Document 82xy6aen2ZRv52e53p8V1Gp1B

Vol. 2, No. 8 April 21, 1960 Requests for Assistance at Sea Answered by Four Esso Tankers in Eight Days Four times in eight days Esso tankers answered distress calls off the coast of Florida. The last issue of the Fleet News gave an account of the Esso New York's March 22 rescue of four fishermen who had been adrift 2Vzdays. Three days later, at 0842 March 25, the Esso Gettysburg, Captain Johannes Boje and Chief Engineer Theodore C. Woodard, sighted the small fishing boat Cheeta III, which was lost on a trip from Havana to Miami. After furnishing sailing directions and notifying the Coast Guard, the tanker proceeded on her voyage. A later message from USCG, Miami, reported the vessel had arrived safely. Second Mate Ralph E. Langan Cuban boat Cheeta HI, to which the Esso Gettysburg furnished sailing directions for Miami. At 0025 on March 27, the Esso Paterson, Captain Victor G. Lee and Chief Engineer Edwin L. Wages, was about 2XA mi. off Carysfort Light when a flashing SOS signal was seen. Maneuvering close, the Paterson found the cabin cruiser Hard Enter prise, which had run out of fuel, with two persons aboard. The tanker stood by until the U. S. Coast Guard cutter 83455 arrived and took the cruiser in tow. The prompt action of ships in the vicinity of a downed military tanker plane on March 30 resulted in the rescue of 11 of the 14-man crew. When the U. S. Coast Guard requested assistance, the Esso Gloucester, Captain Simpson W. Logan and Chief Engineer Nils Vindenes, immediately altered course and at 0410, March 31, arrived at the search area, approximately 30 mi. east of Cape Canaveral. After 2 Vi hours, all Air Force personnel had been ac counted for and the tanker was granted permission to resume her voyage to Baytown. Suggestion -- Vote for a Union In the Manager's Message in The Ships' Bulletin, January-March, 1959, J. D. Rogers out lined the Company's position with regard to unions. It is particularly appropriate at this time to repeat the following paragraph from that Message: "We believe in an independent and democratic union. We believe it can best represent the interests of the employees. We are sure employees want an independent and democratic union. And it will be that way if members take part and make their voices heard." The time has now come for Esso seamen to "make their voices heard" in the form of their votes in the NLRB-supervised election starting on April 25. Every eligible employee is urged to cast a ballot for the union he thinks will best serve his interests. Anyone favoring the third choice -- no union -- should carefully consider the possible results of such a vote. We see it like this: if there are only a few no union votes, they will probably have little or no effect on the outcome. A larger number of no union votes may lead to none of the choices receiving a majority of the votes. In that case a run-off election would be required and bargaining for a new contract would be delayed several more months. If the no union choice should actually win the election, then Esso seamen would become a target for continued union organizing efforts and maneuvering for certification as bargaining agent. Who Is Putting Up the Money? Since August, 1958, the Company has granted -- at the request of the ETMU-SIU -- leaves of ab sence to eight men, presumably for conducting union activities. The leaves, all without pay from the Company, total 6 8 Vi months -- more than 5 Vi years. Two of the men have had leaves totaling more than 18 months each and live have had leaves of five to seven months each. Certainly these men cannot be living entirely "on the cuff" or their own savings. If they have been receiving pay equal to their Company wages, the total would amount to over $40,000, not to mention subsistence, lodging, travel and other expenses. Many Esso seamen are wondering where this kind of money might be coming from. And what obligations might be involved? By contrast, leaves of absence requested by the ESA have totaled less than ten months and were divided among four men. High Slakes A new constitution currently being voted on by the membership of the SIU, Atlantic and Gulf Dis trict, provdes for an initiation fee of $300 with a "waiver" permitted for organizational purposes under certain conditions. If the above union should ever be successful in enrolling the 1,200 Esso seamen without the special waiver privilege, that would represent a gross reve nue of $360,000 under the new constitution. Radar Observer Qualifications Obtained by 24 More Esso Officers In the month of March, 24 men on the Deck Officer Seniority List notified the Port Captain's office that they had passed the Radar Observer Qualification examination. Previously, 77 such notifi cations has been received. The March additions to the list of qualified radar observers in the fleet are as follows: Andreasen, Robert T. Andrews, Walter F. Bonte, Hans Butler, Robert Davis, Lewis G. Driver, Robert G. Ekman, Axel G. Genest, Paul E. Goetz, Peter W. Gregaitis, Alphonsus Guire, Theron A. Hickey, Michael C. Luke, John R. McBride, Arnold A. Milligan, Thomas B. Parkhurst, Roland E. Puranen, Eero