the school's GED program.
m
ms
18 SEAFARE8SL0G SEPmUBER 1992
S':.^ ,-. - •• • ,
Seafarers fnternatfonal
Union Directory
Michael Sacco
President
John Fay
Secretary-Treasurer
Joseph Sacco
Executive vice President
Augustln Tellez
Vice President Collective Bargaining
George McCartney
Vice President West Ctoi >ast
Roy A. ̂ TBuck" Mercer
Vice President Government Services
JackCaffey
Vice President Atlantic Coast
Byron Kelley
Vice President Lakes and Inland Waters
Dean Coraey
Vice President Gulf Coast
U'
I'
HEADQUARTERS
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
(301) 899-0675 '
ALGONAC
520 St. Clair River Dr.
Algonac, MI 48001
(313) 794-4988
BALTIMORE
1216 E. Baltimore St
Baltimore. MD 21202
(410) 327-4900
DULUTH
705 Medical Arts Building
Dulufli,MN 55802
(218)722-4110
HONOLULU
606KaUhiSt.
Honolulu, HI 96819
(808) 845-5222
HOUSTON
1221 Pierce St.
Houston, TX 77002
(713)659-5152
JACKSONVILLE
3315 UbertySt.
Jacksonville, FL 32206
(904)353-0987
JERSEY CITY
St
Je 7302
MOBILE
1640 Dauphin Island Pkwy.
Mobile, AL 36605
(205)478-0916
NEW BEDFORD
48 Union St.
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508)997-5404
NEW ORLEANS
630 Jackson Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 529-7546
NEW YORK
675 Fourth Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11232
(718) 499-6600
NORFOLK
115 Third St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
(804)622-1892
PHILADELPHIA
oftna <! a
Philadelphia,"PA 19148
(215) 336-3818
PINEY POINT
P.O. Box 75
Piney Point, MD 20674
(301)994-0010
SAN FRANCISCO
350 Fremont St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415)543-5855
Government Services Division
(415)861-3400
SANTURCE
1057 Fernandez Juncos Ave.
Stop l6Vi
Santurce,PR 00907
(809)721-4033
SEATTLE
2505 First Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121
(206)441-1960
ST. LOUIS
4581 Gravois Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63116
(314)752-6500
WILMINGTON
510 N. Broad Ave.
Wilmington, CA 90744
(310)549-4000
Dispatchers' Report for Great Lakes
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1992
CL—Company/Lakes L—^Lakes NP—^Non Priority
•TOTAL REGISTERED TOTAL SHIPPED ••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups All Groups All Groups
Class CL OassL Class NP Class CL Class L Class NP QassCL Class L QassNP
DECK DEPARTMENT
0 49 6
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 25 t ' .
STEWARD DEPARTMENT
0
0
15
5
0 15
ENTRY DEPARTMENT Port
Algonac 0 0 0 . 18
Totals All Departments 0 65 23 0 89 12 0 41 25
* 'Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
Dispatchers' Report for Inland Waters
JULY 16 — AUGUST 15,1992
•TOTAL REGISTERED TOTAL SHIPPED
Region
Atlantic G
Gulf Coast
All Groups
Class A Class B OassC
All Groups
Class A Class B Oass C
DECK DEPARTMENT
••REGISTERED ON BEACH
All Groups
Class A Class B QassC
West Coast
Totals
Region
Atlantic
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
Totals
0 0
6 1 3
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
0 0 0 0 1 0 0
0
10
0
0
0
2
0
3
0
0
0
1
0
39
Region STEWARD DEPARTMENT
Gulf Coast
Lakes & Inland Waters
West Coast
Totals
. 0
0 0
4 4
0 4
0 0
0 4
Totals All Departments 41 0 24 12 1 4 160 13
* 'Total Registered" means the number of men who actually registered for shipping at the port last month.
** "Registered on the Beach" means the total number of men registered at the port at the end of last month.
46
CALLING ALL TUGBOAT
ENTHUSIASTS
VETERANS DAY EVENTS
AT THE SOUTH STREET
SEAPORT MUSEUM, N.Y.
New York Seamen Remember
World War H—Wednesday, Novem
ber 11,3-6p.nu in the Seamen's Church
Institute Auditorium, 241 Water Street.
Veteran seamen from New York City
offer first hand accounts of their WWII
experiences. Free.
New York Port in World War H—
Sunday, November 8. Museum
programs pay tribute to the merchant
seamen who risked their lives in WWII.
Period films, tours, demonstrations.
Events free with museum admission.
SURVIVORS OF THE
SS. ROGER B.TANEY
New York Harbor Cruise: Ship
ping Out in World War H—Sunday,
November 8, 11 a.m.-/ p.m. In this
Seaport Lines excursion, explore sites
where seamen prepared for their pivotal
role in the War. $12, $10 for seniors, $6
for children. Purchase tickets at booth.
Any survivors of the S.S. Roger B.
Taney, a Liberty Ship operated by
Waterman Steamship Co. that was sunk
on Sunday, February 7, 1943 in the
South Atlantic Ocean, are asked to con
tact James L. Tucker.
Tucker was Ae bosun aboard ship.
He notes that two lifeboats got away,
and he is particularly interest^ in hear
ing from anyone on the No. 2 boat with
him. "We were picked up 42 days later
off the Coast of Brazil and were put in
the hospital the next day in Santos,
Brazil."
Tucker is hoping to hear from sur
vivors in order to plan a 50 year reunion
next February or March.
Survivors may write to James L.
Tucker at P.O. Box 374, Kenansville,
N.C. 28349, or may call him at (919)
293-7955.
A group dedicated to the preserva
tion of the American tugboat industry
invites interested individuals to join. Or
ganized in 1990, the Tugboat En
thusiasts Society of America (TES)
chronicles the industry—^both its history
and its current status.
The organization publishes a quarter
ly newsletter entitled Tug Bitts, which
covers tug-building news, anecdotes of
tug history, book reviews, tug model
building tips, photographs and other ar
ticles related to tugboats and their crews.
The group's chairman, Joseph P. De-
Muccio, the son of a tugboatman, urges
interested parties to contact him at: TES,
308 Quince Street, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
29464. Membership dues are $25.00 an
nually.
PI
CORRESPONDENCE WITH
1968 PINEY POINT GRADS
Gordon Anderson graduated from
Piney Point on February 14, 1968. He
would like to correspond with members
of his class or anyone else who attended
Piney Point around that time.
Interested grads may write to him at
2732 Valencia, San Bemardino. CA
92406.
m.-:
E4 •
SOFARBRSIOG 19
Indy Wait Staff on the Go
With Safety and Service Duties
Continued from page 11
beginning her maritime career on the Inde
pendence. The daughter of Steward Lon-
nie Jones stated she plans to build up her
seatime on the cruise ship so she will he
able to upgrade at the Lundeherg School
and move up through the steward depart
ment.
Besides all the time and effort members
use in dealing with passengers, working in
the galley and handling food, they also are
involved in safety drills aboard the ship.
Waiters and waitresses can be found at the
various lifeboat stations with their assign
ments ranging from lowering the lifeboats
to checking the roll to account for all pas
sengers in their station.
Whether they move up the galley ladder
on the passenger ships or transfer their craft
to tankers and container ships in the SIU-
contracted fleet, the skills acquired on the
Independence become invaluable as they
continue their maritime careers.
Deck/Lounge Steward Kimberly Cazaropoul
works to release a block during lifeboat drills.
Deck/Lounge Steward Oebra White offers a
drink to a passenger.
The lounge crew of (left to right) Bartender Robert Edward Brock, Deck/Lounge Stewards
Helping during the weekly lifeboat drill is Debra Gardiner, Julie Konas, Kathleen Hodgens, Cheryl Rhodes and Robert Barron and Giving the Hawaiian good luck sign is As-
Waiter Steve Han. Bartender Mickie Frederick pose before a shift. sistant Waiter Henry Commager.
Janet and Brett Ethridge offer a variety of desserts to hungry passengers on sundeck. The dining room crew welcomes passengers aboard with a group singing of "Aloha."
: t
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20 SEAFARERS LOG SEPTEMBER 1992
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The Seafarers LOG attempts to print as i , .
Oil occasion, lyecause of space limitations, some will Im omitted.
Ships minutes first are reviewed by the union's contract department Those issues requiring attention
or resolution are addressixl by the union upon receipt of the ships minutes. The minutes are then
forwarded to the Seafarers LOG.
INGER(Sea\m, Inc.), May 31 —
Chairman Theodore Bush,
Secretary Vincent Sanchez Jr.,
Deck Delegate Kenneth Moore,
Engine Delegate W. Marino,
Steward Delegate John Foster.
Chairman announced payoff. He
praised crew for good trip. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked galley gang for job
well done. Crew advised fellow
SIU seamen to bring U.S. bills
when going to Albania, as
seamen's club there only accepts
American money. Next port: Hous
ton.
ULTRASEA (American Maritime
Transport), May 7 — Chairman
Daniel Laitinen Jr., Deck
Delegate David Garoutte. Chair
man thanked everyone and
reported all going well. Education
al director encouraged members to
upgrade at Lundeberg School. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked steward department.
1STLT. ALEXBONNYMAN
(Maersk Lines), June 26 —^ Chair
man Thomas Anderson, Deck
Delegate J. Thompson, Engine
Delegate Larry Cochrane,
Steward Delegate M. James. Chair
man reported things running
reasonably well. Educational direc
tor advised members to utilize Lun
deberg School to become
better-qualified and more in-
demand merchant mariners. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Steward delegate asked contracts
department for clarification about
random drug testing. Next port:
Jacksonville, Fla.
GREEN ISLAND (Waterman
Steamship), June 28 — Chairman
Marvin Zimhro, Secretary J.
