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TOR AmI rI H n H ^ COPIED PHDM THE COLLECTIONS IN f f t ^ T C R Voyage to Prudhoe Set for July Marine Dept. Names S.S. Manhattan Crew . Expedition Potch A crew has been named to sail the S.S. Manhattan--world's first tanker-icebreaker--on her maid en voyage through the Northwest Passage to Prudhoe Bay. Alaska. The Esso Fleet seamen will set sail in July in the wake of explorers who have ventured before them to open an Arctic sea route across the top of the North American continent --men like John Cabot, William Parry, John Franklin, Robert Mc Clure, Roald Amundsen and other adventurers who answered the challenge of the Northwest Passage. The Manhattan crew seeks to make the 500 year dream of open ing the passage come true. All are from Humble's Esso Fleet. "It was no easy task to select this crew from the large number of highly quali fied officers and men who sail in the fleet," said Stanley B. Haas, project manager of the Arctic Task Force. "There were nearly four times as many qualified applicants as we needed for the crew." New Humble Upgrading Program Helps Pay The officers and men who assem ble next month at Chester, Pa., to board the Manhattan will play a I Costs of Raising Marine Officer LicensesOfficers who upgrade their school without loss of pay for one vital role in the outcome of the Arc tic tanker test. The stakes are big --bigger than the Manhattan her self. licenses at approved marine schools will be paid a full month's month. "The one month payment will be the base pay plus seniority pay of the officer's department sen "As of today, it's a big question mark--but it's a gamble we have wages in addition to 75 per cent iority position," Capt. Moffitt ex to take," said M. A. Wright, chair of tuition costs, text books and plained. Prior to the new company man of Humble's board of direc other regular instruction fees. program, officers took leave of ab tors. "Humble's ante is close to $30 The new Marine Upgrading Program to help defray costs as sociated with raising a deck or engine license is retroactive to January 1. The licensing upgrad sence without pay to attend marine licensing schools. Eligibility for the program hinges on recommendations from two mas- [Continued, Page 7) million dollars. One turn of the card will tell us whether we win or lose." The Manhattan crew will help turn that card. {Continued, Page 2) ing program was announced June 2 by Capt. James G. Moffitt, Marine Dept, operations manager. The plan to assist and encourage officers to upgrade their licenses was established at the request of the Jersey Standard Tanker Offi cers Association. "Additionally," Capt. Moffitt not ed, "this new Marine Upgrading Program will not affect our current educational refund policy for those who may go to one of the approved merchant marine licensing schools." The educational refund program is a Humble policy which reimburses employees for up to 75 per cent of actual costs of tuition, registration, textbooks and educational fees. What the Marine Upgrading Pro gram does is make it possible for an officer to attend a licensing Gloucester Goes Into West Coast Service To Supply Benicia Refinery With Crude Oil The Esso Gloucester is enroute to California with a cargo of Texas crude on her first voyage in regular West Coast service to supply Humble's new' Benicia refinery in the San Francisco Bay area. It is the first Esso ship in regular service on the Pacific Coast since the early 1940s. The 28,600 deadweight ton vessel is expected to supply the refinery with about 42 per cent of its pres ent daily crude oil requirements of 67,000 barrels. The ship will lift cargo out of Long Beach three to four times a month with an occasional lifting from the Estero Bay area, midway between Long Beach and Benicia. The Gloucester will also pick up crude once a month at Drift River, Alaska, in Cook Inlet, on the 49th state's southern shore. "Plans now call for the tanker to take about 20,000 barrels monthly out of Drift River and another 660,000 from Long Beach," said Albert J. Rein ing, head of the Marine Dept.'s Ton nage and Contract Section. 1Continued, Page 7) U EXX-MOR-007525 CORIFIJ FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTOK MANHATTAN CREW (Cant'd from Page 1} One of the economic motivations behind the tanker test is 60 cents per barrel of oil. Estimates indicate that's how much less it would cost to transport oil from Alaska to the East Coast via the Northwest Pas sage as compared with shipping it by trans-continental pipeline. The Manhattan's mission is "to collect the scientific data necessary to assess the economic and opera tional feasibility of a year-round Arctic marine operation." Crew members have been asked to bring personal belongings for a four-month voyage. Humble will is sue each man a specially designed parka, leather mittens that fit over wool gloves and sunglasses. Only crew members and others aboard will receive the expedition patch, symbol of a tradition long estab lished by past Polar explorers. The patch portrays the Humble "tiger" outfitted with earmuffs, now mak ing him. as one crew member said, an "Arctic tiger." In addition to the crew, there will be reoresentatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, Canadian Department of Transport, plus ice physicists, heli copter teams, scientists, analysts, in strumentation personnel, electronic technicians, public information and photographic personnel. There will also be a ship's surgeon, Dr. William R. Clark, Jr., a 35-year-old grad uate of Boston University School of Medicine and an ex-Army para trooper. The total complement of crew members and scientific per sonnel will vary from 100 to 126. The training program for officers of the Manhattan has been designed to provide them with maximum ice experience, a skill never before needed by tanker crews. They have observed Arctic operations on the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker State n Island, on Canadian ice breakers and on commercial ves sels operating in northern waters. They have also visited the Cana- ESSO FLEET NEWS is published every other Thursday for the sea going employees of the Marine De partment, Humble Oil & Refining Co.; T. J. Fuson, General Manager; Sydney Wire, Assistant General Manager. Jim Pitts, 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. dian government's "ice central" of fice in Halifax, attended the U.S. Navy's forecasting school in Wash ington, D.C. Several crew members have taken courses in satellite navigation, elec tronic computer operation and maintenance, and operation of UHF and VHF radio equipment. An elab orate communications system, 500 times more powerful than standard ship equipment, has been installed on the Manhattan to overcome poor communications conditions in the polar