Document 859QXo61D2g5QmmEe2Yy0x01a

A M E R iC A N H U lm 1 FOR CENTER THE IN 'TIONS CGLLEI THE FROM COWIJ Vol. 7, No. 2 Esso New Orleans Launched The Company's second 67,800 dwt. tanker was launched by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. on Jan. 23. The Sponsor was the wife of J. K. Jamieson, an Executive Vice Presi dent and Director of Standard Oil Company (N. J.) and a former President of Humble. Mrs. Jamieson smashed the christening bottle against the prow of the ship just as it started to move down the ways. Immediately following, there was a simulated jungle roar and a tiger tail was seen to emerge from one of the hawse pipes. The weather was perfect and so was the launching. A sistership of the Esso Houston, the 800' Esso New Orleans' keel was laid on June 1, 1964 and she is scheduled to be completed in April. When she enters service, she will be the third tanker in the Fleet to bear that name. The first Esso New Orleans was a twin screw, National Defense Features vessel --18,275 dwt., 13,500 shp. and January 28, 1965 Ready for the christening ceremonies. (I. to r.) Mrs. Holden; D. A. Holden, President, Newport News Ship building & Dry Dock Co.; Mrs. J. K. Jamieson, Sponsor; Miss Anne Jamieson, Maid of Honor, and John L. Jamieson, father of J. K. Jamieson (right), an Execu tive Vice President and Director of Standard Oil Com pany (N. J.). 18 knots speed. She joined the Fleet on April 15, 1939, was sold to the U. S. Maritime Commission on May 31, 1941 and, as the USS Chenango, served in World War II as a Navy oiler and "baby flat top". The second Esso New Orleans was a 16,585 dwt. vessel with 9,900 shp. turbines and a speed of 16.2 knots. Delivered to the Company in Nov. 1942, she made 84 voyages during World War II and many times that number in the following iy2 decades. In Aug. 1961 she was sold from tie-up to T. J. Stevenson & Co. and later re-sold to Sea-Land Sendees, Inc. for conversion to a truck trailer ship. With a wide-eyed tiger head peering over the bow and a tiger tail dangling from the port hawse pipe, the Esso New Orleans slides down the ways into the James River, Jan. 23. EXX-MOR-007509 Purchase of Esso Miami, Esso New York Dropped by Marine Transport Lines An option by Marine Transport Lines, Inc. to purchase either or both the Esso Miami and/or Esso New York expired on Jan. 15. The purchase agreement, made last November, was conditioned upon the buyer receiving a Government charter. The charter did not materialize. Colonial Pipeline Operating to N. Y. Area; Tankers Feeling Effects The 36" Colonial Pipeline, which began opera tions between Houston and Greensboro, N. C. in Sept. 1963, has now been completed to Linden, N. J. Some of the laterals from the main line to individual terminals are also in service and others will be shortly. Colonial is owned by 9 companies -- Amoco, Cities Service, Continental, Gulf, Mobil, Phillips, Pure, Sinclair and Texaco. Although the big pipeline's reported capacity of 840,000 barrels a day is being used only par tially so far, its impact has already been felt in You folks remember the item (EFN, Oct. 29) about the little Squaw Creek School in Brusett, Montana with which Chief Mate and relieving Master Edward Craw ford, of the Esso Chester, has been corresponding? This is if, including the faculty and entire student body. L. to r., front row (with grades) are: Colleen Saylor (1), Cheryl Shawver (3), Shirley Ryan (4). Second row; Debbie Shawver (41, Sharon Ryan (5) and Mrs. Alex Crane, teacher. Captain Crawford says that these- people are all ranchers and the ranches are large. The Ryan's for example, is 10 sections -- that's 6,400 acres, or 10 square miles. All the ranchers raise grain, cattle and sheep. Their church is 50 miles away and their dentist 140 miles. Imagine traveling 280 miles to say, "Look, Ma, no cavities." Jack Law, who retired as FWT July 1, 1963 with 29Vi years' service, holds the principal ingredient for a luncheon fish fry after a morning of angling at Miami Beach. Jack and his wife, Mary, moved from New Jersey to Florida last June and have been renting an apartment in Miami Beach. "There are all kinds of fishing places in this area," Mrs. Law said, "so Jack is out at 6 a.m. most every morning. He is having the time of his life here but I know he misses the sea as he frequently goes to the beach to watch the tankers passing." tanker charter rates, which are the lowest for a winter season in years. The effect is also seen by the fact that several of Colonial's participants are offering tankers for charter because the ves sels are in excess of their present needs. Esso Seattle Crew Changes Our Seagoing Personnel Section, which is no stranger to the role of international travel agent (e.g. the without-a-hitch transfer of 29 men to and from the Esso Scranton at Bizerte last Octo ber), has another such project in the offing. This one will involve repatriating and replacing 11 men in the Esso Seattle who wished to be relieved after 8 months' sendee in the vessel. The transfers are scheduled to take place at Okinawa, where the Seattle is due on Feb. 2. The 11 men joining the ship are to arrive at Okinawa Feb. 1 on a Northwest Orient Airlines' flight from Chicago. The men relieved will take off at ESSO FLEET NEWS is published far the seagoing em ployees of the Marine Division, Humble Oil & Refining Co.: Joseph Andreae, General Manager; Sydney Wire. Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner, Editor. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, Esso Fleet News, Humble Oil & Refining Co., P. O. Box 1512, Houston, Texas 77001. EXX-MOR-007510 T W C 1 I M l V /C lJ C IT V A C T r v 1625, Feb. 3 and those coming to New York are due to arrive at 2359 the same day (the date line, you know). The crew changes at Okinawa will be as follows: MEN LEAVING Patrick J. O'Donnell Edward P. Dolloff John L. Benner Francis L. Picou Melvin F. Bomhoff Joseph K. Mayerhoff Richard K. Surgodnski Leonard H. Dickerson Marcelino M. Gilmette Andres Alier Louis Shelbrick 2nd Mote 2nd Asst. AB AB MM/2P Oiler Oiler FWT 2nd Cook UM MM MEN JOINING Joseph M. Stultz Gustav Pedersen Wilbur W. Barton John J. Seiler Kenneth P Naley John S, Downey Roberto Garcia James C. Jenks Raymondo G. Dahilig Stanley L Helm Elbert C. Lott Incidentally, before the Seattle docks at Oki nawa, she is to call at Singapore for bunkers and stores -- a new experience. JSTOA and Company Reach Agreement On Contract Amendment Terms The Jersey Standard Tanker Officers Associa tion and the Company, after several months of negotiations, have agreed on the terms of an amendment to the current contract. The amend ment, dated Jan. 13, is subject to ratification by Association members on or before March 1. The amendment provides monthly wage in creases of $60 for Masters and Chief Engineers, $40 for Chief Mates and First Assts., $35 for Second Mates and Second Assts., $32 for Third Mates and Third Assts. and an 8$ per hour in crease in overtime rates; all effective Nov. 1, 1964. Also included in the amendment is a clause covering certain early retirement and severance pay procedures in the event of a surplus of officer personnel. Esso Scranton Homeward Bound Yep, the Esso Scranton is going to make like Cristoforo Colombo -- sail across the "Western Ocean". She arrived at Es Sider, Libya, Jan. 22 for a cargo of crude and is due at Delaware City, Del. about Feb. 10. TAFFRAIL TALK AB Walter F. Hartis was taken off the Esso Miami by a U. S. Coast Guard boat at the Jack sonville Sea Buoy on Jan. 18. Mr. Hartis, with symptoms suggesting acute appendicitis, was taken to the U. S. Naval Hospital, Jacksonville. After 3 days of tests and observation, he "went under the knife" (quaint expression) on Jan. 22 and later that day was reported "getting along fine, sitting up and taking nourishment". It was ap pendicitis. It's always a pleasure to hear from Captain Aage Petersen, who has been living in San Antonio, Texas since shortly after his retirement, Jan. 1, 1958. Captain Petersen remarked about "how the ships have grown since I dropped anchor the last time 7 years ago, having in mind the Esso Gloucester, and now the Esso Houston." Jimmie Fowler, Third Asst, in the Esso Balti more, who recently raised his license from Second to First Asst. Engineer, is enthusiastic about the Armstrong School of Marine Engineering in New Orleans. "It is my opinion," he said, "that it is one of the most up-dated schools in the business. The instructor has the most modem information Seamanship "in the Best Traditions" The lifeboat, a 26' Monomoy from the U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Rockaway, is pulling away from the stricken Smith Voyager after rescu ing the ship's Master and 3 crewmen on Dec. 21. Oars are being used instead of a power boat because, in the 15 to 18-ft. seas, the propel ler would be out of wafer part of the time. For the same reason, the helmsman, Lf. J. J. Cadigan, USCG, of Hyde Park, Mass., is steering with a sweep instead of a tiller. According to the Coast Guard, the freighter got into trouble on Dec. 20 after her cargo of wheat shifted. She was 780 miles ESE of Bermuda on a voyage from Houston to India. Of the 38 men who previously aban doned ship, 34 were rescued by the 533' Mathilde Bolien (Ger.) and 4 were lost. The freighter was under tow to Bermuda when she sank on Dec. 27, 700 miles short of her goal. U. S. Coast Guard EXX-MOR-007511 COPI/tO FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN H1STOK available and the fee is only $150 for all grades. You have lectures from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 5 days a week, with movies of all types of machinery during the noon hour. There is no guarantee you will pass but with this type of instruction there is no excuse for failing." RECENT RETIREMENTS**- * Second Cook John M. West bade adieu to his shipmates in the Esso Jamestown last Decem ber, the recipient of their good wishes for a happy retirement and a token of esteem in the form of a wallet suitably in scribed and endowed with con tents for which it was designed. "Regretfully," Mr. West said, "I have come to the end of one road---but with a hope that I may cross the paths of many of my friends in the future. Both the licensed and unlicensed crew members in the Fleet (and the shore personnel) have been the finest." The MIS-Adventures of J STuMB\EPj?ONt ,c FRACTURE In this illustration Stumbleprone demonstrates a TRIP-le play with "no hands". Entering a store room, he catches his right foot on the doorsill, his left hip butts the door jamb and causes a counteracting thump of the shoulder against the opposite jamb. At no time does he place a hand on the bulkhead to steady himself as this would spoil the game. I i Retiring officially Jan. 1, Mr. West leaves the Company after nearly 17 years of continuous service, starting with the Esso Bolivar