Gleaton, Educational Director W.
Jones. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Next port: Newport
News, Va.
NEDLLOYD HUDSON (Sea-
Land Service), Jime 21 — Chair
man C. James, Secretary Ed
Payoff for Discovery
Bosun Nelson Sale was on
board for the Sea-Land
Discovery's payoff in
Elizabeth, N.J. recently.
Haher, Deck Delegate Edward
RIckard, Engine Delegate Dennis
Davidson. Deck delegate reported
disputed OT. No beefs or disputed
OT reported by engine or steward
delegates. Fans are needed for each
room. Crew was reminded to make
sure gangway lines are kept tight.
Next port: Boston.
LIBERTY SPIRIT (Liberty
Maritime), June 28 — Chairman
J.R. Wilson, Secretary R. Caval-
canti. Educational Director J.
Polito, Deck Delegate S. Jackson,
Engine Delegate Gary Toomer,
Steward Delegate Miguel Angel
Aguilar. Chairman discussed im
portance of federal elections.
Educational director urged mem
bers to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs 6r disputed OT
reported. Chairman reminded mem
bers to rewind videotapes.
1STLT. JACKLUMMUS
(Amsea), June 29 — Chairman S.
Solomon, Secretary L. Oram,
Steward Delegate E. Ellis. Crew
has not been notified of exact
figures for July 1 pay increase.
Educational director urged mem
bers to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew not receiving
Seafarers LOG. Next port: Guam.
MAYAGUEZ(Pnerto Rico
Marine), June 9 — Chairman A1
Caulder, Secretary J. Platts. Chair
man recommended ship be check
ed for asbestos. Engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
steward delegates. Crew asked con
tracts department to seek change
under wldch, permanent jobs
would not be lost due to medical
emergency. Crew thanked galley
gang members Steward A. Pena,
Chief Cook F. Maldiano and SA
B. Harris for job weU done. Next
port: Elizabeth, N.J.
GOLDEN MONARCH
(Westchester Marine), June 21 —
Chairman Pete Loik, Secretary
Jerome Jordan, Educational
Director Hanable Smith, Deck
Delegate Wilfredo Velez, Engine
Delegate Julio Reyes, Steward
Delegate Diego Hatch. Chairman
thanked crew for smooth trip. He
announced payoff. Educational
director noted importance of
upgrading at Lundeberg School.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked steward department
for job well done.
SEA-LAND CONSUMER (Sea-
Land Service), June 27 — Chair
man C. Heick, Secretary A.
Delaney, Education^ Director R.
Howard, Engine Delegate C. Ear-
hart, Steward Delegate F. Maliga.
Chairman noted crew has disputed
OT and needs clarifications regard
ing holiday pay. Other disputed OT
reported by steward delegate. Crew
asked contracts department to look
into abolition of permanent jobs.
Next port: Long Beach, Calif.
DSNS PREVAIL (USMMl), June
1 — Chairman Carl Kriensky,
Secretary Dean Steinmetz, Educa
tional Director Mike Everhart,
Deck Delegate Steve Voss,
Steward Delegate Patrick
Johnson. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
DSNS SILAS BENT (Mar Ship
Operators), June 7 — Chairman R.
Vazquez, Secretary C. Tourere,
Deck Delegate P. Puree, Engine
Delegate William Sylvester. Chair
man noted safety awards were
given by company for months of
March, April and May. He thanked
galley gang for recent barbecues.
No beefs or disputed OT reported.
delegate. Next port: Newport
News, Va.
ILEDE FRANCE (Sea-Land Ser
vice), July 19 — Secretary Robert
Hess. Chairman discussed upgrad
ing opportunities available at Lun
deberg School. Secretary reminded
members to vote. He noted impor
tance of SPAD. Educational direc
tor discussed safety procedures. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked galley gang.
Steward delegate thanked crew for
keeping lounge and messhalls
clean.
ITB NEW YORK (Sheridan
Transportation), July 20 — Chair
man Sonny Pinkham, Secretary F.
Cordero, Deck Delegate M.
Perry, Engine Delegate Louis
Secretary Steven Wagner, Educa
tional Director Alberto Aguiar,
Deck Delegate Rodney Pence, En
gine Delegate Richard Rodgers,
Steward Delegate Julio Guity.
Chairman noted raise went into ef
fect July 1. He reminded crew to
separate plastics. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew asked
contracts department to seek grace
period for permanent men who are
going on 60-day relief. Crew gave
vote of thanks to galley gang. Next
port: New Orleans.
OMI WILLAMETTE (OMl
Corp.), July 26 — Chairman M.
McDuffie, Secretary Robert Scott
Chairman announced payoff. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew was reminded not to smoke
in messhall during meal hours.
Looking to Shore
Chief Electrician Charles Gallagher awaits the docking of the Nuevo San Juan when that ship called
on Port Elizabeth, N.J.
Crew was reminded to be cautious
of different traffic laws and pat
terns in Japan. Crew requested new
ice machine.
2ND LT. J.P. BOBO(Amsea),
July 2 — Chairman Thomas
Parisi, Secretary Hans Schmuck,
Educational Director Charles Mc-
Kenna, Deck Delegate Alonso Ar
mada, Engine Delegate Michael
Langehach, Steward Delegate
Dorray Saheron. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew extended
special thanks to steward depart
ment for outstanding job with last
cookout (which included 200
pounds of lobster).
SGT. W.R. BUnON(Amsea),
July 5 — Chairman L.D. Yockey,
Secretary K. White, Educational
Director M. Blackburn, Deck
Delegate S. Berschger, Engine
Delegate T. Christensen, Steward
Delegate K. Johnson. Educational
Director stressed importance of
upgrading at Lundeberg School
and encouraged members to send
articles and photos to the LOG. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
gang. Next port: San Diego.
FRANCES HAMMER (Ocean
Chemical Carriers), July 19 —
Chairman Richard Wilson,
Secretary J. Price, Educational W.
Dooling, Deck Delegate Kevin
Hare, Engine Delegate George
Demetropoulos, Steward Delegate
Toyo Gonzales. Company has
agreed to supply refrigerators in
each seamen's room and to replace
couch in crew lounge. Secretary ad
vised members interested in further
ing their education to apply for
Seafarers scholarship. Vocational
director urged members to upgrade
at Lundeberg School. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew asked
contracts department to look into
reducing time required to maintain
permanent jobs. All departments
were thanked for working well
together. Ship is carrying phos
phoric acid to Madras, India.
SAM HOUSTON (Waterman
Steamship), July 26 — Chairman
Eugene Granhiham, Secretary C.
Rooks. Deck and engine delegates
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by steward
Malave, Steward Delegate D.
Rodriguez. Crew thanked galley
gang for good job.
LIBERTY STAR (Liberty
Maritime), July 26 — Chairman
Tim Koehel, Secretary V. Wallen,
Educational Director W. Howard.
Engine delegate reported disputed
OT. No beefs or disputed OT
reported by deck or steward
delegates. Crew laundry needs
second washing machine. Crew
thanked steward department. .
LNG LIBRA (ETC), July 5 —
Chairman J.B. Rhodes, Secretary
W. Justi, Educational Director
Bruce Zenon, Deck Delegate S.
Ibrahim, Engine Delegate Tim
Van Pelt, Steward Delegate
Lawrence Conklin. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew
thanked steward department for
good job.
LNG TAURUS (ETC), July 12 —
Chairman Ulus Veach, Secretary
Doyle Cornelius, Educational
Director Raymond Culpepper,
Deck Delegate Joseph Morrison,
Engine Delegate Vincent
Larimer, Steward Delegate Ud-
jang Nurdjaja. Chairman intro
duced captain, who welcomed all
crewmembers and commended
them for safety record. Educational
director advised members to
upgrade at Lundeberg School. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew noted non-skid pads on lad
der need to be replaced.
1STLT. JACKLUMMUS
(Amsea), July 12 — Chairman S.
Viomon, Secretary L. Oram,
Educational Director R. Tannis,
Deck Delegate Kevin Devine, En
gine Delegate S. Andereon,
Steward Delegate E. Loret.
Treasurer reported $394.40 in
ship's fund. Deck delegate asked
contracts department for clarifica
tion on payment policy. No beefs
or disputed OT reported. Next port:
Guam.
Crew discussed importance of
upgrading at Lundeberg School.
OVERSEAS ALASKA
(Maritime Overseas), July 28 —
Chairman Carlos Spina, Secretary
F. Nieves, Engine Delegate James
Brown, Steward Delegate V. Car
denas. Chairman reported beefs in
deck department. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported by engine or
steward delegates.
OVERSEAS VALDEZ(Maritime
Overseas), July 19 — Chairman
Frank Cottongin, Secretary G.
Quinn, Educational Director E.
Macom, Deck Delegate A.
Machado, Engine Delegate Ar
chie Bligen, Steward Delegate A.
Fachini. Secretary urged members
to donate to SPAD. Deck delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by engine or
steward delegates. Crew thanked
steward department for fine meals
and menus.
OVERSEAS VIVIAN (Maritime
Overseas), July 12 — Chairman
Jerome Williams, Secretary
Royce Bozeman, Engine Delegate
Mark Stewart, Steward Delegate
Alex Jaradia. Locks to crew
quarters need replacements. Chair
man reminded crew to separate
plastics. Secretary reported
shortage of stores. Engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
steward delegates. Crew discussed
importance of upgrading at Lun
deberg School and donating to
SPAD. Crew thanked galley gang
for good food.
SEA-LAND QUALITY (Sea-
Land Service), July 12 — Chair-
MOKU PAHU (Pacific Gulf
Marine), July 18 — Chairman D.
Ticer Jr., Secretary J. Pratt,
Educational Director M. Peck. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew noted mail service is slow.