Robinett, Lester, H. Ross, Alton J. Silcox, Dale M. Staples, Ormond A. Wichman, Henry F. Wigh, Emil L. Wood, John R., Jr. The fact that 18 of the 24 had passed U. S. Coast Guard examinations without taking additional instruction speaks well for the effectiveness of the Company's radar training programs. Officers who obtain the qualification are requested to notify the Port Captain's office at 156 William St. promptly. Winter still had the Hudson River Valley in its grip on March 5, when Willard W. Poyner, Fireman-Watertender in the Esso Chattanooga, snapped this photo of icechoked waters and bleak scenery on a trip to Albany. Eight Crews to Compete in Lifeboat Race As of April 15, indications were that at least eight crews would be competing in the International Lifeboat Races on May 22. In addition to an Esso crew, entries are expected from the Military Sea Transportation Service; the Queen of Bermuda (British); French Line's Flandre; Stavangerfjord (Norwegian); the Crestville, of A. F. Klaveness (Norwegian); a Maersk Line ship (Danish) and the Meyer Line's Havfo (Norwegian). The Stavangerfjord oarsmen, winners in 1957 and 1959, have two legs on the Millard G. Gamble Trophy and a victory this year would give them permanent possession. The Meyer Line's Havtroll has one leg on the trophy through its triumph in 1958. A new event this year will be a contest between maritime academies for a plaque donated by the R. L. Hague Post of the American Legion. Cadets of the Maine, New York, Kings Point and, perhaps, Massachusetts maritime academies will compete. The races will again be held in the Narrows of New York Harbor, off the Brooklyn shore. ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagoing employees of Esso Standard, Division of Humble Oil & Refining Co., Marine Department: J. D. Rogers, Gen eral Manager; James E. Stoveken, Assistant General Manager; Sydney Wire, Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner, Editor; R. M. Sheridan, Editorial As sistant. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, ESSO FLEET NEWS, Room 1713, 15 West 51st Street, New York 19, N. Y. Sabine Seamen Win Labor Board Vote Seamen aboard tankers of the Sabine Transporta tion Company fleet last week voted by a decisive margin to keep their independent and unaffiliated association in preference to an outside hiring hall union. The National Maritime Union, AFL/CIO, polled only 16 votes in the NLRB-supervised balloting for bargaining rights. The independent union re ceived 135 votes, winning by a margin of 9 to 1. The election was held over a period of about ten days. Stewards are included in the bargaining unit. Marine CYI Awards Initial Awards $50 Steam Sawdust Injector for Main Condenser By Chief Engineer Thomas F. Smith Mr. Smith submitted a design for a steam type of sawdust injector for the main condenser. The injector has been used aboard the Esso Bermuda for seven years and found to be superior to the pump operated injector. $30 Send Routine Messages as Night Radio Telegrams By Radio Officer Joseph S. Casey A reduction in cost could be effected, suggested Mr. Casey, if all routine messages of nine words or more were sent as night radio telegrams instead of regular rate messages. $25 Substitute Fibre Gaskets for Rubber Composition By Fireman-Watertender Elmer A. Powers Mr. Powers received an Initial Award of $25 for pointing out that fibre gaskets wear longer and are less expensive than rubber composition oil burner gaskets. $20 Smaller House Flags By Captain Rupert W. Gwaltney Captain Gwaltney recommended that the size of the house flag be reduced about one-half or not larger than the standard signal flags. On supertankers, where the house flag is flown from the signal yard arm on the radar mast, it often becomes fouled be cause of lack of room to fly freely. Change in Forward Vent Lines By Jr. Third Mate Albert J. Isakson Alteration in the forward vent lines of the Esso Gettysburg class ship to eliminate the elbow at the kingpost would facilitate the removal of scale, ac cording to Mr. Isakson's suggestion. Handles for Portable Pressure Gages By Jr. Third Mate Jean S. Brower A recommendation was made by Mr. Brower that handles be fitted on the portable pressure gages used in the closed loading system to permit them to be stowed on hangers and carried more safely by hand. $15 Install Valve to Drain Bunker Hose By First Asst. Engineer Donald Dunbar To prevent spills by oil trapped in the bunker hose, Mr. Dunbar proposed that a fitting be installed between the shutoff cock and hose that could be opened to allow the hose to drain completely before removal. Recent Retirements JR. THIRD MATE HOWARD HODGSON. Mr. Hodgson joined the fleet in October, 1942 as Able Seaman in the Walter Jennings. For the balance of World War II he sailed as Jr. Third and Third Mate, including over a year in the Vistula when she was taken over by WET, Inc. With the exception of five months as Watch Officer in the Tied-Up Fleet, Mr. Hodgson had assignments as Jr. Third and Third Mate until his retirement on April 1. He is a native and resident of Pennsylvania. ABLE SEAMAN OLE M. MATHISEN. "All my family were seagoing," Mr. Mathisen told the Fleet