on Jan. 31, 1948. Most of his service was as Second Cook. In 1960 he was a member of the original crew of the Esso Baltimore. Mr. West and his wife, Almeta, live in Pom pano Beach, Fla., where they purchased a new home several months ago. Second Cook Eugenio T. Pina reached the 3 score-and-5-year retirement mark on Dec. 1, after serving just short of 16 years in the Fleet. He sailed as Second Cook in most of his ships but also had some assignments as Chief Cook. One of the latter was in the Esso Scranton on her 5th voyage to India, Nov. 1963 to March 1964. His last ship was the Esso Florence. Mr. Pina was bom in Portugal and lives in New Bedford, Mass, with his son, Manuel. Norman B. Avenell. "It's been fun," Mr. Avenell, Agency and Materials Coordinator, said (re garding his 33 years with Hum ble), "but now we are looking forward to a new life." The "we" includes his wife, Maisie, who also works for Humble and will retire later this year. The "new' life" refers to their ranch in Fredericksburg, Texas, 236 miles NW of Houston. It sounds ideal -- 118 acres of grassland and wooded hills, 2 Black Angus cattle, a peach orchard, pecan trees, a stream and small stocked lake, a new house planned and a golf course not too far awray. A native of Houston, Mr. Avenell joined Hum ble as an Office Boy in 1931. He spent 7 years in the Baytown Marine Office and 6 years as Port Dispatcher at Aransas Pass, returning to Houston in 1946. He was made Manager of Hum ble's Marine Dept, in Aug. 1958 and, after the merger with Esso Standard, Assistant to Manager, Operations Dept. He has been Agency and Ma terials Coordinator for the past year. Mr. Avenell is a past president of the Propeller Club, Port of Houston. Prior to his retirement, Jan. 1, he was presented with a plaque "in recog nition of outstanding services" and elected an honorary life member of the club. WORDS OF THE WISE If we have not quiet in our minds, outw'ard comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot.--Bunyan EXX-MOR-007512 COPinu FROM / 4 PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DIVISION, HUMBLE Oil & REFINING COMPANY Vol. 7, No. 5 March 11, 1965 Esso Chester Enters Asphalt Service With the sailing of the Esso Chester from New York on March 7, a new activity was inaugurated by the Humble Fleet -- transporting hot asphalt. The Chester will operate 10 months of the year between the Company's refineries at Bayway and Bayonne and new hot asphalt terminal facilities at Charleston, Baltimore and Everett. From midDecember to mid-February, when asphalt demand is light, she will transport crude oil. The Company spent about $4 million on the asphalt receiving terminals and for the conversion of the Esso Chester. The investment is expected to pay out through economies to be obtained by concentrating the manufacture of asphalt at the 2 New Jersey plants and through a more efficient utilization of crudes. On her first voyage in the new trade, the Chester loaded 4 grades of asphalt at Bayonne and 1 at Bayway, totaling 153,500 bbls., for discharge at Charleston and Baltimore. Since asphalt is a heavy product, the weight of the cargo in 20 of the ship's 30 tanks is sufficient to bring her down to maximum draft. Cargo is carried in the 10 center tanks and the No. 2, 3, 8, 9, and 10 wings. The remaining wings, Nos. 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7, are to be empty on the loaded passages and used for ballast on the return legs. This is a happy arrangement for several reasons. It permits completely segregated cargo and ballast systems, thus practically eliminating the pos sibility of contaminating cargo with ballast or vice-versa. The former situation is especially to be avoided because asphalt is "allergic" to water. Any amount in the tanks that the hot product can't quickly evaporate is likely to cause foaming. As ballasting and de-ballasting will be frequent, a clever system has been built into the ship that will cut the usual ballast handling time by about half. Sea chests were installed at the turn of the bilge in way of both No. 5 wing tanks and double skin valves installed port and starboard. Then, sluice valves were placed in both transverse bulk heads of the No. 5 wings and between Nos. 6 and 7 wings. Thus by opening the skin and sluice valves, about half the ballast will gravitate into the No. 4 to 7 wings at the discharge terminals and out at the loading docks. The balance of the ballast is handled by one of the original cargo pumps, except that the ballast in No. 1 wings will normally be loaded or discharged by pumps in the forward pumproom. New ballast lines which pass through cargo tanks have all welded con nections and loops for expansion to prevent the possibility of leaks. To discharge the hot asphalt, 3 of the ship's original cargo pumps were replaced with 3 Waterous rotary type, positive displacement pumps. New :-i H Looking down into a center tank. Eight of the 16 heating coils are shown and, on the far bulkhead, a sidewall grid. In addition to facilities for asphalt service, a bow thruster like the Esso Bangor's was installed in the Chester while she was in the shipyard. EXX-MOR-007513 COPIfU) FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR"AMERICAN H1STOR Insulated steam supply line and a manifold to distribute steam to heating coils. Return lines are on the other side of the catwalk. discharge lines, including crossovers, were placed in the tanks instead of