region. It will assure a highly reliable communication link with the Humble Building in Houston. Unusual steps have also been taken to maintain crew morale at its best during the long voyage. Capt. Roger A. Steward, master of the Manhattan. has arranged for an extensive library, exercise equip ment, movies, hobby kits, handi craft tools and ping pong tables. Tape recorded music is being in stalled in officer and crew lounges. Several contests are planned, too. Awards will go to the seaman spot ting the first polar bear, sighting first ice, winning the day's mileage run pool, and predicting the daily maximum and minimum tempera ture. Capt. Steward, a graduate of Massachuetts Maritime Academy, joined the company in 1939 as a third mate. He has held a master's license since 1946. "Our experience as the first icebreaking tanker crew will develop a new set of skills for seamen." the 51-year-old master said. "This is a new development. The first people to get through the passage in a merchant vessel like the Manhattan should be prepared to train those who will follow. Our primary purpose is to obtain the additional information necessary to design ice worthy tankers for yearround operation. We're counting on tonnage and horsepower to smash through the ice ridges." The ship's destination is Prudhoe Bay. Alaska, site of what may be the world's largest deposit of oil. Then the Manhattan will continue on west and go south through the Bering Strait and into the Bering sea. "We may then determine to extend our test by heading north in the polar cap to see how the Manhattan performs in ice condi tions comparable to the hard win ter-type ice the Northwest Passage would offer on a year-round basis," Mr. Haas said. The Northwest Passage may prove to be more than an oil route. Dr. Chas. F. Jones, president of Humble, has called it "an interna tional trade route" that -will pro foundly influence the rate of Arctic development and patterns of world trade. There is great mineral wealth in the Far North--so great it is known as the "waiting wealth." Both base and precious metals have been found far above the Arctic Circle. There is iron ore, tungsten, lead, zinc, nickel and copper. "A year-round sea route in this area could do what the railroads did for the western United States-- and might do it quicker," Dr. Jones said. The officers and men of the Esso Fleet named to sail on the epic voy age are; Capt. Roger Steward, master; Arthur Smith, staff captain; Don ald Graham, staff captain; Davis Abernathy, chief officer; Dale Silcox, 1st officer; Albert Scara, 2nd officer. Charles Hahn, 3rd officer; Carl W. Thenemann, radio officer. Colos Bennett, chief engineer; Donald K. Johnson, 1st assistant engineer; Edward G. Dolloff, 2nd assistant engineer; Lawrence O. Roth 3rd assistant engineer: Lin-' wood Davenport. 3rd assistant en gineer: Donald McCracken, 3rd as sistant engineer; John H. Metcalf, 3rd assistant engineer; Alton Burns, Jr., 3rd assistant engineer. Able seamen: George W. Young, Arthur T. Roller. Thomas C. Ran dall, James F. Barrett, Joseph J. Owens, Joseph R. Hendershott. Or dinary seamen: Henry S. Williams, Peter C. Osburn. Robert Edwards. Auriel T. Hall, chief pumpman; Joseph G.. Sokolowski, William M. Catoe. Edward J. Mooney, Juan J. Aureiio. Richard K. Surgoginski, oilers: Theodore R. Mowell, John P. Jennings, Edmund F. Jutz, fire men. Leopold Oliveira. Jr., chief stew ard; Marcellino P. Gomes, Antonio Fernandes, chief cooks; Eduardo Oliveira. Julius Rohn. second cooks. Sailing as messmen and utilitvmen are Agustin Loredo. Jr., Luis C. Martinez, Ashick Mohammed, Gaudencio J. Gibau, Henrique 1. Fer reira, Jose P. Leitas, Philip W. Lallv Jjng Ming, Moses C. Niles, Joad L. Gonsalves. In addition to the ship's officers and crew, other Humble personnel who will be aboard are: Stanley B. Haas, Arctic Task Force project manager: A. D. Mookhoek, technical coordinator; Walter Devine, analysis section head; Richard Vukin, ana lyst: Grant Woodbury and Alton Tschirhart. technicians who will monitor test equipment. b i EXX-MOR-007526 It was eight hells. The eight to midnight watch was relieved on a calm sea 100 miles off the U.S. Atlantic Coast. The only sound wras the sea breaking under the ship's bow. "She's all yours," said the mate on the bridge to his relief. And indeed she was "all his" for the next four hours. His and the other seamen's on watch in the Esso Baltimore. A multi-million dollar ship and 34 lives. The easy routine of the change of the watch fails to tell the responsibilities that go with it. "You can't fake it out here," said Third Mate Michael Sharik III, watch officer on the naviga tion bridge. The sharp features of the Vermont Capt. Harold Griffiths (I) takes fix on sun during rou tine navigation at sea in Esso Baltimore. Heaving con necting hose in place are (below from left) Pumpman Adrian Martinez, AB Robert Boteler and AB Joao "John" Moura in preparation for loading crude oil on Mississippi River at Empire, La. "you CAN'T FAKE IT" A Man-Sized Job -- Sailing an Esso Ship EXX-MOR-007527 T l-IE 1IM it/n i) c it v r\i- 2nd Mate James C. Christenson (above) takes bearing off Florida coast. AB John Brennan (above right) steers 740-foot long Baltimore on mid night to four watch. Below, Radio Officer John Heistand repairs radar equipment, and also keeps ship's television and radios tuned up. Photography by John White sailor's face were briefly drawn in the dark vel vet of night by the dim light in the radar as he scanned the screen for ship traffic in the area. "No man is an independent in a ship at sea." he con tinued. "We depend on one another's individual seamanship to sail this ship and keep her sea worthy." The watch officer was depending on two able seamen, one on bow- lookout, another steering the ship, and an ordinary seaman. Down in the engine room an assistant engineer and oiler watched over the Baltimore's powerful engines as the ship ploughed the waters at 17 knots, southbound from New York to Empire, La. Humble seamen who keep the Baltimore and other Esso Fleet tankers seaworthy do it with the knowledge that a tight, well kept ship will in re turn take care of them in one of nature's most powerful and destructive environments--the sea in all its sound and fury. Like any great lady, the Baltimore rolls as grace fully in easy seas as a ballerina moving over a dance floor. But like a mother protecting her oven, she wrestles the sea in storm with all the might n EXX-MOR-007528 of her engines and the great bulk of her body. "Her men"--the ones that keep her--she holds in the safety of her steel bosom against pounding seas that can break a man to pieces. Reason enough for keeping a tight ship. But the romance with this "lady of the sea" is a man-sized job. It's hard work. As the rosy fingers of dawn reach out over the sea and light up the ship's colors, men begin to move about seeking cof fee pots strategically located throughout the vessel. And after breakfkast, with the 8 to noon watch comes the incessant beat of hammers signaling an other day's battle against the "cancer" of corro sion. Chipping off old paint and applying the new to prevent corrosion is one of the endless labors of seamen who keep a good ship. It is, of course, only one of the jobs seamen per form on Esso Fleet tankers as the ships go about their business of delivering millions of gallons of crude oil and petroleum products to U.S. ports. This and other work that goes on aboard tankers was captured recently on film in the Baltimore to help tell the story of what it takes to keep the ships of the Esso Fleet seaworthy, operational and as attractive as any vessel on the high seas. A "camera eye" view of it all appears on the follow ing pages. 