OMI DYNACHEM(OMl Coip),
July S — Chairman Larry Kunc,
man Jerry Bass, Secretary J.
Rivera, Educational Director Ken
neth Linah, Steward Delegate F.
Monsihais. Chairman announced
payoff and said this was his best
trip to northern Europe. Secretary
and educational director urged
members to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Next port: Boston.
SCAN (Amsea), July 25 — Chair
man Al Kirksey, Secretary S. Red
ding, Steward Delegate James
Jordan. Chairman announced
payoff. No beefs or disputed OT
reported.
Continued on page 22
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SEPTEMBER 1992 SEAFARERS LOG 21
The Seafarers Pension Plan
this month announces the
retirements of twenty-seven
members.
Sixteen of those signing off
sailed in the deep sea division,
while nine sailed in the inland
division. One sailed on the
Great Lakes and one sailed in
the Atlantic Fishermen division.
Of the retiring Seafarers, 19
served in a branch of the U.S.
armed forces. Some of the SIU
members served during WWII.
Others enlisted in the period up
to and through the Korean con
flict in the early '50s.
Additionally, in this month's
group of pensioners are two
recertified bosuns and three
recertified stewards. Brief
biographical sketches of these
SIU members and the other
new pensioners follow.
DEEP SEA
PAUL
ADAMS
JR., 65,
joined the
SIU in 1956
in the port of
Savannah,
Ga. The
Georgia native sailed in the
deck department He also served
in the U.S. Coast Guard. Brother
Adams has retired to Savannah.
CLAUDE
BANKSTON
JR., 65,
joined the
Seafarers in
1950 in the
port of New
Orleans.
Bom in Bogalusa, La., he com
pleted the bosun recertification
course at the Lundebeig School in
1975. Brother Bankston served in
the U.S. Navy fiom 1944 to 1946.
He resides in Metairie, La.
WILLIE
BRAGGS,
64,
graduated
from the
Andrew
Furuseth
Training
School in Mobile, Ala. in 1959.
He was bom in Alabama and in
1982 completed the steward
recertification course at the
Lundeberg School. Brother
Braggs lives in Fairhope, Ala.
ALVIN
DYER, 65,
joined the
Seafarers in
1945 in the
port of New
York. Bom
in Maine, he
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Dyer served in the U.S.
Air Force from 1946 to 1953.
He lives in Gouldsboro, Maine.
JOSEPH DELISE, 68, joined
the SIU in 1952 in his native
New York. He completed the
steward recertification course
at the Lundeberg School in
1980. Brother Delise served in
the U.S. Army from 1943 to
1946. He has retired to Far-
mingdale, N.Y.
To Our New Pensioners
... Thanks for a Job Well Done
Each month in the Seafarers LOG, the names of SIU members who recently have become
pensioners appear with a brief biographical sketch. These men and women have served the
maritime industry well, and the SIU and all their union brothers and sisters wish them
happiness and health in the days ahead.
BOBBY
ESPANOL,
68,joined
the union in
1970 in the
port of San
Francisco.
He was bom
in the Philippine Islands and
sailed in the steward depart
ment. Brother Espanol served
in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to
1968. He resides in Moreno
Valley, Calif.
EDDIE
FISHER,
61, joined the
SIU in 1965
in his native
New Orleans.
He sailed in
the steward
department. Brother Fisher
served in the U.S. Army from
1952 to 1954. He continues to
call New Orleans home.
EDWARD GLAZDER, 65,
joined the Seafarers in 1952 in
the port of New York. Bom in
Newark, N.J., he sailed in the
steward department. Brother
Glazder served in the U.S.
Navy from 1946 to 1947. He
still lives in Newark.
PAUL
GONCAL-
VES,65,
joined the
SIU in 1955
in the port
of Wil
mington,
Calif. A native of Philadelphia,
he sailed in the engine depart
ment. Brother Goncalves has
retired to Seattle.
SERGIO
MORALES,
66, joined
the
Seafarers in
1979 in the
jort of New
York. He
was bom in Puerto Rico and
sailed in the steward depart
ment. Brother Morales
upgraded at the Lundeberg
School in 1982. He resides in
*4aranjitos, P.R.
CAR-
MELO
MURPHY,
65, joined
the union in
1946 in the
port of Hous
ton. Bom in
Puerto Rico, he sailed in the
steward department. Brother
Vlurphy has retired to Houston.
PAUL ONUFNER, 74, joined
the SIU in 1963 in the port of
^lew York. He was bom in
Whiting, Ind. and sailed in the
deck department. Brother Onuf-
ner upgraded frequently at the
Lundeberg School. He lives in
Northfield, Ohio.
PAUL PAR
SONS, 63,
joined the
Seafarers in
1963 in the
port of Jack
sonville,
Fla. A na
tive of Wilkes County, N.C., he
sailed in the deck department.
Brother Parsons served in the
U.S. Navy from 1946 until
1948. He resides in Lenoir, N.C.
JABEZ
PEGG, 63,
joined the
SIU in 1962
in the port
of Bal
timore. Bom
in Graham,
^.C., he sailed in the deck
department. Brother Pegg
served in the U.S. Army from
1947 to 1953. He has retired to
Fairfield, Calif.
WILLIAM
RAWLUK,
63, joined
the
Seafarers in
1962 in the
port of New
York.
Brother Rawluk was bom in
Canada in the city of Calgary,
Alberta and sailed in the deck
department. Brother Rawluk
resides in Seattle.
LEROY
TEMPLE,
65,joined
the SIU in
1962 in the
port of
Detroit. A
native of
Sandusky,
Ohio, he sailed on the Great
Lakes before transferring to the
union's deep sea division.
Brother Temple completed the
bosun recertification course at
the Lundeberg School in 1982.
He served in the U.S. Army
from 1952 to 1954. Brother
Temple lives in Stockton, Calif.
INLAND
FRANK
GIBSON,
71,joined
the union in
1965 in his
native New
Orleans. He
sailed in the
deck department. Boatman Gib
son served in the U.S. Army
Tom 1941 until 19^. He has
retired to Waveland, Miss.
CLYDE
GRAVES,
63, joined
the union in
1983 in the
port of
Mobile, Ala.
Born in
Prentiss, Miss., he sailed in the
engine department. Boatman
Graves lives in Eight Mile, Ala.
NEWTON
HAHL,67,
joined the
union in
1963 in the
port of St.
Louis. He
was born in
Penns Grove, ^l.J. and sailed in
the engine department. Boat
man Hahl served in the U.S.
Army from 1948 to 1949. He
resides in St. Louis.
LONNIE
HOWARD,
62, joined
the union in
1982 in the
port of Jack
sonville,
Fla. The na-
WILLIAM PETERS, 62,
joined the union in 1973 in the
port of Paducah, Ky. Bom in
Mississippi, he sailed in the
deck department. Boatman
Peters served in the U.S. Aimy
from 1951 to 1953. He lives in
Caruthsville, Mo.
HENRY SOUDELIER, 63,
joined the union in 1964 in the
port of New Orleans. The
Louisiana native sailed in the
deck department. Boatman
Soudelier served in the U.S.
Army from 1950 to 1952. He
lives in Houma, La.
DAVID STILES, 62, joined
the union in 1973 in the port of
Norfolk, Va. A Virginia native,
he sailed in the deck depart
ment. Boatman Stiles served in
the U.S. Navy from 1947 to
1948. He resides in Cape Char
les, Va.
HAROLD
WHIGHT-
SILJR., 62,
joined the
union in
1966 in the
port of New
Orleans. He
live of South Carolina sailed in
the deck department. A U.S.
Army veteran. Boatman
Howard has retired to Jackson
ville.
STEPHEN
PLASH
JR., 63,
joined the
union in
1957 in the
port of Gal
veston,
Texas. He was bom in
Hitchcock, Texas and sailed in
the deck department. Boatman
Plash served in the U.S. Navy
from 1946 to 1948. He has
retired to Sante Fe, Texas.
was bom in Illinois and sailed
in the deck and engine depart
ments. Boatman Whightsil
upgraded at the Lundeberg
School in 1981. He served in
the U.S. Army from 1946 to
1951. Brother Whightsil has
retired to Chalmette, La.
GREAT LAKES
ALl ZIN-
DANI, 69,
joined the
Seafarers in
1957 in the
port of
Detroit.
Born in
Yemen, he sailed in the engine
department. Brother Zindani
has retired to Detroit.
ATLANTIC FISHERMEN
SAMUEL SCOLA, 64, joined
the union in 1966 in his native
Boston. He sailed in the deck .
department. Brother Scola
served in the U.S. Army from
1946 to 1948. He resides in
Gloucester, Mass.
Retired But Not Retired
Brother Robert Jordan may have retired several years ago after 45
years with the Seafarers, but he did not wait long to start a new
career. Jordan, pictured here with his wife Mary, is running a
canvash in Chickasaw, Ala.
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22 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER1992
Ships Digest
I Continued from page 20
SEA-LAND ACHIEVER (Sea-
Land Service), July 5 — Chairman
Frank Marchione, Secretary E.
Winfield. Educational director
urged members to upgrade at Lun-
deberg School. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported.
SEA-LAND A TLANTIC (Sea-
Land Service), July 6 — Chairman
W. Byrd, Secretary R. Seim,
Educational Director J. Ashley.
Chairman reported crew scattered
ashes of SIU retiree John Mc
Clelland. Chairman requested in
formation regarding SIU pension
plan. Department delegates each
reported disputed OT. Deck and
steward delegates also reported
other beefs. Next port: Boston.
SEA-LAND CO/V5t/M£/7 (Sea-
Land Service), July 26 — Chair
man C. Heick, Secretary A.