above deck. Discharge risers, which are short 14" ells, were steam traced and insulated above deck, as were the valves, piping and pumps in the pumproom. Pumproom bulkheads adjacent to cargo tanks were insulated with 4" of fiberglass. With asphalt coming aboard and going ashore at about 350, such elaborate provisions were installed to maintain the cargo at this temperature that the Esso Chester is probably one of the most heavily coiled ships afloat. There are 16 helical, aluminum-brass coils and 2 independent bottom grids in each center tank. In the wing tanks there are 8 of the helical coils, 2 bottom grids, one side wall grid on the shell and another on the longi- *** Esso Chester Crew on First Asphalt Voyage James A. Mercer Edward Crawford Master Ch. Mate John W. Rickour Harry H. Toney os OS John B. Sappington John C. Griffith John R. Luke Colos J. Bennett Isaac D. Jones Joseph A. Boykin James K. Wahl Carleton A. Rankin Ernest G. Best 2nd Mate 3rd Mate 3rd Mate Ch. Engr. 1st Asst. 2nd Asst. 3rd Asst. 3rd Asst. Radio Offr. Edward 1. Butler Woodrow W. Smith Lee S. Sayre John M. Wilmoth Arthur A. Payne Lloyd E. Mercer John L. Webb Loarn H. McCorkel Pumpman MM/2P Oiler Oiler Oiler FWT FWT FWT William B. Page Donald W. Ayers Wesley C. Sewell AB Harold R. Smith AB Daniel E. Alves AB Joel R. Teixeira Ch. Stew'd Ch. Cook 2nd Cook Joseph P. Reilly Earl L. Braden Charles F. Fearon AB William H. Bricka AB Billy F. Hudson AB Salvador E. Razo OM CM UM Robert E. Couturier OS Myron R. Smigelski UM tudinal bulkhead. Most of the coils are of 1 y2" pipe and about 15' high. Steam for cargo heating leaves the engineroom at about 550 and is approx. 400 in the coils. A new deck steam line and control manifolds were installed plus a new condensate return line General plans for the conversion of the Chester were developed under the direction of Robert X. Caldwell, Marine Division Technical Superinten dent. Robert T. Williams, Jr. was Project Engineer and Repair Inspector Edward T. Porus supervised the conversion at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. The shipyard also assisted with the detailed engineering work. New Impressions of the Esso Houston After exactly 3 months in service, we are pleased to report (although it can hardly be con sidered news) that the Esso Houston is definitely shaping up. On her first 5 loadings, all at Bay town, she lifted more than 214 million bbls., equal to approx. 18 T2 cargoes. On a recent visit to the ship we seemed to detect a new spirit. The previous do-or-die attitude of determinedly tackling the new and untried is gone. They know she's good. Now the question is just how good can she be? Perhaps the biggest frustration is that the terminals can't take the cargo as fast as the ship can put it out. Another thing that is going, but riot yet gone, is feeling like a Pigmy when surveying that vast expanse of deck. It is big alright but not as big as it first seems. After all, the Houston is only 60' longer than the Boston and Baltimore but without a midship house you see the deck all at once instead of forward and aft of amidships, one at a time. It has come to be realized that the cargo handl ing arrangements, in general, are convenient. Many valves, tank gages and hatches for the tanks served by each of the 4 main cargo pumps and 2 solvent pumps are right handy to each pumphouse and the pump controls. Pumpmen, too, have found that walking about the deck instead of climbing up and down pumproom ladders is a good trade. Problems there have been but it's difficult now to imagine a problem that our seagoing personnel ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagoing em ployees of the Marine Division, Humble Oil & Refining Co.: Joseph Andreae, General Manager; Sydney Wire. Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner, Editor. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, Esso Fleet News, Humble Oil & Refining Co., P. O. Box 1512, Houston, Texas 77001. I ki-.. EXX-MOR-007514 COFIF.IJ FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTOlt' Over the heads of Third Asst. Bobby M. Pouncey (left) and Extra MM/2P Andrew E. Johnson is a new gage board on the after side of the boiler, facing the main control station in the Esso Houston. The gages indicate ballast pump discharge and suction pressures, air ejector steam pressure, cargo pump and deck steam exhaust, condensate pump discharge pressure and steam pressure to forward decks. First Asst. Clyde C. O'Neal laid out the job and Second Asst. John J. Murphy welded brackets and installed about 350-400 ft. of tubing. Others having a hand in the project include Second Asst. Dwaine F. Hettinger, Messrs. Pouncey and Johnson and Oilers Arthur A. Derderian, Jose T. Ring and Johnnie W. Jernigan. and shore staff couldn't lick. It's pretty safe to say that there are none such aboard the Houston. The men who have sailed in the ship to date, both licensed and unlicensed, and our Port Staff and Technical Section have put in long hours of hard labor and burned the midnight oil under forced draft to smooth out the kinks. Some of these men deserve a campaign ribbon with oak leaf cluster. Down in the engineroom the situation has past the problem stage and the men are working on improvements. All the machinery that was origin ally painted gray has been repainted in "Esso Buff" except one or two items which have been painted green, as an experiment. "Mac's Green" they call it. Two