1st Assistant Engineer Sebastian Koep checks brushes in propeller line shaft. Engine department is prepared to make almost any repair in vessel at sea, from major equipment overhaul to ship's whistle. Theirs is the never-ending job of protecting ship from corrosion by chip ping off old paint and applying new. It keeps Esso Fleet tankers among the best looking ships on the seas. Chief Cook Daniel Alves jr) prepares juicy one-inch thick steaks under the approving eye of Steward Joaquim "Jack" Correia. "All hands on deck" is the order given (below) at least once on each voyage for lifeboat practice. EXX-MOR-007530 PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY Vol. 11, No. 19 1 September 18, 1969 S.S. Manhattan Rests Heavily in Ice Bound Northwest Passage Manhattan Opens Sea Lane in NW Passage (Compiled from news reports filed. bp Hank Rosenthal, Humble correspondent aboard the S.S. Man hattan.) The S.S. Manhattan has smashed a sea route through ice packs up to 14 feet thick and broken through floating ice laced with formidable 40 foot ridges. At one point she backed up, charged ahead and ripped a gaping path through the stub born, steel-like ice crust that has historically put an end to all attempts by commercial ves sels to transit the Northwest Passage. The Manhattan attempted the most treacherous stretch of the passage in McClure Strait. She turned back about half-way through the strait. A study of air reconnaissance reports on ice conditions in the strait north of Banks Island led to the decision to take an alternate, less formidable route through the Prince of Wales Strait, (Continued on Page 2) Second of Three Sister Ships Esso Baton Rouge Launching Set America's largest privately- owned fleet will grow by a whopping 75,600 deadweight tons on November 22 when Humble launches the Esso Baton Rouge near New Orleans. -BULLETIN- Humble Oil & Refining Company officials aboard the S.S. Manhattan already have reached the conclu sion that commercial shipping is operationally feasible through the Arctic Northwest Passage. Even though the ship was turned back by heavy ice in McClure Strait, the Manhattan has sailed far enough through Parry Channel for scientific observers to know that ships easily could head southwestward through Prince of Wales Strait south of Banks Island. It is not necessary to transit McClure to reach the oil-rich slopes on Alaska's Arctic coast. The Manhattan went into Mc Clure for research reasons, turned back, and sailed into the Prince of Wales Strait. The 810-ton-foot long tanker -- bigger than any in the fleet -- will splash into the peanutbutter colored waters of the Mississippi River at Avondale, Louisiana. She will follow byfour months in the wake of a sister ship, the Esso San Fran cisco. which went down the ways at Avondale Shipyards Inc. on July 12. 22 Tankers The launching of the 125-foot wide ship will bring to 22 the number of tankers in the Esso Fleet. Another Humble tanker abuilding at Avondale's main shipyard goes into the water in 1970'. Each of the three ships has a cargo capacity of 650,440 bar rels of petroleum products. The Esso San Francisco is scheduled for delivery in December. Manhattan (Continued from Page 1} which runs south-southwest along the eastern shore of the island and western edge of Vic toria Island. The tanker is slated to anchor September 21 at Point Barrow, Alaska, where Canadian legis lators will be welcomed aboard for a tour of the ship. Next day the Manhattan weighs anchor and sails for Melville Sound to conduct ice research tests for four weeks. She will leave the Arctic by October 31. Stuck in Ice The mighty 155,000 displace ment ton Manhattan became stuck in the ice September 9 when she slowed down to allow the U.S. Coast Guai'd icebreak er Northuhnd to keep up with her. The Northwind. had fallen back several times after two of her six diesel engines quit working. The third ship making the expedition is the Canadian ice breaker John A. MacDonald. Capt. Roger Steward, master of the Manhattan, expressed his appreciation to the captain of the MacDonald for his success in freeing the tanker from ice in Viscount Melville Sound. Capt. Steward said he doubt ed the Manhattan could have freed herself from the solid grip of the ice without the MacDonald's help. The previ ous day she had also become frozen firmly in the ice when she stopped to put research parties over the side on foot, but freed herself at that time by employing her heeling sys- ESSO FLEET NEWS is published every other Thursday for active and retired employees of the Marine De partment. Humble Oil & Refining Co.: T. J. Fuson. General Manager: Sydney Wire. Assistant General Manager. Jim Pitts. 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. Page 2 ICE RESEARCH teams fan out via helicopter from three-ship convoy led by Manhattan to gather tell-tale data which will play a vital role in Humble's decision to move Alaskan crude in tankers sailing in Arctic waters. tem, backing up and then charging the ice after gaining speed. The heeling system rapidly transfers 2,000 tons of bal last from port side to starboard side, or vice versa, causing the ship to list three degrees. It creates a rocking action that jerks the vessel free from ice. Powered by diesel engines, the system is common in naval ice breakers. Solid Ice After moving into McClure Strait on September 10 to feel out the ice, the Manhattan sailed along at six knots through a nearly solid coverage of extremely hard multi-year ice. Stanley B. Haas, project manager of the Marine Arctic Task Force, said. "The ice we are breaking up now is running from six to eight feet thick and we feel we have yet to reach the capabilities of the ship." Aerial reconnaissance of Mc Clure Strait ice fields included the use of infra red color pho tography. Results of the aerial missions determined whether the ship would sail on through McClure or turn around and go into the Prince of Wales