News. "My grandfather and mother were pilots. My first ship, a Norwegian bark, went down in a North Sea storm and half her 10-man crew was lost." Ole sailed in whaling ships, the Norwegian navy, U. S. Shipping Board and Standard Oil of California vessels before join ing Esso in 1941 as Able Seaman in the Leda. He had 17 years as Able Seaman and Bos'n in the fleet when he retired April 1. His home is in Lakeland, Florida. PETTY OFFICERS' MESSMAN JOHN M. LOPEZ. "I was born in Key West and the only way to leave in those days was by ship," said Mr. Lopez. "After 47 years at sea I still call Florida (Miami) home and will catch up on fishing and baseball following my April 1 retirement." Since his first assignment, Utilityman in the Esso Camden on July 25, 1951, John sailed in the fleet as Able Seaman and in Steward's Department ratings. r= OBITUARY CAPTAIN ABBO H. KOOISTRA. Death came to Captain Kooistra, a resident of St. James, L. 1., on April 11. Retiring on August 1, 1951 after over 51 years at sea, he had 27 years of credited service and 21 years as Master of Company tankers. He started his seagoing career in sailing ships, joined Pan Am on July 11, 1923 and had his first command seven years later. During World War II he saw active duty with the U. S. Navy in the Aleutian, Gilbert, Marshall and Mari anas Islands campaigns. He is survived by his wife and two children. One son, Captain Albert H. Kooistra, served in the Deck Department of Esso ships from 1940 to 1959 and is now Acting Assis tant Port Captain with Esso Tankers, Inc. J. F. Koehler, Technical Assistant in the Repair Division, will transfer to the New Project Section of the Supply Department's Economic Division on May 1. For several years Mr. Koehler has been working on the Marine Corrosion Control Program. R. T. Williams, Jr., will take over these duties. *** Charles A. Laratta, recently First Assistant in the Esso Newark, has accepted an assignment as Advisory Chief Engineer in the Esso Maracaibo. He replaces Walter W. Werner, who goes on paid leave. ** * As the Fleet News goes to press, the Esso Washington, Captain Christian W. Tolfsby and Chief Engineer Nello Leavins, is coursing down the lati tudes on a voyage from Boston to El Segundo, Calif., for a cargo of fuel oil. Her itinerary is: due Panama Canal April 23, El Segundo April 29, Panama Canal May 7, New York May 12. \ !j i | CAPTAIN RASMUS H. RAS MUSSEN. Captain Rasmussen, an Esso annuitant since January 1, 1952, died in Brooklyn, N. Y., on April 14. Born in Denmark, Captain Rasmussen went to sea at the age of 13 as cabin boy in a sailing vessel and joined the Company as Third Mate in the W. J. Hanna on November 8, 1929. Throughout his 20-year Esso career he had assignments in li censed Deck Department ranks and was a Master for over eight years. Captain Rasmussen is survived by his wife and one daughter. PUMPMAN THEODORE HAAB. A long time resident of New York City, Mr. Haab died Kt on March 28. In World War I he saw enemy action three times -- in a Russian freighter tor pedoed in the North Sea, in a British cargo ship torpedoed in the Mediterranean and in the trawler Kingfish sunk by gunfire off Nova Scotia. He joined the Company on April 11, 1934 as Fire man in the Pan Bolivar. Most of his assignments in the 20 years before he retired on November 1, 1954 were as Pumpman. ** * The Esso Suez, with 22 cargo tanks freshly coated with Humble Rust-Ban 190, sailed from Newport News shipyard on April 19. The departure was 27 days ahead of contract time. This was the first instance where such a large coating job has been completed so far ahead of schedule. The Esso Gettysburg is due at Newport News on April 22 and the Esso Bangor will arrive at the yard about April 29 to have 15 tanks coated, plus other repairs. 53= * * The 65,926 dwt. National Defender, largest U. S. flag tanker, sailed from Baton Rouge on April 1 with her first cargo after lying idle since she was completed last October. Her destination was Uruguay and her cargo--40,353 tons of corn. And that's a heap of kernels. ** * Esso Standard is introducing a newUniflomotor oil which was developed with the aid of a computer and radioactive tracers. The new Uniflo, road tested by 150 New York City taxis, is based on the prin ciple of breaking engine-formed sludge into minute particles, which are kept in suspension. When the oil is drained, the sludge goes with it. Thus, the new Uniflo will keep auto engines cleaner than any other premium motor oil. * ** "Dracones", thesausage-like, flexible, nylon tow TAFFRAIL TALK ing containers, have been used successfully for over six months by Esso Petroleum to transport petro Captain Frank L. Hooper, Manager of the Baton leum products from the Fawley refinery to the Isle Rouge Agency, transferred to the Port of New York of Wight. Now it is expected they will be used all Office on April 18 on a training assignment as the way from the English Channel to Borneo and f Assistant Port Captain. During his absence Captain Samuel V. Gardner will be Acting Manager of the Nigeria. The Dracones are 100 ft. long and carry about 10,000 gal. but plans for 1,000-ton units are Baton Rouge Agency. in the works. EXX-MOR-006695