other engineroom improvements are shown above and below. A view of the machine shop showing some of the custom-tailored tool racks made by Andy Johnson. Esso Dallas Going to Japan As reported in the last issue, the Esso Dallas is on a voyage to the West Coast (San Francisco, March 9; Stockton, the 10th and Vancouver, Washington, the 13th). But instead of the tentative Califomia-Hawaii trip, the ship is now scheduled to sail from Vancouver to Aruba to load for Yoko hama (due about April 21). Message for Messmen and Utilitymen Confidentially men, our usually genial Port Steward, Dewitt Hodges, has been somewhat dis tressed of late because he is running short of Second Cooks. But the subject of Mr. Hodges concern should be good news to any Messmen or Utilitymen who are looking for a chance to get in some Second Cook's time (and pay). The procedure is not difficult if you have had or can get some cooking experience. You just let your wishes be known to the Chief Steward, show him you can do the wurk (and maybe respectfully request a few suggestions from his vast store of knowledge) and then ask him to send a letter of recommendation to the Port Steward's office. Mr. Hodges or Mr. Baldwin will do the rest. r TAFFRAIL TALK wmb J. W. Bennett, who has been our man in Baltimore since July 1963, has had his responsibili ties extended. On Feb. 23, Jack was appointed Acting Manager of the Baltimore Branch (he was formerly Operations Mana ger) and Baltimore was made headquarters for the Marine Division's Mid-Atlantic area, instead of Norfolk. Mr. Bennett has over 28 years' service with the Company and is best known to the men in the Fleet as a former head of the Ships' Payroll Section. * ** For some time now the fluid in Ye Ed's veins has been tending toward the brackish and the urge to "go down to the sea again" has been growing. So, w-e're going. Haven't picked out the unfortunate tanker to impose upon yet but we're working on it. And if you don't see another Fleet News for a month or so you'll know your correspondent is on the high seas (not too high, we hope). Tell you all about it, stomach per mitting, when we get back. *** Captain M. Breece, retired Manager of the New York Branch Office, writes that progress is being made at his "M & R Seahorse Ranch" in P EXX-MOR-007515 th f univ/f p ^it v n c rc v A r r~ FWT Joaquim A. Santos Here's a picture from Joaquim A. Santos, FWT, Esso Seattle, showing a modern Esso truck in Subic Bay, Philippines. The printing on the side of the truck is "Esso Gasul. The blue-flame gas for people who love to cook." Mr. Santos adds, "I have enjoyed this trip very much. If has been truly a great experience for me." His year in the Seattle will be completed the middle of May and he will be coming home for 6 months' paid leave. However, 4 men -- Chief Steward John J. Fernandes, AB Alexander Armadi, OM Ismail Muluk and UM Agustin Loredo, Jr. -- have requested that fheir assignments be extended. Six of the men to be relieved in May are evidently planning to start their paid leaves with sightseeing in the Far East. They are: Chief Engr. Keith V. Wintenburg. Chief Mate Louis H. Sfaar, First Asst. Reidar N. Jespersen, Third Asst. Lawrence D. Roth, AB Ian G. Harrison and OS Eugene E. Van Fleet. Lexington, S. C., although not as fast as could be desired. "The weather has been marvelous," Captain Breece said, "and our livestock is faring very well on the forage in the pastures. I've ordered 3 more Black Angus." *** In our story about the Esso Houston (EFN, Dec. 31) we said "From the Gluckauf until re cently, tankers have had a midship house." There seems to have been at least one exception. Robert A. Stewart, First Asst, in the Esso Newark, told us about a Standard Oil tanker of the early 1900s that had her bridge aft. She was a 360' x 42' x 26'6" whaleback named the City of Everett. Mr. Stewart gave us a copy of the Feb. issue of Argosy magazine, which had a story about a fire aboard the ship on Sept. 8, 1903 and how Captain Thomas Fenlon sailed her from Port Arthur to New York with a big crack across her deck. mmsmm WORDS OF THE WISE I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and be cause I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do something that I can do.--Edward Everett Hale If you are pleased at finding faults, you are displeased at finding perfections. -- Lavater * ** There are few, if any, jobs in which ability alone is sufficient. Needed, also, are loyalty, sin cerity, enthusiasm and team play. -- Wm. B. Giver, Jr. * * RECENT RETIREMENTS bua , Oiler Francis Keegin retired March 1 and is looking forward to taking things a little easier. He is entitled to it too because all his life he has been forcing himself to keep active to over come the effects of an attack of infantile paralysis when he was a year old. Mr. Keegin's retirement comes after 40 years in the merchant marine and Navy. He started to sea in 1925, sailed as wiper, fireman and oiler in freighters and as a chief petty officer in the Navy. During World War II he was awarded the Merchant Marine Combat Bar and Silver Star for services aboard a transport in the Atlantic and later he put in 15 months in a Navy tug and an aircraft repair ship in the Pacific. Joining the Fleet on July 4, 1948, Mr. Keegin sailed mostly as FWT until May 1954 and then as Oiler for the balance of his 16 years of Company service. Mr. Keegin lives in Olney, Md. (about 25 miles SW of Baltimore) and