Strait. Earlier, the Manhattan was forced by heavy ice and the closing of an air strip at Winter Harbour on Melville Island due to snow to divert from her original destination and go to Cape Clarendon, also on Mel ville. During the day snow crystals further impeded the Manhattan's progress, covering the ship with a layer of fine, hard granulated snow that is blown over the Arctic like sand in a desert. Snow and pieces of ice piled up on the vessel's 725ton bow and increased friction bv the ship's efforts to pene trate the thick, highly concen trated floes. Research Parties The ship voluntarily stopped dead in the ice of Viscount Mel ville Sound on September 8 near the half-way point on her ;ce shattering voyage. Five re search parties went out on foot on the ice and bored for samoles and took depth soundings. Comparatively little is known about the waters of the North west Passage and research con ducted by the Manhattan on (Continued Next Page) ESSO FLEET NEWS LU I Sl. II-. BSH EXX-MOR-007532 {Continued from Page 2) her voyage will be of great value to future mariners who sail in the passage. The Manhattan -- chopped apart, strengthened, lengthened and put together again -- began the job she was designed for on the seventh day of her Arctic voyage when she pointed her unique 125-foot long bow into an extensive ice pack in Baffin Bay off the west coast of Greenland. The tanker penetrated the ice on the morning of September 2 after steaming along a course strewn with towering icebergs, bergy bits (cottage sized pieces of ice), and growlers (chunks of ice the size of an automo bile.) The pack consisted of dan gerous second-year ice, long avoided by mariners because of its known hardness and strength characteristics. Floes and the remains of old ice ridges ranged from wheelbar row size to some larger than football fields. "A very able Ship . . "We were well pleased with the performance of the ship," said Capt. Steward after the tanker's first bout with heavy ice. He added that it "proved that we have a very able ship." The Manhattan anchored off Thule. Greenland, on the morn ing of September 4. The ship took on limited supplies and equipment shipped by air from Houston. Canadian frogmen from the John A. MacDonald slipped into the icy waters there to inspect the vessel's propellers and rudders follow ing her first encounter with Arctic ice. There was no appar ent damage. In fact, divers re ported that shipbuilder's chalk marks were still visible on the big propellers. A number of U.S. govern ment officials including newly appointed Maritime Commis sioner Helen Bentley boarded the Manhattan upon arrival from Washington. That evening the ship departed Thule and steamed into the Northwest Passage. The tanker is expected to return to New York about November 10. The Big Question The Manhattan, U.S. Coast Guard certified as a tanker- oceanographic research vessel, seeks to answer a single "multimulti" million dollar question: Is it profitable to operate spe cially designed icebreaking tankers in the Arctic waterway at the top of the North Amer ican continent? The answer will tell Humble whether or not oil can be shipped in tank ers via the passage to East Coast markets. Success of the voyage, many experts agree, would result in the biggest ship building boom since World War II. Indeed, Humble has esti mated that American oil com panies alone would place orders for some 30 icebreaking tankers to ply the Northwest Passage route. The Manhattan may well become what the Kitty Hawk is to the Boeing 747 when new giant icebreaking tankers are launched to sail in her wake in the Arctic. BIGGEST path ever cut through the ice choked Northwest Passage is left in the wake of the 148-foot wide S.S. Manhattan as she churns to ward Alaska. September 18, 1969 Page 3 For Working & Living at Sea Humble Ships Laden With the Best of Everything When somebody says "mop head," Frank Winzer thinks "fifty cents." Mooring line registers as "51,050." Gangway flashes through his mind as "$2,500." Mucking winch is mentally translated as "$700." The dollar-conscious 49-vearold materials control supervisor for the Marine Dept, is no penny pincher, though. Frank became the walking marine consumer price index that he is after 28 years of shopping for the ships of the Esso Fleet and the men who sail them. It's his job to buy provisions, stores, and even certain repair services -- and get it all to the ships when they need it. Each of the fleet's 21 tankers gobbles up some 1,000 pounds of supplies every day. And when a ship needs paint, med icines, charts, sheets, tools, sta tionery, food or a flag, Frank must see to it they're put aboard at the next port of call. On Short Notice He's the man who knows where to get it all on short no tice at such distant ports as New York, Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Baton Rouge, Houston, Corpus Christi, San Pedro, San Francisco -- or any of the many ports from Maine to California where the Esso Fleet serves the U.S. petroleum market. But the biggest cornucopia is at Baytown--where most ships CHECKING STORES at Baytown, Texas, lor loading aboard Esso New York, Frank Winzer (center), material control supervisor, and his assistant (right), Fred Woerner, talk over plans to provision other Humble tankers arriving at bustling refinery docks. are re-stored every 45 days. "That provides a ship with ade quate supplies for about three round-trips in coastwise ser vice," Mr. Winzer explained. "We think that 45 days is a foreseeable future -- beyond that you start guessing what a ship will need." Ships in for eign service are stored for the duration of their voyages. He also pointed out that over stocking ships turns them into "floating warehouses" and "ties up a lot of money unnecessar ily." That is why service ranks at the top of his priorities. "We have to be able to service a ship with new stores at the next port of call on an roundthe-clock basis seven days a week whenever a master sends in a inquisition," Frank noted. The whole operation begins and ends aboard the ships. "Requisitions are made up by the heads of a ship's deck, en gine and steward departments and approved by the master," Mr. Winzer said. "The port staff screens the orders and then Fred and I go to work." Frank's "right arm" is Fred Woerner, the assistant material control supervisor. Want Lists They take the "want lists" and start shopping at a wide variety of marine supplyhouses, or ship chandlers. Most of the leg work of ordering is quickly done by phone. What cuts ordering time to the bone is knowing where to buy what and also Frank's instant mental index of prices. "We continue to check prices, of course, to keep up with the changing market." he said. Consequently, he knows when the price is right. The next step in marine logis tics is to obtain labor to put stores and