Delaney, Educational Director R.
Howard, Steward Delegate F.
Mallga. Deck delegate reported dis
puted OT. Steward delegate
reported beefs. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported by engine
delegate. Crew asked contracts
department to look into discontinu
ing permanent jobs. Next port: Oak
land, Calif.
SEA-LAND CRUSADER (Sea-
Land Service), July 20 — Chair
man Berherena Benaia, Secretary
N. Andrews, Education^ Director
Bermeo Oswald, Deck Delegate
Doug Hodges, Engine Delegate
Roy Jackson, Steward Delegate
Willie Grant No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Next port: San Juan,
P.R.
SEA-LAND DISCOVERY(Sea-
Land Service), July 12 — Chair
man Allan Rogers, Secretary Jose
Colls, Steward Delegate O. Rios.
Chairman announced payoff.
Secretary reported new ice
machine will be put on board in
Elizabeth, N.J. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Crew thanked
galley gang.
SEA-LAND ENTERPRISE (Sea-
Land Service), July 19 — Chair
man Bill Lougfh, Secretary E.
Douroudous, Educational Director
Robert Dehlbom. No beefs or dis
puted OT reported. Deck delegate
thanked steward department for bar
becue.
SEA-LAND EXPLORER (Sea-
Land Service), July 19 — Chair
man James Craine, Secretary
Ronald Fluker, Educational Direc
tor Sonny Acosta, Deck Delegate
John DeBos, Engine Delegate Ber
nardo Tapia, Steward Delegate
George Lee. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Next port: Long
Beach, Calif.
SEA-LAND INDEPENDENCE
(Sea-Land Service), July 9 —
Chairman Francis Adams,
Secretary Nancy Heyden, Educa
tional Director Don Giacoma,
Deck Delegate Peter Bean, Engine
Delegate James Donohue,
Steward Delegate Ruben Flel.
Chairman thanked crew for smooth
trip. He reminded members to
write their senators and con
gressmen and urge support of U.S.-
flag shipping. He noted importance
of SPAD and MDL. Educational
director advised members to read
Seafarers LOG and upgrade at Lun-
deberg School. Treasurer noted
members will view videotapes
which explain how to save money
when purchasing a car and how to
obtain a mortgage. Deck delegate
reported beef. Engine delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by steward
delegate. Crew thanked galley
gang for making the ship an excel
lent feeder.
SEA-LAND INNOVATOR (Sea-
Land Service), July 5 — Chairman
T. Anderson, Secretary R.
Armstrong, Educational Director
Bo Francisco, Deck Delegate
George Fries. Engine delegate
reported beef. No beefs or ̂ sputed
OT reported by deck or steward
delegates. Crew noted VCR needs
repair or replacement. Crew
thanked steward department for job
well done.
SEA-LAND INTEGRITY {Sea-
Land Service), July 12 — Chair
man D. Newman, Secretary P.
Laboy, Educational Director D.
Barber, Deck Delegate T. Cud-
dihy. Engine Delegate I. Manley.
No b^fs or disputed OT reported.
Crew gave vote of thanks to galley
gang.
SENATOR (Crowley Caribbean
Transport), July 6 — Chairman
George Walks, Secretary Paul
Stubblefield, Educational Director
Jim Williams, Deck Delegate
Winston Dodson, Engine Delegate
Curtis Lang, Steward Delegate
Andre Keller. Secretary reminded
crew to have clean linen for re
placements. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Crew thanked Chief
Steward Stubblefield and his
department.
SEA-LAND SP/#?/T(Sea-Land
Service), July 19 — Chairman
Hayden GifTord, Secretary Steve
Apodaca, Educational Director
Charles Henley. Chairman ad
vised members to write their
senators and congressman and find
out their activities related to
maritime. He urged members to
upgrade at Lundeberg School. No
reefs or disputed OT reported.
Crew thanked steward department
or job well done. Next port:
tlonolulu.
SEA-LAND TRADER {Sea-Land
Service), July 15 — Chairman M.
Willis, Secretary G.R. Shirley,
Educational Director M. Sabin.
Chairman announced payoff.
Secretary urged memters to donate
to SPAD. Educational director ad
vised members to upgrade at Lun-
Houston Seafarers at the Ready
Supplying a recently docked Sea-Land vessel In Houston are, from
the left, J. Zepeda. L. Zepeda, G. Rodriguez, J. Rodriguez, E.
Zepeda, R. Ylwrra and R. Zepeda.
deberg School. Steward delegate
reported disputed OT. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
engine delegates.
DSNS SILAS BENT {Mar Ship
Operators), July 8 — Chairman R.
Vazquez, Secretary C. Tourere,
Educational Director G. Millsap,
Engine Delegate W. Sylvester.
Chairman reminded members to
submit photos to LOG. Deck
delegate reported disputed OT. No
beefs or disputed OT reported by
engine or steward delegates.
DSNS CHAUVENET{Mai Ship
Operators), July 1 — Chairman
JeHFocardi, Secretary C. Nelson,
Educational Director A1 Matos,
Deck Delegate Jim Keevan,
Steward Delegate Pam White. No
beefs or disputed OT reported. On
July 21, a group of high school stu
dents and teachers sponsored by
National Geographic Society came
aboard in Egypt to participate in
simulated survey operation. Project
will be featured on TV and in an
upcoming issue of National
Geographic.
DSNS PREVAIL (USMMI), July
5 — Chairman Carl Kriensky,
Secretary M. Davidson, Education
al Director Mike Everhart, Deck
Delegate Steven Voss, Steward
Delegate Patrick Johnson. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
DSNS PREVAIL (USMMI), July
31 — Chairman Carl Kriensky,
Secretary M. Davidson, Education
al Director Mike Everhart, Deck
Delegate Steven Voss, Steward
Delegate P. Johnson. No beefs or
disputed OT reported. Crew
thanked galley gang for job well
done.
DSNS WVAMAf (Mar Ship
Operators), July 9 — Chairman
Steve Herring, Secretary D. St
George, Educational Director R.
Clark, Deck Delegate Joseph Grif
fin, Engine Delegate Wesley Wise.
Deck and steward delegates asked
contracts department for clarifica
tions on various work duties. No
beefs or disputed OT reported by
engine delegate.
PFC. DEWAYNE T. WILLIAMS
(Amsea), July 6 — Chairman
Alvin McCants, Secretary S. Aval-
lone, Educational Director F.
Jaworski, Deck Delegate Donnie
Collins. Deck delegate asked con
tracts department for clarification
on ammo pay. No beefs or disputed
OT reported. Next port: Honolulu.
GOLDEN MONARCH (Apex
Marine), August 2 — Chairman
Pete Loik, Secretary J. Gonzales,
Educational Director H. Smith. No
beefs or disputed OT reported.
Chairman and crew thanked Chief
Steward Juan Gonzalez, Chief
Cook David Valle and GSUs
Trinidad Sanchez and Miguel
Collazo for splendid job.
OMI COLUMBIA (OMI Corp.),
August 2 — Chairman J. Miller,
Secretary C. Moss, Educational
Director A. Bomhita, Engine
Delegate Victor Bermudez,
Steward Delegate K. Bragg.
Secretary urged members to donate
to SPAD. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew received new VCR
and new chairs and completed all
repairs.
OMI DYNACHEM{OMl Corp.),
August 8 — Chairman Larry
Kunc, Secretary Wayne Howard,
Educational Director James Long.
Educational director urged mem
bers to upgrade at Lundeberg
School. No beefs or disputed OT
reported. Crew gave vote of thanks
to galley gang.
SEA-LAND PATRIOT{Sea-Land
Service), August 2 — Chairman S.
Evans, Secretary P. Schulz, Educa
tional Director H. Bang. Education
al director reminded all hands to
watch safety movies and report any
electrical problems. Steward
delegate reported beef. No beefs or
disputed OT reported by deck or
engine delegates. Crew thanked
Chief Cook R. Richardson and
GSU S. Saeed for good work. Next
port: Oakland, Calif.
SEA-LAND RELIANCE {Sea-
Land Service), August 2 — Chair
man R. McGonagle, Secretary D.
Zuls, Educational Director L.
What's Cooking?
Cook/Baker Leo Castro and
Steward Assistant Americus
Bell decide what's for dessert
aboard the USNS Chauvenet.
BryanL Deck Delegate R. Young,
Engine Delegate C. Akers,
Steward Delegate F. Ahdulla.
Secretary urged members to donate
to SPAD and upgrade at Lun
deberg School. Engine delegate
reported beef. No beefs or disputed
OT reported by deck or steward
delegates. Crew gave vote of
thanks to steward department. Next
port: Tacoma, Wash.
SEA-LAND TACOMA (Sea-Land
Service), August 2 T— Chairman T.
Murphy, Secretary M. Meany,
Deck Del^ate Glom Christianson,
Engine Delegate Mel Fo-gusmi. No'
beefs or diqruted OT reported.
USNS CHAUVENET {Mar Ship
Operators), August 2 — Chairman
JeffFocardi, Secretary C. Nelson,
Educational Director A1 Matos,
Deck Delegate Jim Keevan,
Steward Delegate Louis Mercado.
Steward delegate reported previous
OT beef still unresolved. No beefs
or disputed OT reported by deck or
engine delegates. Next port: Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla.
Last year, the Seq^rers LOG
devoted several pages in the
December issue to print holiday
greetings from active and retired
Seafarers^as well as their family
members-—to friends, shipmates
and loved ones. The feature was
well received and, thus, the LOG is
plaiming a similar feature this year.
In 25 words or less (and in the
in Seafarers; i©#
neatest printing possible), write the
message in the space provided
below. All (legible) greetings that
are written in the holiday spirit will
be incllided in the Decemter 1992
issue of the Seafarers LOG, if they
are received in time.