thinks he might raise poodles. He has a good start already -- 2 pure bred females. Without benefit of sponsor or champagne, the towboat Esso Louisiana was launched into the Intracoastal Waterway at Houma, La. (55 miles SW of New Or leans) on Feb. 12. The 70'x24'x 10' push boat is being built by the Main Iron Works and is to tow bunker barges in and around New Orleans, replacing a chartered boat. The Esso Louisiana is of the conventional push tow type and will follow the local practice of operating with the engineroom unattended. Propulsion is by twin screws, each turned by a 510 hp. Caterpillar diesel and reduction gears. Completion is scheduled for April 1. u< *7 O -J 5u U! EXX-MOR-007516 COPIP.I) FROM THE CX?I.LfTIONS IN THE CENTERFOR AMERICAN HlSTOi Vol. 7, No. 7 April 22, 1965 Esso New Orleans Enters Service Humble's second pace-setting, pipeline-beating 67,800 dwt. supertanker joined the Fleet on April 10, sailing from the builder's yard at Newport. News for her namesake city. She arrived at New Orleans on the afternoon of the 14th. The next morning the ship was inspected by city officials and other invited guests and was open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. An estimated 8,000 visitors came to see America's newest oil carrier. At noon on the 15th, a luncheon was held in New Orleans' Roosevelt Hotel at which Captain Hamilton was given a key to the city and made an honorary citizen. The wife of H. W. Ferguson, an Executive Vice President and Director of Humble, acted for Mrs. J. K. Jamieson, Sponsor of the Esso New Orleans and wife of the Jersey company's President, in presenting Captain Hamilton with a guide to the French Quarter ("in case he needed it," she said) and 2 sets of subscriptions to 5 popular magazines for the ship's officers and crew. At Baton Rouge on Good Friday an inspection of the vessel by guests, led by Mayor Woodrow Dumas and Port Director C. W. Herbert, was followed by a day-long open house on Saturday. Approx. 9,000 persons came to see the ship and perhaps 2,000 of them kept Captain Hamilton busy autographing booklets. The 3 days of playing host left the Esso New Orleans crew "beat" but they did a terrific job and received many favorable comments from the visitors. The ship sailed from Baton Rouge with FIRST CREW IN THE ESSO NEW ORLEANS William Hamilton Master James M. Spinks OS Karl Lohmann Ch.MateJames R. Sharp OS Fletcher A. Mtssud* 2nd Mate Ernest R. Gamble OS Walter A. Johnson Walter W. Werner William W. McKay William Motta William Uftikowich* George F. McClure Gaylord J. Gay* Francis A. Hanlon Helmut H. Sturow 3rd Mate Lemuel J. Kelley* Pumpman Ch. Engr. Herman D. Ambrose MM/2P 1stAsst.William J. Somsky Extra MM/2P 2ndAsst. 3rd Asst. Arthur D. Rose Oiler Radio OffV Jose Hinojosa* James P. O'Donnell* Oiler Oiler AB AB James Vierra AB Alvin P. Bergeron Ch. Steward Chef Roy G. Stanley* AB Alfredo P. DelToro* M/UM Alexander M. McDonnell AB Philip W. Lolly M/UM Michael Sharik II! AB Teodoro Martinez* M/UM *A!so a member of the first crew in the Esso Houston. her first cargo (for discharge at Paulsboro) on April 21. Like the Esso Houston, the Esso New Orleans is 800' overall, 116' beam and on a summer freeboard draft of 40' 3-13/16" she could theo retically carry 582,000 bbls. Her 4 deepwrell-type main cargo pumps have a capacity of 10,000 bph. each. Propulsion is by 19,000 shp. geared turbines developing a speed of 16.5 knots at 103.2 rpm. of the propeller. Steam is supplied by a single boiler with a normal rating of 140,000 lbs. of 600 psig. and 860 F steam per hour. In all essentials, the Esso New Orleans is a duplicate of the Esso Houston. However, some improvements have been made in the second ship. Additional toilets and showers have been installed for Deck and Steward's Dept, men, a Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co. - Jt. EXX-MOR-007517 bulkhead divides the starboard passageway lead ing to the Officers' Mess to give privacy to crew quarters in that area and an elevator track and doors have been put in. There have also been improvements in the fuel oil piping to the burners and the forced draft fan speed control and sights were installed to view the furnace interior. RECENT RETIREMENTSem Able Seaman Frank Palace. "As I look back at the past," Mr. Palace said, "and compare it with the present -- the ad vances in living conditions, the personnel and the latest ships in the Esso Fleet -- I would say I was bom 30 years too soon." Mr. Palace has had a lot of sea time in and out of the Fleet. His Company service, totaling more than 25*4 years and almost all as AB, was intermittent from 1928 to 1947 but continuous from then until his retirement on March 1. During World War II he shipped out in 3 Company tankers and one of the Liberty ships he sailed in hit a mine and broke in two. Bom in Czechoslovakia, Mr. Palace lives in the towmship of Hunter, N. Y. (in the Catskill Mts.) with his wife, Sidonia. They have a daughter, aged 9 and 2 sons, aged 13 and 6. Chief Engineer Ferdinand Villamore. In 1914 Mr. Villamore was a 14-year old recruit in the Mexican navy; on April 1, 1965 he retired as Senior Chief Engineer in the Fleet. Of those intervening 51 years he spent all but 2 at sea and over 33 of the seagoing years wrere credited Company service. In his early years, Mr. Villamore was a donkeyman, fireman and oiler with various American and foreign shipping companies and worked ashore with a repair