provisions aboard a ship at dockside. "We know {Continued Next Page) Page A ES50 FLEET NEWS U< cc2u FO , I 15 o EXX-MOR-007534 dock is the relatively small number of emergency requisi tions. "We're set up to handle emergency orders but fortun ately they don't occur often," Frank said. They do crop up, though, and typically at the most inconvenient hours. For instance . .. FOOD LIFT. Fine food -- like you find in the best supermarkets -- is stored in Humble tankers to satisfy man-sized appetites. (Continued from Page 4) contractors at all these ports, and we tell them how many men it will take to load a ship and how much time they'll have to do it." Time is one of the most demanding factors. "A tanker operates on a tight time table and you've got to be ready when she is." You've also got to be flexible. Established Channels For example, a large store of provisions was recently ordered and enroute to Baytown when the ship was diverted to Baton Rouge. By using previously established channels, Frank and Fred were able to deliver the supplies well before the ship departed. "A sudden di version like that is the sort of jolt that keeps you on your toes." smiled Mr. Winzer. Oth erwise. he's kept alert by the more than 25 requisitions that pass over his desk every day. Frank's criteria for purchas ing some S2 million worth of supplies a year are: Service. ("No matter the quality or price of an item, it is of no value to us until it is aboard ship.") Quality. ("A product -- no matter what it costs--is worth less if it fails to do the job it is designed for. A product lack ing good quality is a weak link in the chain of our operations.") Price. ("The high level of service we require and the su perior quality of supplies we need set the prices we pay. Put price first and you wind up with shoddy service and poor quality supplies.") The quality of supplies and equipment put aboard Humble ships is backed up by Frank's own reassuring "guarantee" to the Esso Fleet: "Anything we put aboard a tanker, we can get repaired in a jiffy." Winzer's Warranty "Winzer's warranty" even ex tends to coffee, iced tea and hot chocolate dispensing machines. Uniquely, there's no time limit on it either. Repair services -- like ship, chandlers -- are as near as the telephone on Frank's desk in the Humble Building. "'Over the years we've learned which, repair service firms are reliable and have come to depend on them," the material control supervisor pointed out One result of storing and ser vicing ships wherever they Midnight Orders A Humble tanker steaming up the Houston ship channel recently radioed for a supply of degreaser compound. Oil had spilled in the engine room and there was no degreaser aboard to clean it up with. It was mid night when Mis Winzer's phone rang in the midst of sound sleep. Sleepily he jotted down the ship's message given to him by the voice in the phone. Several phone calls to sup pliers in the area drew blanks. cnmp didn't answer, others didn't have the brand of demeaser that Frank wanted. "Finallv we reached a salesman who had the degreaser, so he robed out of bed found a truck, went to his warehouse, loaded and delivered it." he recalled. It was the kind of emergency in which knowing suppliers and salesmen on a first-name basis is vital when the chips are down. "A salesman who'd never heard of. you before wouldn't likely be too interest ed in your problem at 1 a.m.." observed Mr. Winzer. He has known many of the ship chand lers, salesmen and truck drivers 'or 28 years. Frank said that providing stores and provisions for the E.S. Manhattan's Arctic vovage (Fee EFN. Aug. 7. 1969) was by far the "biggest, toughest and most unusual" order he has ever filled. It runs neck and neck with bizarre supply lists he used to get from Indian crew: wno manned Star,vactankers back in the 1950s. Humble acted as agent for the ships (Conhr.ued Nexf Page) September 18. 196? Page 5 7 < K t 2: :3! u? 2 I EXX-MOR-007535 (Continued from Page 5) The operation made some thing of a sheep herder out of Frank Winzer. "The Moslem crew could only eat mutton that had been killed and dressed by Moslem priests," he said. So Frank rounded up 50 head of sheep and delivered them to a slaughter house. Meantime, he had also located a Moslem priest in a ship and drove him to the slaughter house. The priest expertly dis patched each bleating animal by cutting off his head accord ing to religious precepts . . . and an experienced slaughter house employee fainted. Frank had no time for that. He was busily handing the priest fifty cent pieces after each animal was slain. "The priest told me that it was a sacred part of the ceremony to pass a piece of sil ver over the palm of his hand after each sheep was slaugh tered.'' Mr. Winzer said. "And, furthermore, it had to be a dif ferent piece of silver for each sheep." MANPOWER. Fred Woerner lends a helping hand passing stores down slide chute in Esso New York as con tract helpers (left) heave egg crates up ladder on deck and (right) Chief Steward Joe Plaza puts boxes of fruit in cold storage. "Because of tight spots, ladders, and sharp turns, loading ships with stores hasn't changed much in the last few hundred years," Fred observed. Bathed in Blood When it was over, the priest, bathed in blood, asked if he could have two of the heads. "I nodded an OK, and he piled into my car with those two heads," Frank laughed. The exotic orders ended only when the operation was discon tinued in the mid-1950s. But it is indicative of the variety Mr. Winzer finds in his job. "Our objective is to store ships with everything necessary to main tain operations and to make life aboard our tankers as com fortable as possible," he stated. "You have to be thorough be cause a ship at sea obviously' can't call up a local hardware store and have some overlooked item delivered." Buying stores and provisions for the largest privately owned fleet flying the American flag is Frank's thing. An attorney by profession, Mr. Winzer said he'd rather be a marine pur chaser than anything else he can think of. This year he celebrated his 30th anniversary' with Humble. Page 6 ESSO FLEET NEWS EXX-MOR-007536 COHiniJ FROM THE COCLEf 'TIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN H lS fU lf Crew & Officials In S.S. Manhattan Named in New List Humble explorers sailing the S.S. Manhattan on her experi mental voyage through the Northwest Passage have been described as "men whose blood is as cool as Arctic waters." Only recently has an accurate and current list of the Manhat tan's "cool" crew and other Humble personnel been com piled. Previously published lists became inaccurate as personnel changes occurred. Following is a complete list of Humble men sailing in the Manhattan. It includes the op erating crew as well as other company employees. Among them is T. J. Fuson, general manager of the Marine Dept. Sailing the Manhattan are: Capt. Roger A. Steward, mas ter; Staff Captain Arthur W. Smith, Staff Captain Donald E. GOVERNOR'S CHOICE. Capt. Sam Gardner (left), manager of the Baton Rouge Branch Office, shows T. J. Fuson, Marine Dept, general manager, one of four commissions signed by Louisiana Governor John S. McKeithen appointing him to Pilots Fee Commissions of the Associated Branch Pilots, Crescent River Port Pilots Assn., New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Assn., and the Associated Branch Pilots of the Port of Lake Charles. "Cap'n Sam," as he's known in Humble marine circles, received the appointments this spring. As a commissioner he negotiates pilot rates and fees for the state. And he is one of two appointees who serves on all four commissions. Graham, Chief Officer Davis L. Abernathy, 1st Mate Dale M. Silcox, 2nd Mate Albert M. Seara, 3rd Mate Charles D. Hahn, Chief Engineer Colos J. Bennett. 