The deadline for receipt of the
holid^messages is Friday, Novem
ber 13.1^.S^ thernby rnail totte
Seafarers LOG, 5201 Auth Way,
Camp Springs, 20746.
After November 1, facsimile
copies will be accepted The fax
number is (301) 899-7355.
Forms also may be filled out in
any union hall and turned in to the
official at the counter—or may be
given to the boarding patrolman at a
Vessel's payoff.
to: " '
Frofli;.
lU: , V. (3icdk the block which describes your statoS
• Active (teafarer Q fhinily Member of Adivc <Sc»fiiiei'
" Seafarer • family Member of
Send your gineting to the 5eq/brers LOG, 5201 Auth Way, Canm Spings, MD 20746v The greeting should
hdieceivedaltbeLOGQfficebyRriday.November 13,1992. ^
9A2
-
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SEFTEMBER1992 SBVAmRSLOG 23
DeSteiguer Crew Credits Steward Martin's Teamwork
Step aboard the USNS De-
Steiguer and all that can be heard
is how good the crew is, how well
everyone gets along and what a
wonderful vessel the
oceanographic survey ship is.
Those words resonate from
Captain Wayne Conroy to the
civilian researchers working on
board. When asked why, all point
to the galley gang headed by
Chief Steward Morris Martin as
what holds the vessel together.
"Although everybody on here
is a hard worker, without a doubt
the steward department is our best
[department]," Conroy told a
reporter for the Seafarers LOG
who visited the ship, operated by
Mar Ship Operators, in San Diego
recently^ "The union keeps send- steward Assistant Thomas Route straightens the mess after breakfast. AB Sean Rafferty heads for the Watching over engineroom opera-
deck on another detaii. tions is OMU Robert J. Mulvaney. ing us good people.
Like a Family
OMU Rick Grosso, a •
graduate of Lundebefg School
trainee class 148, noted upon his
return to the DeSteiguer, "It's
great to be on board. It's like ^
family on here."
Martin attributes the success
in the galley to "the top notch
crew we have at all times." Since
Martin first signed on as chief
steward in 1987, the DeSteiguer
consistently has earned top marks
from the Military Sealift Com
mand for its steward department.
Although happy with its latest
grade of 98, Chief Cook Cecil
Husted said the crew was disap
pointed to not receive a perfect
100. "We know we're that good
and that's what we strive for."
Working Together
In training new crewmembers
oni how to work in his department,
Morris Martin preaches the "little
I and big U" theory. "There is no
me or I; it's only us and we. We
work with them and they work
with us."
One galley member who sails
with Martin when he can is
Steward Assistant Thomas
Route. A graduate of Lundeberg
School trainee class 417 (Fall
1987), Route praised Martin as a
man who has taught him a lot
about sailing. "Every time I come
aboard I learn something new
from him," Route said.
Bosun Sidney Whitaker shouts or- Signing in visitors aboard the De- AB Brian McCaulliffe assists with Wiper Ken Route cleans up in the SA Donical Caldas sports a cap
ders from above. Sfe/gueris AB Jim Souci. loading equipment on the crane, engineroom. noting her assignment.
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24 SEAFARERS LOG SEFTEMBER1992
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Final Departuf^s Sf- ,;•
'M&
DEEP SEA
HERBERT CHATTOM
Pensioner
Herbert Chat
torn, 65,
passed away
July 29. The
Alabama na
tive joined
the SIU in
1957 in the
port of Mobile, Ala. Brother Chat-
. torn sailed in the engine depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1945 to 1946. Brother Chat-
tom retired in June 1984.
FRED CLOPTON
Pensioner
Fred Clopton
94, died July
1. A native of
Pensacola,
Ra., he
joined the
Seafarers in
1947 in the
port of Baltimore. Brother Clopton
sailed in the engine department. He
began receiving his pension in
August 1973.
RICHARD CUMMINGS
Pensioner
Richard Cum
mings, 88,
passed away
July 12. Bom
in St. Paul,
Minn., he
joined the
union in 1943
in the port of Philadelphia. Brother
Cummings sailed in the deck
department. He served in the U.S.
Navy from 1925 to 1930. He
retired in January 1968.
JOSEPH DECHALUS
Pensioner
Joseph De-
Chalus, 77,
died Novem
ber 7, 1991.
The native of
Brooklyn,
N. Y. joined
the Marine
Cooks and Stewards in 1942.
Brother DeChalus retired in June
1968 before that union merged
with the AGLIWD. He is survived
by his wife, Mary.
ALEJANDRO DENULLY
Pensioner Alejandro DeNully, 75,
passed away June 22. A native of
the Philippine Islands, he joined
the Marine Cooks and Stewards in
1972 in the port of San Francisco,
before that union merged with the
AGLIWD. Brother DeNully began
receiving his pension in January
1983.
DOMENICDISANTO
Domenic Disanto, 68, died July 6.
He joined the SIU in his native
Boston in 1956. Brother Disanto
sailed in the deck department.
HUGH HALLMAN
Pensioner Hugh Hallman, 79,
passed away June 30. Bom in At
lanta, he joined the Seafarers in
1941 in the port of New York.
Brother Hallman sailed in the en
gine department. He retired in
Febmary 1975.
PAUL KENT
Paul Kent, 40, died July 5. The
New York native graduated from
the Lundeberg School in 1973.
Brother Kent sailed in the steward
department. He last shipped in
1977.
GEORGE LAFLEUR
George
Lafleur, 63,
passed away
July 11. He
was bom in
Louisiana and
in 1951
joined the
union in the
port of Norfolk, Va. Brother
Lafleur sailed in the steward depart
ment.
THOMAS MAHER
Thomas Maher, 81, died June 6.
He joined the SIU in 1946 in his
native New York. Brother Maher
sailed in the engine department. He
upgraded at the Lundeberg School
in 1975.
JAMES MANNING
James Man
ning, 49,
passed away
October 24. A
native of
Washington,
D.C.he
joined the
Seafarers in
1967 in the port of New York.
Brother Manning sailed in the deck
department. He served in the U.S.
Navy from 1964 to 1966.
LUIS MEDINA
Pensioner Luis Medina, 81, died
July 21. Bom in Puerto Rico, he
joined the SIU in 1948 in the port
of New York. Brother Medina
sailed in the engine department. He
began receiving his pension in
Janiiaiy 1980.
GOMERSINDO OTERO
Pensioner
Gomersindo
Otero, 83,
passed away
June 26. He
joined the
SIU as a
charter mem
ber in 1938 in
lis native Puerto Rico. Brother
Otero sailed in the engine depart
ment. He retired in January 1972.
MARTIN O'TOOLE
Pensioner
Martin O'-
Toole, 65,
died July 30
due to a heart
attack. A na
tive of Bal
timore, he
joined the
Seafarers in 1955 in the port of
Seattle. Brother O'Toole sailed in
the engine department. He began
receiving his pension in October
981.
MANUEL PINTO
Pensioner
Manuel Pinto,
89, died July
6. Bom in
India, he
joined the
SIU in 1947
in the port of
Philadelphia.
Irother Pinto sailed in the deck
department. He retired in Septem
ber 1968.
ALFRED OTREMBA
Alfred Otremba, 59, passed away
uly 31. He was bom in Hillman,
Minn, and in 1958 graduated from
the Andrew Fumseth Training
School in New York. Brother
Otremba sailed in the deck depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1954 to 1956.
JOSEPH RICHARDSON
Joseph
Richardson,
19, passed
away October
25, 1991. The
native of Mis
sissippi
graduated
from the Lun
deberg School in 1990. Brother
Richardson sailed in the engine
department. He upgraded at the
Lundeberg School in 1991.
SAMMY ROGAMOS
Pensioner
Sammy
Rogamos, 88,
died June 12.
He was bom
in the Philip
pine Islands
and in 1956
joined the
union in the port of San Francisco.
Brother Rogamos sailed in the
steward department. He began
receiving his pension in October
1968.
EDMOND SAHUQUE
Pensioner Ed-
mond Sahu-
que, 75,
passed away
July 9. He
joined the
Seafarers in
1942 in his na
tive New Or
leans. Brother Sahuque sailed in
the steward department. He retired
in July 1976.
CHARLES THORPE
Pensioner
Charles
Thorpe, 64,
died June 25.
The Min
nesota native
joined the
SIU in 1959
in the port of
Baltimore. Brother Thorpe sailed
in the steward department. He
upgraded at the Lundeberg School
in 1980. He served in the U.S.
Army from 1944 until 1949.
Brother Thorpe retired in Septem
ber 1986.
JOHNVIEIRA
Pensioner John Vieira, 81, passed
away June 14. Bom in British
Guiana, he joined the Seafarers in
1948 in the port of New York,
irother Vieira sailed in the steward
department. He began receiving his
pension in October 1970.
EDWARD WICAK
'ensioner Edward Wicak, 81, died
July 10. He was bom in Philadel-
)hia and in 1942 joined the SIU in
le port of Mobile, Ala. Brother
Wicak sailed in the engine depart
ment. He retired in June 1976.
ALFRED WILSON
Pensioner
Alfred Wil
son, 72,
passed away
July 10. A na
tive of Savan
nah, Ga., he
joined the
Marine Cooks and Stewards in
1958 in the port of New York,
before that union merged with the
AGLIWD. Brother Wilson sailed
in the steward department. He
upgraded at the Lundeberg School
in 1981. Brother Wilson retired in
September 1981.
INLAND
LEWIS BELL
Pensioner
Lewis Bell,
64, died May
29. Bom in
Butler Coun
ty, Pa., he
joined the
union in 1976
in the port of
New Orleans. Boatman Bell sailed
in the deck department. He served
in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to
1946. Boatman Bell began receiv
ing his pension in August 1989.