firm in New Orleans from 1920 to 1922. After 6 years with the Morgan Line as oiler and jr. engineer, he joined the Pan Bolivar (later the Esso Aruba) as Third Asst, on June 19, 1931. Mr. Villamore had his first Chief's berth in the BeaconoiL in July 1941 and sailed as First Asst, or Chief in 7 vessels during World War II, including the Silver Creek, of WET., Inc. For the past 18i/2 years he has been Chief Engineer, sail ing 7 Yz years in the Esso Cumberland and, just prior to his retirement, in the Esso Gettysburg. Mr. Villamore is well known as a "do-it-your self" Chief, meaning that's what he does, not what he says. He and his wife, Mathilda, live in Corona, N. Y. They have 3 children -- Ferdinand, Jr., 31; John, 27, and Alice, 25. ------- TAFFRA1L TALK - - Edmund F. Mahoney rejoined the Esso Miami as Chief Mate on April 10. He had been on sick leave, recovering from a broken wrist and ribs received from a fall while fighting a fire aboard the vessel on Dec. 15. Incidentally, officers and crew of the Miami are to receive the 1964 Ship Safety Achievement Award for tank vessels for their outstanding per formance in putting out the fire that started on a barge into which the Miami was lightering gas oline. The award is sponsored jointly by the American Merchant Marine Institute and the National Safety Council. ** * Johnny Yapp (Chief Steward, ret. Feb. 1962), reported last October in Jerusalem, sent a card from Mexico City on April 7. "Arrived here last week from the Philippines via Hong Kong, Aus tralia, Tokyo, Honolulu and San Francisco," Johnny said. "Our 10-month vacation -- a trip around the wnrld -- is practically over. Having a grand time. Expect to be back before income tax time. Regards to all." t . OBITUARY Gerard J. Aitken, 69, who re tired Feb. 1, 1957 as Sr. Asst. Manager of the Finance Dept., Esso Shipping Co., died April 7 in Pompano Beach, Fla. He is survived by his wife, Eliza beth, and 2 sons, Gerard, Jr. and Alfred. Mr. Aitken had 37 years of Company service, all in finance and accounting work. .j Leonard M. Passano, 65, a former Editor of The Ships' Bulletin and an employee of the Marine Dept, in Bayonne, died Jan. 17 in New Glou cester, Maine, where he had lived since his retire ment in Nov. 1947. He had 23 years of service. Surviving are his wife, Helen; a daughter, Mrs. Alice Graves, and 3 sons, Leonard, Peter and John. ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagoing em ployees of the Marine Division, Humble Oil & Refining Co.: Joseph Andreae, General Manager; Sydney Wire, Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner. Editor. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, Esso Fleet News, Humble Oil & Refining Co., P. 0. Box 1512, Houston, Texas 77001. Sailing Under the Esso Oval -- II The "downhill voyage" of Ye Ed's excursion into the watery world of our seagoing personnel began in Portland, Maine on March 22. Climbed aboard the Esso Newark from the Bancroft & Martin Rolling Mills' dock in plenty of time for supper tout found some of the crew going ashore for a Maine lobster dinner. Spent an interesting 2 hours in the evening visiting with Chief Ste ward Fred Eimans and Odd Wilhelmsen. Mr. Wilhelmsen, who lives in Portland, is President of his own concrete products company and is doing nicely. He joined the Fleet as AB in May 1940, sailed through out World War II as Bos'n and Pumpman and was 3rd, 2nd and Chief Mate from June 1945 until he resigned in May 1955. The talk, naturally, was mostly about old times -- the Captain who praised and ordered a second bowl of dehydrated vegetable (and weevil) soup, the unsavory "orange marma lade" made of grapefruit rinds and molasses and the time they had to borrow eggs for breakfast from a tug when coming into Buenos Aires. It seems there were more "bad guys" than "good guys" in those days, or maybe it's just that the bad guys make the .best stories. On March 23, the day spacemen Grissom and Young were blasting off from Cape Kennedy and orbit ing the earth in the Gemini flight, everyone aboard the Newark watch ed and listened to the historic event on the TVs (excellent reception) as opportunities arose while the cargo discharge was being completed and ballasting started. Shortly before we left the dock at 1410, a few flakes of snow drifted aimlessly down and then increased slightly but not enough to interfere with our departure. Captain Edwin P. McDuffie, Docking Master (Un docking Master, rather) handled the ship as if he owned her; skillfully backing her out, turning around and "threading the needle" -- putting her through a highway drawbridge with only about 5' to spare on either side. He just got her lined up and "gunned her through" at half-ahead. The man must have a cast iron stomach and stainless steel nerves -- and so must the bridge tender who sits up in a little house that could be brushed off like a fly if Captain McDuffie wasn't right the first time. The snow slackened as we eased past picturesque Portland Head Lighthouse and dropped the pilot but came down heavy later in the afternoon and continued well into the night. Visibility was only 1 to 3 miles, bad enough to keep Cap tain Christian W. Tolfsby on the bridge most of the night. Departure was taken from Port land Lightship at 1536 and not another sighting was made for near ly 3 days -- until Matanilla Shoal Buoy was abeam at 1153, March 26. Over 2V2 days without seeing anything but sea and sky (though 2nd