1st Assistant Engi neer Donald K. Johnson, 2nd Assistant Engineer Edward P. Dolloff, and 3rd Assistant Engi neers Linwood E. Davenport, John H. Metcalf. Donald D. McCracken, Alton Burns Jr., Radio Officer Carl W. Thenemann, Electronics Officer men-Watertenders: Norman D. Marteli, John P. Jennings, Ed mund F. Jutz. Chief Steward: Leopold Oliveira. Chefs: Mai'celino P. Gomes. Antonio J. Fernandes. Second CooksBakers: Eduardo Oliveira, Ju lius E. Rohn. Messmen-Utilitymen: Jose P. Leitao. Heni'ique I. Ferreira, Donald D. Dutsch, Richard J. Senegal, Ashick Mohammed, Billy F. Hudson, Hector M. Ser- Haines C. Hibbard, observer from Esso Production Reseai'ch, and Albert Tschirhart, elec tronics technician. Newark to Bombay The Esso Newark set sail from Baton Rouge September 7 for Bombay, India. She had pre viously loaded part of her 26.000 ton cargo of 17 grades of lube oil at Baytown, Texas. Grant C. Woodbury. Able Seaman: George W. Young, Arthur T. Koller, James F. Barrett. Joseph Owens, Jo rata, Alfredo P. Del Toito, Oli ver P. Picou, Agustin Loredo Jr.. Lucian M. Siano. Marine Arctic Task Force: The ship, under Captain Se bastian Massuzo, is scheduled to take on bunkers October 2 at Durban on the southeast seph Hendershott, Kenneth H. Stanley B. Haas, project man coast of Africa. The tanker is Baldwin. Ordinary Seamen: ager; A. D. Mookhoek, technical slated to arrive in Bombay Oc Henry S. Williams. Ronald A. coordinator: Walter B. Devine, tober 14. She is expected to be Makowiecki, John W. Rickour. ship coordinator, and Richard there about 10 days and will Chief Pumpman: Auriel T. L. Vukin, study coordinator. probably steam to the Persian Hall. Wiper: Robert Edwards. Other Humble personnel Gulf to lift a U.S.-bound cargo. Oilers: Joseph J. Sokolowski, aboard the Manhattan include The three-month round-trip James P. O'Donnell. Theodore Hank C. Rosenthal, public in should put the Newark's crew R. Mowell, Rickard K. Surgo- formation officer; Dr. William back in the U.S. about mid- cinski, Frederick E. Munch- R. Clark Jr., ship's surgeon; December in time for Christ hausen, Juan J. Aurelio. Fire Lovce C. Jones, photographer; mas at home. a September 18, 1969 Page 7 J P i EXX-MOR-007537 Ss?5? RECENT RETIREMENTS Able Seaman Glenn E. Miller's introduction to the sea came in the midst of war and before it ended -he sailed over much of the Pacific Ocean with the U.S. Navy. He took part in the in vasion of Okinawa as a signal man temporarily assigned to _ ^ . _ _ _ the U.S.S. Burleigh. The ship ` v'- NT. left him stranded on the island A' - with the 11th Naval Beach Battalion when she weighed anchor to escape a hurricane. Mr. Miller boarded the U.S.S. Kent and later caught up with the U.S.S. Thomas Jefferson, to which he was permanently assigned, at Pearl Harbor. By the time the war with Japan was over, he had become the kind of sailor who felt more comfortable at sea than ashore. So Mr. Miller didn't return to his job in New York as a map clerk for an insurance company. Instead, he signed on in the Esso Fleet as ordinary seaman in the Fred W. Weller. He first sailed as able seaman in 1949 aboard the Esso Buffalo. When he retired this month, Mr. Miller had sailed with Humble for 22 years and four months. His last ship was the Esso Boston. Mr. Miller's plans are indefinite but he thinks he'll keep busy "working on the house and doing some garden ing." He lives in Sparta, New Jersey, with his wife and son. James, 15. Third Mate William A. 'Wil burn went home to the land locked city of Mineral Wells, Texas, when he retired this month. He had more than 21 years' service in the Esso Fleet. He joined the company as able "Q.-J seaman in the G. Harrison Smith in 1948. Mr. Wilburn first sailed as third mate in the Esso Mejnphis in 1950. He was born in Mineral Wells. Third Assistant Malcolm J. Carlson began his career with the fleet when he sailed in the Esso Bolivar as wiper in 1941. He also served as fireman-waiertender and oiler in the same Last lost time injury in the Esso Fleet reportable to the National Safety Council occurred SEPTEMBER 2 Page B tanker before the year was out. Mr. Carlson obtained his license and sailed as junior engi neer in the Franz Klasen in March, 1942. He left the following year and returned in 1948 as third assistant in the Dartmouth. He had a total of more than 22 years' accumulated service when he retired September 1. Mr. Carlson lives in Vineland, New Jersey, with his wife, Theresa. Albert J. Baptiste had sailed nearly 26 years in Esso ships when he retired as second mate. He began his career with the company as able seaman in the Esso Baytown in 1942. Shortly after World War II, Mr. Baptiste left Esso but returned less than a year later. In 1948 he first sailed as third mate in the Esso Norfolk. He lives in East Freetown, Massachusetts, with his wife, Gertrude. DEATHS Nicolaas Vriesema died at his home in Balti more, Maryland, on August 29. The former chief steward was 69. He was first employed on barges in the Baltimore area in 1925-26 and 1927-29. After an absence of 2Vz years, Mr. Vriesema joined the Livingston Roe as messman in November, 1932, advanced to second cook a year later and to chief steward in November, 1934. He sailed on the maiden voyages of four ships, the Esso Annapolis (II), Esso Richmond (II), Esso Harrisburg and Esso New Orleans (II). Mr. Vriesema served in the Esso Hunting ton for ten years prior to his retirement on January 1, 1956. He is survived by his widow7, Anna May. -? -! Chief Engineer Myles C. Keller died Septem ber 1 at age 65 in a Baytown, Texas, hospital. He retired in November. 1963, after a 39-yearcareer at sea, more than 32 of which he sailed in Esso ships. In 1928 Mr. Keller joined the company's W. H. Tilford as oiler and after ob taining his license, sailed with Pan American Petroleum Company until that fleet was pur chased by Esso in 1932. He was promoted to first assistant in 1934 and was a construction inspector and tanker expe diter during World War II. For over 11 years (1946 to 1957) he was chief in the Esso Utica and had that berth in the Esso Jamestown from her maiden voyage in December. 