KENNETH COLEMAN
Kenneth Coleman, 62, died July
11. The native of Nederland, Texas
joined the union in 1963 in the port
of Port Arthur, Texas. Boatman
Coleman sailed in the deck depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1951 to 1953.
JOHNDERRICKSON
Pensioner
John Derrick-
son, 80, '
passed away
July 28. He
was bom in
Delaware and
in 1961
joined the
union in the port of Philadelphia.
Boatman Derrickson sailed in the
deck department He retired in
March 1974.
ROBERT KELLER
Pensioner
Robert Keller,
68, died July
17. He joined
the union in
1956 in his na
tive Bal
timore.
Boatman
Keller sailecf in the deck depart
ment. He began receiving his pen
sion in June 1984.
FRANKLIN MURRAY
Pensioner Franklin Murray, 86,
passed away May 17. Bom in Og-
densburg, N.Y., he joined the
union in 1954 in the port of Buf
falo. Boatman Murray sailed in the
deck department. He began receiv
ing his pension in August 1974.
REESE PARKS
Pensioner Reese Parks, 85, passed
away July 20. A native of
Maryland, he joined the union in
1956 in.the port of Baltimore. Boat
man Parks sailed in the engine
department. He retired in Novem
ber 1974.
GEORGE WILLIAMSON
Pensioner George Williamson, 71,
died July 12. Bom in North
Carolina, he joined the union in
1961 in the port of Norfolk, Va.
Boatman Williamson sailed in the
deck department. He retired in
August 1985.
GREAT LAKES
DAVID BAILEY
David Bailey,
51, passed
away June 10.
He was bom
in Port
Huron, Mich,
and in 1985
joined the
Seafarers in
the port of Algonac, Mich. Brother
Bailey sailed in the engine depart
ment.
ROBERT GARTMAN
Pensioner
Robert
Gartman, 68,
died July 16.
A native of
Sheboygen,
Wis., he
joined the
union in 1960
in the port of Detroit. Brother
Gartman sailed in the deck depart
ment. He served in the U.S. Marine
Corps from 1943 to 1946. Brother
Gartman began receiving his pen
sion in August 1988.
RAILROAD MARINE
BERNARD KEARNS
Pensioner Ber
nard Keams,
74, passed
away July 15.
Bom in Jer
sey City, N.J.,
he joined the
union in 1963
in the port of
New York. Brother Keams sailed
in the deck department. He retired
in May 1968.
Former NY Official Pete Loleas Dies at 82
Retired
SIU official
Pete Loleas
died of can
cer on
August 21.
He was 82.
Brother
Loleas, a Philadelphia native,
joined the Seafarers in 1945 in the
port of Boston. Sailing on
European runs, often aboard
Liberty Ships, he developed a
reputation as "one of our better
stewards," said Angus "Red"
Campbell, retired SIU vice presi
dent contracts, who shipped with
Loleas during the late 1940s. "I
never met anybody who had a bad
word about Pete. He was a good
shipmate."
In 1959, Loleas began working
with Leon Hall on the SIU's food
plan program. Then, in 1965, he
became a port official in the port
of New York. Brother Loleas held
several positions there during sub
sequent years before he retired as
a patrolman in 1979.
"Pete always helped the mem
bers and always had nice things to
say," recalled Jack Caffey, SIU
Vice President Atlantic Coast.
"Personally, he was very in-
stmmental in teaching me."
George McCartney, SIU vice
president West Coast, who also
sailed and worked with Loleas,
described him as "very active and
reliable. He will be missed."
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SEPTEMBER 1992
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Lundeberg School Graduating Classes
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Fireman, Oiler, Watertender—^Working their way up the engine department ratings are (from
left, front row) Paul Pagano, Kevin Hartley, John Becker, Rey De La Cruz, Kelly McDonald, Chris Snow,
Daniel Rhodes, (second row) Clyde McArn, Ron Micklos, Frank Mannino, Larry Carranza, Daniel Krause,
David Seabrook, Stoney Hardy, Sean Grace, (third row) John Carr (instructor). Tommy Gainey, Cliff
Fleming, Matthew Ditullio, Clifton Simoneaux IV, Thomas Hooper, Trent Sterling, David Jonassen, David
Decker, Bob Flesey, Loring Callwood, (fourth row) Lance Kuster, Howard Hendra, Brian Sailer, Kenny
Thomas, Timothy Smith, William Summers, Marc Poniatowski and Charles Parson. Upgraders Lifeboat—Members of the July 28 graduating
class receiving their lifeboat endorsements are (from left, kneeling)
Patti Ballance, Beverly Briley, (second row) Omar Hassan, Robert
Lamaestra, James Prado and Jim Moore (instructor).
QMED—Graduating from the July 31 QMED class are (from left, front row) Dennis Riley, Karl Friebel
Jr., Chuck Thompson Jr., Bobby Rice Jr., Sellers Brooks, Jeffrey Gelin, Milton Greene Jr., (second row. Marine Electronics Technician II—Successfully com-
kneeling) Samuel Addo, Miguel Rullan, Roy Taylor, Jim Lloyd, Verbu Nix, Thomas Thompson, (standing) . electronics technician class on Julv 28 are ffrom
rtlaronoo Qnntt Qtawan MncUine RranHan MoHnnalH rnnraH I an Prir« Pnrefoncan PranU Marln/a piBling 106 manne eieCircmiCS leCOniCian CiaSS On JUiy are ^IrOm Clarence Scott, Steven Hoskins, Brendan McDonald, Conrad Lau, Eric Forstensen, Frank Markva,
Gerald Daley, Steve Goss, Joseph Letang, Dan Taggart, Robert Muscato, Beau Ratliff, Gordon
Bernloehr, Gregory Derry, Charley Tuna" Cantor, Chris Zubowicz, Eugene McKinny and Bruce Auman.
left) Edmond Hawkins, Robert Farmer, Christopher Barry, Scott
Morris and Mark Rainess.
Oil Spill Containment—Mastering the course of instruction in oil spill containment and cleanup
are (from left, kneeling) Casey Taylor (instructor), Otto Borden, Fereuza Gifford, Anthony Douglas, John
D'Alessiandro, Bryon Jameson, Frederick Lau, (second row) Grant Jones, Mark Hayes, Lawrence
Neslein, Jeffrey Robinson, G. Morrison, Obaid H. AN, Chris Stringer, Warren Barroner, Pascasio "Paco"
Rivera, (third row) James McCarthy, Kenneth Myers, Kim Brown, Joe Carson, Barron Jackson, Jim
Shaffer (instructor) and Fred Cintorino Jr.
Hydraulics—Completing the hydraulics class on July 15 are
(from left, kneeling) Tom Flynn, Joseph Jay Arnold, Jorge Bonelli,
John Kelly, (second row) Ed Sacks, Bob Rudd, James Clement, Tony
Ripoll, Bill Foley (instructor) and Wayne Gonsalves.
Upgraders Lifeboat—Receiving their lifeboat endorsements, members of the July 15 graduating
class are (from left, front row) Ahmed Alaidaroos, Winston Marchman, Nasir Isa, David Vega, Stanley
Stewart, David Penney, (second row) Ben Cusic (instructor), Robert Tree" Triano, Mercurion Abuan,
Michael Noodt, Keith Williams, Mahmood Tahir, (third row) Anthony Nagy, Shane Blechle, Olav Peder-
son, Greg Alstrom and Bill Hahn.
Refrigerated Containers - Advanced Maintenance
Graduating from the four-week course are (from left, kneeling) Dave
Plumb, John Wong, Alberto Garcia, (second row) Eric Malzkuhn
(instmctor), Sheldon Greenberg, Lawrence Holbert, Michael Novak.
Robert "Beamer" Stancavage and Donald Morgan.
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26 sBAfwaa^ue SSnBHBBt 1992
Know Your Rights
FINANCIAL REPORTS. The
constitution of the SlU Atlantic,
Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters Dis
trict makes specific provision for
safeguarding the membership's
money and union finances. The con
stitution requires a detailed audit by
certified public accountants every
year, which is to be submitted to the
membership by the secretary-
treasurer. A yearly finance commit
tee of rank-and-file members,
elected by the membership, each
year examines the finances of the
union and reports fully their findings
and recommendations. Members of
this committee may make dissenting
reports, specific recommendations
and separate findings.
TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds
of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and
Inland Waters District are ad
ministered in accordance with the
provisions of various trust fund
agreements. All these agreements
specify that the trustees in charge of
these funds shall equally consist of
union and management repre
sentatives and their alternates. All
expenditures and disbursements of
trust funds are made only upon ap
proval by a majority of the trustees.
All trust fund financial records are
available at the headquarters of the
various trust funds.
SHIPPING RIGHTS. A
member's shipping rights and
seniority are protected exclusively
by contracts between the union and
the employers. Members should get
to know their shipping rights.
Copies of these contracts are posted
and available in all union halls. If
members believe there have been
violations of their shipping or
seniority rights as contained in the
contracts between the union and the
employers, they should notify the
Seafarers Appeals Board by cer
tified mail, return receipt requested.
The proper address for this is;
Augustin Teliez, Chairman
Seafarers Appeals Board
5201 Auth Way
Camp Springs, MD 20746
Full copies of contracts as referred
to are available to members at al^l
times, either by writing directly to thie
union or to the Seafarers Appeals
Board.
CONTRACTS. Copies of all
SIU contracts are available in all SIU
halls. These contracts specify the
wages and conditions under which an
SIU member works and lives aboard
a ship or boat Members should know
their contract rights, as well as their
obligations, such as filing for overtime
(OT) on the proper sheets and in the
proper manner. If, at any time, a mem
ber believes that an SIU patrolman or
other union official fails to protect
their contractual rights properly, he or
she should contact the nearest SlU
port agent.