Mate Robert J. Olsen said he saw 2 whales) made us realize that if this stretch of the Atlantic seemed a big, lonesome ocean, how about the Pacific and the Esso Dallas steaming for 21 days from Balboa to Yokohama. Well, you stand on the .bridge, in the bow or anywhere on the ship, look toward the horizon and you can see just so much. Your scope of vision is as great in the Atlantic as it would be in the Pa cific. The difference is that instead of 2y2 days of it, you have 20 y2 but you still take it one day at a time. Maybe that's like life; you have an idea where you are going (or you should have) but you only live one day at a time regardless of the length of your "voyage". After Matanilla came Memory Rock Light and then, at 1456, "Land Ho" -- to use a bygone expression -- Settlement Point on Grand Ba- This looks odd, doesn't it? A sailboat with a radar scanner on her foremast. It's the Portland Pilot Boat. And what's the matter with those Maine sailors -- putting the can vas on the wrong side of the main mast! Chief Cook Joseph Francis gets a nod of approval from Chief Steward Fred Eimans on the succulence of his broiled chicken. We can also attest to Mr. Francis' skill in the galley, particularly in respect to the chicken and a well-done, crisp brown edged, meltin-the-mouth pork roast. We can't possibly mention ail the good things we had to eat but Second Cook Gersion Woolf's peach pie, crust included, was de-/ighf-ful. First thing on Mr. Eimans' breakfast menus is "Good Morning". You can always tell Fred's menus by his distinctive, neat printing. EXX-MOR-007519 Freeport, Grand Bahama Island -- a cement plant at left and the (now bankrupt) Im perial Bahama Hotel, ex-Italia, ex-John Ericsson, ex-Kungsholm, at right. Palm trees make the hull look mottled. Bunkering sta tion Is to right of photo. launch runs a line out to a mooring. Up comes the bunker hose buoy . . . hama Island. Such inviting beaches, clear and colorful water, and talk of the casino ashore and sumptuous hotels (at $30 or $40 a day) brought about by the inaccessibility of Havana. Shortly the Pilot, Captain Cole, was aboard and we eased along the coast to the bunkering station off Freeport -- 3 days, 18 min, and 1,180 miles from Portland Lightship. The weather was sunny and mild, the water calm and the little line handling boats scurried back and forth securing fore and aft mooring lines to buoys. Bunkering started at 1730, was finished at 0014, March 27 and at 0201, "Clear of berth, pilot away." or so it was noted in the log, we having sacked-in long before. Well, March 27 was another fine day. It saw the Esso Newark run ning uneventfully along the Florida Keys from Fowey Rocks (0740) to Dry Tortugas (1920). The light houses and islands were visible in the distance and in between, an occasional sport fisherman trolling along the edge of a reef. Sunday, the 28th, also pleasant, was spent working our way across the Gulf toward Galveston and the only thing of any note was that from 1200 to 1500 most of the Maine harbor and coastal waters taken aboard as ballast were returned, none the worse, to the ocean. Everything went well until 0630, the 29th, when poor visibility again had Captain Tolfsby conning on the bridge and the whistle blowing automatically every 2 minutes. This time it was fog. It must have been a low fog because frequently we could see the sun and there was a fair breeze but still visibility was only 3 to 5 ship lengths. The closer we came to Galveston Sea Buoy the more congestion showed on the radar scope and the slower we went. Twice Captain Tolfsby brought her to a dead stop when whistles were heard ahead and fi nally, at 1330, he dropped the an chor. Two hours and 10 min. later it looked a little better and then the Houston Pilot, Captain B. F. Mahaffey, was aboard and we were underway again. Another few min utes and we were between the Gal veston jetties and in the clear -- clear sailing all the way up the Houston Ship Channel to Brady Island, Houston. The ship was all fast at 2100 .. . more or less . . . didn't check the exact time ... delirious from chan nel fever. _*_ Since we have a lot more to tell you about the Esso Newark and the men who sail her, we'll have to break off these ramblings here and bring you the rest next issue. OK? . . . and then the hose. Captain Tolfsby relaxes a bit while waiting for the fog to lift outside Galveston. Our Shipmates in the Esso Newark- Christian W. Tolfsby William M. Galloway Robert J. Olsen Axel G. Ekman Elbert D. Sprott, Jr. Master Ch. Mate Second Mate Third Mate Third Mate Gregor O. W. Collins Robert A. Stewart Edward C. Sullivan Leif Groneng Archie N. Griffith Ch. Engineer First Asst. Second Asst. Third Asst. Third Asst. Aristotle I. Voulgaris Radio Officer Albert Garcia Ordinary Seaman Karl B. Trickel Ordinary Seaman Fred E. Engelman Pumpman Raymond E. Mott MM/2nd Pump. Howard O. Sorrells Denver S. McCasland Raeford C. Dorman Oiler Oiler Oiler William A. Prewitt Raymond J. Bastone Conrad C. Lutz FWT FWT FWT Carl C. Vella Ivy E. Etharidge Frank Lang Victor J. Jakubowskki Vincent J. McCaffreey Fred G. Stevens Able Seaman Able Seaman Able Seaman Able Seaman Able Seaman Able Seaman Gustav Ripp Oirdinary Seaman Frederick Eimans Joseph M. Francis Gersion G. Woolf Robert A. St. Clair John F. Caldas Edward C. Fitzgerald Louis Chiofalo Ch. Steward Ch. Cook Second Cook Off'rs Mess. Crew Mess. Utilityman Utilityman 21 UJ h A I a. id EXX-MOR-007520