1957. until he retired because of disability. Mr. Keller is sur vived by his wife, Aylene. and a daughter, Mylene Bone of San Antonio. ESSO FLEET NEWS Mariners' Dream Comes True As Manhattan Opens Passage (Compiled from news reports filed Humble Starts Newby Hank Rosenthal, Humble corre spondent aboard the S.S. Man hattan.) The S.S. Manhattan has Arctic Harbor Study sailed through the Northwest Ever since September 1, Passage, loaded a symbolic bar Humble engineer W. Joe Biel- rel of Alaskan oil, and turned stein, newly assigned project back to make further ice tests manager for Arctic harbor before sailing home. studies, has been grappling with The 500-year-old dream to transit the frozen waterway at the top of the North American continent came true the night a formidable problem few if any men have ever faced. Asked just what the project of September 14 when Hum involves, Mr. Bielstein said: "It ble's maverick icebreaking is my understanding that I will tanker slipped quietly into the coordinate studies that hope frigid waters of Amundsen fully will result in an economic Gulf at the western end of the means of loading large tankers passage. in arctic waters." The Manhattan is the first Whatever the design and commercial ship to sail all the shape the loading facilities fi way through the Northwest nally take, they must be able Passage. The tanker reached her west ward destination September 20 at Point Barrow, Alaska, turned east to challenge the ice {Continued on Page 2) to accommodate tankers per haps twice the size of the S.S. Manhattan and be capable of moving tremendous quantities of Prudhoe Bay crude. HUMBLE'S MAVERICK hanker, the S.S. Manhattan, shoulders her way through ice pack in Northwest Pas sage. She steamed out of the Arctic passageway and into Amundsen Gulf on September 14. Manhattan 'Passenger' Unhappy A post card from Colos J. Bennett, chief engineer of the S.S. Manhattan, recently advised Paul J. McEwan, head of the per sonnel section, of a relucant passenger discovered aboard the icebreaking tanker as she sailed in the Far North. Colos said: Hi, Paul: The other night I was making my rounds and upon entering the boiler room, I heard this knocking in the "uptake." When I opened the door, out jumped this pudgy little man all covered with soot, except for a shiny belt buckle. He was roaring mad and lit into me about this big monster breaking up his runway just as he was starting his sleigh take-off test. He made some remark about the deer mistaking the stack for a chimney. Then l grabbed a hose and offered to wash him off and take him to master and maybe the captain would use asphalt and fix his runway. He yelled at me and took off. o p UvJ> Eh" ll. W EXX-MOR-007539 VICE-LiKE GRIP of Arctic ice holds Manhattan fast in McClure Strait on westward voyage. The smaller John A. MacDonald (left), a Canadian icebreaker, freed the Humble tanker. S.S. Manhattan (Continued from Page 1) floes of Viscount Melville Sound and the treacherous McClure Strait. She penetrated 100 miles into the strait on her westward voyage before being turned back by heavy ice. Ice Tests The ship arrived in the ice choked passage east of Mc Clure Strait on her eastward sailing Friday, September 26. Extensive ice tests are under way there and plans are to con duct other research in Melville Sound. Earlier plans called for the Manhattan to turn northward from Point Barrow into the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean. But Project Manager Stanley B. Haas said, "We decided not to do any extensive testing in the Beaufort Sea." He ex plained that testing at Mc Clure and Melville will provide needed data and that the ship will "retain a greater escape capability." ESSO FLEET NEWS is published every other Thursday for active and retired employees of the Marine De partment, Humble Oil & Refining Co.: T. J. Fuson, General Manager; Svdney Wire, Assistant General Manager. Jim Pitts, 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. Mr. Haas called the Manhat tan the "best icebreaker afloat" on September 17 as she steamed west after a test in "ten-tenths ice coverage"--a term used by mariners to indicate that the surface of the sea is totally ice covered. "Rotten" Ice He said the ship cut through "rotten" ice from eight to nine feet thick at an average speed of "about ten knots. More than 200 stress gauges and other in struments in the tanker's hull recorded data for the ship's computers for later study in determining design features of future icebreaking tankers whose size will dwarf even the mammoth Manhattan. Secretary of the Interior Walter J. Hickel complimented Humble and the Manhattan crew via radio-telephone mes sage on the successful voyage as the ship steamed to Sachs Harbor on the return leg of the journey. Talking with Mr. Haas. Secretary Hickel said, "Your company individually and the industry as such are to be congratulated for what has been accomplished this month in getting through the North west Passage." "I hope this was only the first voyage of many more to come," Stan Haas replied. "Although the transportation cost of the golden barrel of crude oil we have aboard our ship is rather high, I think that by many more voyages we can reduce the unit cost down to a com mercial level." The gold-painted barrel of oil was presented by Alaska Gov ernor Keith Miller to Capt. Roger Steward, master of the Manhattan, when the ship ar rived September 19 at Prudhoe Bay, site of one of the major North Slope oil strikes. Manhattan Holiday The Manhattan dropped an chor at Sachs Harbor Septem ber 25 for the second time on her historic voyage. Her arrival there ten days earlier on the westward leg of the trip was occasion for a holiday for school children in a tiny hamlet on the harbor. Shallow waters kept the tanker eight miles off shore but this didn't prevent the youngsters from seeing the largest commercial ship flying the American flag. They were flown over the tanker on a chartered DC-3, which was the first time most of them had ever been in an airplane. After presenting a bronze medallion to the school to com memorate the Manhattan's visit there. Mr. Haas and other crew members visited briefly with weather station personnel and residents of the town -- nearly all 120 of them. Scuba divers in spected the ship's rudder and propellers and indicated there was no damage from the tough ice encountered several days earlier in McClure Strait. McClure Strait--a waterway north of Banks Island--stub bornly prevented the world's (Continued Next Page) Page 2 ESSO FLEET NEWS COPin/J