EDITORIAL POLICY —
THE SEAFARERS LOG. The
Seafarers LOG traditionally has
refrained from publishing any ar
ticle serving the political purposes
of any individual in the union, of
ficer or member. It also has refrained
from publishing articles deemed
harmful to the union or its collective
membership. This established
policy has been reaffirmed by mem
bership action at the September
1960 meetings in all constitutional
ports. The responsibility for
Seafarers LOG policy is vested in
an editorial board which consists
of the executive board of the
union. The executive board may
delegate, from among its ranks,
one individual to carry out this
responsibility.
PAYMENT OF MONIES. No
monies are to be paid to anyone in any
official capacity in the SIU unless an
official union receipt is given for
same. Under no circumstances should
any member pay any money for any
reason unless he is given siich receipt.
In the event anyone attempts to require
any such payment be made without
supplying a receipt, or if a member is
r^uired to make a payment and is
given an official receipt, but feels that
he or she should not have been re
quired to make such payment, this
should immediately be report^ to
iinion headquarters.
CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS.
Copies of the SIU constitution are
av^able in all union halls. All mem
bers should obtain copies of this
constitution so as to familiarize
themselves with its contents. Any
time a member feels any other mem
ber or officer is attempting to
deprive him or her of any constitu
tional right or obligation by any
methods, such as dealing with char
ges, trials, etc., as well as all other
details, the member so affected
should immediately notify head
quarters.
EQUAL RIGHTS. All mem
bers are guaranteed equal rights in
employment and as members of the
SIU. These rights are clearly set
forth in the SIU constitution and in
the contracts which the union has
negotiated with the employers. Con
sequently, no member may be dis
criminated against because of race,
creed, color, sex, national or
geographic origin. If any member
feels that he or she is denied the
equal rights to which he or she is
entitled, the member should notify
union headquarters.
SEAFARERS POLITICAL
ACTIVITY DONATION —
SPAD. SPAD is a separate
segregated fund. Its process are
used to further its objects and pur
poses including, but not limited to,
furthering the political. Social and
economic interests of maritime
workers; the preservation and fur
thering of the American merchant
marine with improved employment
opportunities for seamen and boat
men and the advancement of trade
union concepts. In connection with
such objects, SPAD supports and
contributes to political candidates
for elective office. All contributions
are voluntary. No contribution may
be solicited or received because of
force, job discrimination, financial
reprisal, or threat of such conduct, or
as a condition of membership in the
union or of employment. If a con
tribution is made by reason of the
above improper conduct, the mem
ber should notify the Seafarers Inter
national Union or SPAD by certified
mail within 30 days of the contribu
tion for investigation and ap
propriate action and refund, if
involuntary. A member should
support SPAD to protect and fur
ther his or her economic, political
and social interests, and American
trade union concepts.
If at any time a member feels
that any of the above rights have
been violated, or that he or she has
been denied the constitutional
right of access to union records or
information, the member should
immediately notify SIU President
Michael Sacco at headquarters by
certified mail, return receipt re
quested. The address is 5201 Auth
Way, Camp Springs, MD 20746.
Lundeberg School Graduating Classes
m-.--
Shiphandling Simulator—Successfully completing the shiphandling
simulator course on July 8 are (from left, front row) Dan Carman, Jake Karaczynski
(instructor), Jessie Hoimes (computer operator). Ken Steiner, (second row) Ron Mercer,
Joe Young, Rick Pater, Marc Tayior and Joe Braun.
Diesel Engine Technology—^After course compietion, certification in diesei
engine technology was awarded to (from left, kneeling) John "J.C." Wiegman (instruc
tor), Crescencio Suazo, Frank Boiton, (second row) Frank Bakun, Joe Stores, Adolfo
Schuitze, Ken Stratton, Nathan Hollander, Andrew Lopez and Angelo Persica. Not
pictured is Brian Sengelaub.
Trainee Lifeboat Class 501—Graduating from trainee lifeboat class 501 are (from left, kneeling,
front row) Philiip Morris, Robert Nelson, Efrain Santana, Anne Carlson, Stephen Bowles, Chad Westover,
Timothy Pugh, (second row) Plese Russ, Napoleon Foster, Chris Edyvean, Norman Williams, (third row)
Charles Donley, Lichecta Butler, Troy Mitchell, Joe Ford, Tom Graves, Theodore Brahms, Rodney
Passapera-Barbosa, Thomas Brown, Danny Hoskins, Jason Rutrough and Tim Duggan.
•'i .••.•••'• •. 'V '
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SBTBHIBBR1992
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SEAFARERSLOG 27
rm'T'
WNDBBERCSCimL
I 1992-93WmDIHemURSESeilHHa£
The following is the current course schedule for classes beginning between
October 1992 and February 1993 at the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg School of
Seamanship located at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education
in Piney Point, Md. All progr^s are geared to improve job skills of Seafarers and
to promote the American maritime industry.
The course schedule may change to reflect the needs of the membership, the
maritime industry and-—in times of conflict—the nation's security.
Course
Check-In Coniiiletion
Date Date
Steward Reeertification February 1 March 8
Course . . • M..
Check-In
.Date^ Date
Able Seaman
Sealift Operations and Maintenance course.
bh«'ehibeir9 DecemberiS
March 12
Course
Slmm^UpgntlhigCoun^
Check-In Completion
Date Date
Asidfii^ Cook^ Cotdta^Bai^
Chief Cooky Chief Steward
Ail open-ended (contact adnilasioil|i
office for starting dates)
All open-ended OsonhMd adgiiEfi^^
<dflce for starting dates)
' • - is" •
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Ihite
Ship Handling
Radar OI»erver Unlindted
Celestial Navigatioh
Third Mate
Tankerman
Noveiiilierl
Februaiy 15
November 16
January 11
Octobers
January 18
January 4
Gbdober26
November 13
February 26
November 20
January 15
October 30
February 12
April 16
November 20
SaMySpedaHyComM
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Date
• _ _
Oil Spill Prevention and
Containment
4 ' '
Lifeboatman
' '' '
•
V .V'-. ^ :
. ̂ ^ J
Basic/Advanced Fire Fighting
October 12
October 26
February 15
October 12
October 26
November 9
November 23
December?
January 4
February 1
October 20
January 19
October 16
October 30
February 19
bct<d)er23 -
November 6
November 20
December 4
December 18
January 15
February 12
October 30
January 29
QMED-Any Rating January 4 March 26
October 26 December 4
Janiiary 4 Febnmiy 12
A^U students must take the Oil Spill Prevention and Containment class.
Pumproom Maint. & Operations
Marfaie pectrical Mhlotenanro
Refrigeration Malnt. & Operations
Marine l^ectronics—Technician I
Marine Electronics—^Technicanll
Basic Electronics
Hydraulics
Welding
January 4
October 19
January 18
CKdober 26
February 1
November 9
January 4
November 23
October 12
January 4
February 15
February 12
Deramber 11
Match 12
December 4
March 12
December 18
January 29
December 18
November 6
January 29
March 12
/
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I^MunEducatfonSchadula
The following courses are available through the Seafarers Harry Lundeberg
School. Please contact die admissions office for enrollment information.
Course
Check-In
Date
Completion
Date
High School Equivalency (GED) All open-ended (contact
Adult Basic Education (ABE) admissions office for starting
English as a Second Language (ESL) dates)
CoUegaPmgram SchaOula for 1992
FULL 8-week sessions October 26 DeoOmber 18
UPOUUmGAPPUCAmN
Name. Date of Birth
Address
(L«t) (First) (Middle) - Monlh/Day/Year
(Street)
.Telephone _L _L
(CSty) (Stale) (Zip Code) (Area Code)
Deep Sea MemberD Lakes Membo'D Inland Waters MemberD PacificD
If the following information is not filled out completely, your application will not
be processed.
Book#
With this application COPIES of your discharges must be submitted showing sufficient
time to qualify yourself for the coursefs) requested. You also must submit a COPY of
each of the following: the first page of your union book indicating your department
and seniority, your clinic card and the front and back of your lundeberg School
identification card listing the course(s)you have taken and completed The Amissions
Office WILL NOT schedule you until all of the above are received
RATING DATE DATE OF
VESSEL HELD SHIPPED DISCHARGE
S(x:ial Security #.
Seniority
U.S. Citizen: • Yes • No Home Port.
Endorsement(s) or License(s) now held
. Department
Are you a graduate of the SHLSS trainee program?
If yes, which program: from to.
Last grade of school completed
• Ves DNO
Have you attended any SHLSS upgrading courses?
If yes, course(s) taken
• Yes GNO
Have you taken any SHLSS Sealift Operations courses?
If yes, how many weeks have you completed?
• Yes • No
Do you hold the U.S. Coast Guard Lifeboatman Endorsement?
• Yes GNO Firefighting:G Yes GNO CPR:GYes GNO
Date available for training ^^
Primary language spoken ; .1 ^
SIGNATURE. J>ATE
I am interested in the following
conrsefs) checked below or indi
cated here if not listed
DECK
• AB/Sealift
• 1st Class Pilot
D Third Mate
Q Radar Observer Unlimited
D Master Inspected Towing
Vessel
D Towboat Operator Inland
D Celestial Navigation
n Simulator Course
ENGINE
• FOWT
D QMED—Any Rating
• Variable Spe^ DC Drive
• Marine Electrical
Maintenance
D Pumproom Maintenance &
Operation
D Refrigeration Systems
Maintenance & Operation
• Diesel Engine Technology
Q Assistant Engineer/Chief
Engineer Motor Vessel
D Original 3rd Engineer Steam
or Motor
Q RefrigeratedContainers
Advanced Maintenance
D Electro-Hydraulic Systems
Q Automation
D Hydraulics
D Marine Electronics
Technician
STEWARD
• Assistant Cook Utility
• Cook and Baker
• ChiefCook
G Chief Steward
• Towboat Inland Cook
ALL DEPARTMENTS'
O Welding
G Lifeboatman (must be taken
with another course)
G Oil Spill Prevention &
Contairunent
ADULT EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
G Adult Basic Education (ABE)
G High School Equivalency
Program ((JED)
G Developmental Studies (DVS)
G English as a Second
Language (ESL)
G ABEmSL Lifeboat
Preparation
COLLEGE PROGRAM
G Associates in Arts Degree
V (UIUUIC OUCCU L/V., L'llVC —_ ,
Systems (Marine Electronics) U Towboat Inland Cook U Associates in Arts Degre
Transportation will be paid in accordance with the scheduling letter only if you present origiiui receipts and succeasftiiiy
pleic the course. If you have any questions, contact your port agent before departing for Piney Point
RETURN COMPLETED APPUCATION TO: Seafarers Harry Lundeberg Upgrading Center, P.O. Bos 7S. Piney Point, MD 20674.
9/92
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Volume 54, Number 9 September 1992
Where will you be In
December for the holidays?
Whether at sea or ashore, Seafarers
can send holiday messages to their
loved ones through the LOG.
See page 22.
Nelson Tells of Chauvenet's Final Year
Editor's note: OS Carl Nelson
wrote the following article for the
Seafarers LOG. It recounts the
highlights for Nelson and other
crewmembers during a year
aboard the USNS Chauvenet
After more than 20 years of ser
vice, the SlU-crewed USNS
Chauvenet this month will be
decommissioned in Gulfiport, Miss
For the past two years, the
Chauvenet has been mapping the
waters of the Middle East. It is
unique ship in that it has three
separate crews: crewmembers
from Mar Ship Operators,, Navy
personnel and civilian scientists
from the Naval Oceanographic
Office. The mix makes for very
few dull moments and teaches
people the value of teamwork.
The Chauvenet's final year
started with mapping the coast of
Muscat, Oman. We spent two-
and-a-half months there, and it
was not a particularly pleasant ex
perience. The harsh Muslim laws
are strictly enforced; as a precau
tion against any laws bein
broken, the American embass
and Omani government restrictec
each crewmember from going to
any hotels and also established
midnight curfew.
When the survey work arounc
Muscat was finished, we sailed
the southern end of Oman. The
area we charted is small, so most
of the time it felt like we were
going in circles. (The Chauvenet
itself is used to survey, as are the
special survey boats we carry.)
In late February, we had
frightening but unpreventable ex
perience. While part of the crew
was recovering a survey boat,
shackle on the forward lifting
block snapped. The 12-ton boat
crashed onto the deck and went
over the side—taking the rear
davit arm along. Thankfully
there were no injuries.
Several days later, a salvage
ship arrived to remove the boat
.. The 12-ton boat
crashed onto the deck
and went over the side..
OS Carl "Rusty" Nelson poses on
deck with baby black fin shark.
from our side. Two divers were
securing a strap around the bow
when a 20-foot, baby whale shark
swam for a close-up view of the
operation. The animal provec
harmless.
A month later, after a long stay
in port at Dubai, the Chauvenet
was in southern Oman again. On
shore, just a few miles from the
survey area was the tiny, isolated
village of Madrakah. Most of its
residents are fishermen, and at
one time or another each of them
visited us. We were able to com
municate through GUDE Abdula
Quaraish and Second Cook
Abdo Eljabmi, both of whom
speak Arabic.
About every other day, the
fishermen would come alongside
to show us their catch, which al
ways was sharks. The fishermen
catch them so they can export the
tails and fins, and some of those
Help Find This Missing Child
The National Center for
Missing and Exploited
Children has asked the
Seafarers International Union
to assist them in locating Fal
con Blake Kriegsman, an 8-
year-old boy from Chicago, 111.
Missing since October 6,
1988, the child was abducted
by his non-custodial mother,
Clarette Edlyn Kriegsman,
alias Clarette Frank. At the
time of his disappearance, the
blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy
was 3 ft. 6 in. tall and weighed
45 pounds. His hair may have
been dyed red since his abduc
tion.
A felony warrant for abduc
tion has been issued for his
non-custodial mother who is
37 years old, 5 ft. 5 in. tall, 110
pounds, with blonde hair and
blue eyes.
Anyone having information
about this case should contact
the Center at (800) 843-5678 or
the Chicago (111.) Police
Department's Missing Persons
Unit at (312) 744-8200.
Falcon Blake Kriegsman
Among the USNS Chauvenet crewmembers' experiences in 1992 were a whale mistaking the ship for
another whale, a fisherman attacked by a camel, and sun/eying the coast of Oman. The USNS Chauvenet
will be decommissioned this month after 20 years of service.
sharks are several times the size
of the fishermen.
During one hot morning,
fisherman showed up with his
arm wrapped and dripping blood
We were certain a shark had bit
ten him. After the deck crew got
the wounded man aboard anc
4avy corpsman Greg Peck hac
sewn his arm together with nearly
40 stitches, our second cook in-
brmed us that the poor fellow
lad been attacked by his cahiel.
Another of our favorite tales
rom Madrakah is about
lumpback whale that must have
confused our then barnacle-
covered hull with a friend. The
whiale swam back and forth under
the ship for several minutes, then
rubbed his side on the port quarter
while spraying us spectators.
When the Madrakah survey
was complete, Captain Jerry
^ucks and Navy Commanding
Officer Kathy Garcia allowed all
hands to throw a beach party,
complete with barbecue, Vol-
eyball and rock-and-roll. It was a
much-appreciated break.
On the morning of July 4, the
Chauvenet puUed into fog-
covered Dubai for the last time.
Tom there, we set sail for Port
Suez, Egypt, to pick up a group of
J.S. high school students and
teachers who were participating
in a National Geographic Society
>rogram known as Project Marco
'olo. There were 46 people in the
group, including 15 students, 20
teachers and 11 National
Geographic staff.
lliis portion of the program
consisted of a one-week trip.
.. a humpback whale
must have confused the
ship with a friend...
leginning at the Suez Canal and
ending in Greece. It gave students
an opportunity to witness how the
ship is operated and how the
avy conducts oceanographic re
search.
Earlier, in June, we learned
that these kids would miss many
ghts in Egypt and Greece be
cause of a cash shortage. So,
Chief Engineer Joe Wilson anc
First Assistant Engineer Dave
Lyons began collecting dona
tions. In one day, the civilian
crew collected $2,300 among
themselves, which was donated
to Project Marco Polo.
Our visitors were relieved to
get on board after being harassed
by the beggars and thieves around
Egypt. From there, everything
went smoothly. The participants,
whose favorite stop was Greece,
said the project was a smashing
success.
...SO the kids could see
the sights, the civilian
crew collected $2,300...
We also received a letter from
Gilbert Grosveno, president of
the National Geographic Society.
It reads in part, "It is obvious that
the USNS Chauvenet is a proud
ship, and I am delighted that the
participants in this year's Project
Marco Polo will have the added
advantage of working and ob
serving such spirited and
motivated professionals.
"Thank you for your commit
ment to the education of our
American youth."
Rota, Spain is the last stop for
the Chauvenet before she makes
her final voyage home to
Gulfport. Civilian and military
alike, we all havo worked
together and tried to make the
Chauvenet a sparkling example
of what can be accomplished
through teamwork.
SIU members aboard the
Chauvenet during its final year
include: Bosun Jeff Focardi,
ABs Paula Plaisance, Joe
Smoler, James Keevan, Jon
Williams and Jimmy Smith,
DSs Nelson, Thomas Sneed and
Jimmy Smith, Purser June Per-
nsini. Storekeeper Vicki
Jarnhart and QMED Brett Pur
vis.
Other SIU crewmembers were
JMUs Anthony Bonin, Michael
^tt and Richard Larsen,
GUDEs Robert Howell and Jose
Rodriguez, Chief Steward Char-
les Fincher, Chief Cook
Gregory Johnson, Cook and
Baker Andre Johnson, Second
Cook Robert Wright and ACU
D. Fenimore.
The SA complement was
made up by Sandra Evans, Ar-
turo Lopez, Earle Boykin,
Bryan Nixon, Tyrone Johnson,
Angel Corchado, Eusehio Men-
dez, Stanley Ellis, Bruce
Ryhak, Americos BeU, James
Francis, Louis Mercado and
Monica Woods.
USHS Chauvenet
To Decommission
This month marks the end
of the line for the USNS
Chauvenet. After more than
20 years of service, the SIU-
crewed vessel will be decom
missioned in its home port of
Gulfport, Miss.
For the past two-and-a-half
years, the Chauvenet surveyed
the waters of the Persian Gulf,
A Navy research vessel
operated by Mar Ship
Operators, the Chauvenet has
a crew comprised of merchant
mariners. Navy personnel and
civilian scientists from the
Naval Oceanographic Centre
in Mississippi. Among other
things, the Navy personnel use
echo-sounding and sonar to
survey the ocean floor and col
lect data to be used for updat
ing maps.
The 388-foot ship also car
ries several smaller surveying
craft, which the Chauvenet
launches and recovers.
The Chauvenet arrived in
the Persian Gulf shortly after
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait as
part of the U.S. Navy fleet
working with the amphibious
landing forces during Opera
tion Desert Storm.
Captain Jerry Lucks told
the Gulf News, an English-lan
guage newspaper which
covers happenings in the Per
sian Gulf, that the Chauvenet
will either be scrapp^, sold to
a university as a training ship
or sold to a foreign country.