FlfOM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR A M E R lC A N 'H ltd lf (Continued from Page 2) largest icebreaker from claim ing another victory in the Arc tic. The ship became stuck three times while conducting tests in the strait and was freed each time by the Canadian ice breaker, John A. MacDonald. Even then it was tough sailing and took all the steam the Manhattan could raise to break free on one occasion. Extra Horsepower "Breaking out of a tough old floe which held us fast in Mc Clure Strait for some time, we obtained three to five per cent additional horsepower by cut ting steam from all auxiliary svstems," Stan Haas reported. The ship normally produces 43,000 shaft horsepower. When it became clear that transiting the strait was un likely, the Manhattan turned back and took an alternate route through the Prince of Wales Strait. Tests now underway in Mel ville Sound are expected to turn up data that will tell Humble whether or not it is profitable to operate tankers in the Northwest Passage. The Melville tests also pro vide an opportunity to check out the ship's heeling system. Common in governmentoperated icebreakers, it is the first one ever used in a com mercial vessel. Heeling System The system transfers 2,000 tons of ballast from six port wing tanks to six starboard wing tanks, or vice versa, in 75 seconds. (Heeling systems in most icebreakers handle much less water.) Moving the water from side to side causes the ship to heel, or list, three de grees. It creates , a rocking ac tion designed to free the tanker from ice. The Manhattan's system is made up of two bow thrusters, normally put in a ship's bow to beef up maneuverability in re stricted waters and in docking operations. They are similar to the ones in the Esso Houston and the Esso New Orleans. Ver tical, variable pitch blades pro vide thrust in the bow either to the left or to the right. The ones in the Houston and New Orleans, however, are powered bv steam whereas the Manhat tan's heeling system is operated by diesel engines. The bow thrusters in the Manhattan are set in 10-foot diameter pipes connecting star board and port side wing tanks. The variable pitch blades pro pel the ballast water in the tanks either to the left or right. Seventv-five seconds later, the pitch of the blades is reversed and the water is moved to the opposite side. Third Assistant Engineer Michael Crosskill, Chief Pump man Ernest Hardin. Able Sea man Thomas Randall and Fire man - Watertender Guilherme DeSilva joined the Manhattan at Sachs Harbor to assist with heeling system operations dur ing the heavy test period in Melville Sound. Their signing on the ship brings to 58 the number of officers and crew in the tanker. EASY SAILING. The Manhattan sails in smooth, ice free waters after leaving the western end of the Northwest Passage. On reaching Point Barrow, Alaska, the big October 2, 1969 ship turned east and headed back into the frozen waterway to make further ice tests. Page 3 EXX-MOR-007541 At Avondale Shipyards Inc. Inspectors Work Hand in Glove With Shipbuilder The ship was a mess. A steady stream of water seeped in between the bulk head and the deck. Higher up it flowed in around an electrical outlet. Insulation in another bulk head was torn. Two cargo tanks leaked -- in four places. Reach rods running to valves 55 feet below the main deck were loose and ineffective. There also was a valve at the end of one rod that wouldn't turn. The ship's main deck was a shambles--littered with equip ment, electrical lines, pipes, nuts, bolts, cables and tools. In short, the new $16 million Esso San Francisco looked like a wrecked ship that had been attacked by gremlins and stripped by salvage pirates. "She looks good to me," said Humble's John Ireland matter of factly as he pulled his hulk ing 215 pound figure out of Number 4 cargo tank and wiped his brow. Beads of sweat rolling down his face glistened like crystals in the bright sunlight. He paused momentarily and breathed deeply the sultry air hanging heavily over the Mis sissippi River. Even the 100 de gree heat of the afternoon was refreshing after crawling around a cargo tank where tem peratures reached a scorching 120-plus degrees. "She's alright . . ." "Yeah, she's alright," he con tinued, "except for those reach rods and that sticky valve. Let me know when you get 'em ready." A shorter, sunburned man under an orange helmet stood in the considerable shade provided by John Ireland's towering 6'5" frame and wrote "rejected" on an inspection ticket. Page 4 PIECE BY GIANT PIECE of the Esso Baton Rouge is built and assembled on the banks of the Mississippi River at Avondale, Louisiana. Every inch of it is inspected by Humble engineers. John smiled, clapped the man on the back, and said, "Let's get a little coffee." As the two men headed for a coffee break, the tall one's blue eyes moved over the deck of the 810-foot-long vessel. Big John Ireland was looking for trouble. That's his job. John is Humble's construc tion superintendent at the sprawling Avondale Shipyards up the Mississippi from New Orleans. The Esso San Fran cisco and two sister tankers are being built there. His job is not unique in the world of ship building. It's all part of putting together a tight ship. Both the ship owner, Humble, and the builder, Avondale Inc., coordi nate construction through Mr. Ireland and five other Marine Dept, inspectors. As John sipped the hot, thick Louisiana coffee, he relaxed and talked easily with a hand ful of Avondale shipyard work ers whom he knows on a firstname basis. He could afford to relax a moment because he knew the leaky bulkhead would be repaired, the valve made to turn, the reach rods fixed, the tom insulation re placed. It's the way things are done when you build a steel ship that's longer than the Humble Building is tall. Fault Finding Nobody is surprised that con struction inspectors turn up de fects. Both Humble and Avon dale expect it. "Mister, it's just (Continued Next Page) ESSO FLEET NEY/5 COPIED FROM 1HE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER*F(5fTa MER;c a N HISTUH (Continued from Page 4) part of the shipbuilding pro g. cess," John explained. "Product inspection at the assembly- point is nothing new, and when you're building a product the size of a ship, there'd be some thing wrong if you didn't find a few faults." Take the leaky bulkhead. Use a flashlight and scan it care fully. It looks perfect, a pro duct of skilled craftsmanship. The leaks showed up when Bob Reed, a Humble hull and ma chinery inspector, asked that water under at least 60 pounds pressure be shot against the bulkhead. The shaft of water from a fire hose pounded like a pneumatic hammer against the steel and entered the deck house through a faulty welding seam. Or go with Curtis Keech or Donald Delozier when they in spect Rust-Ban coating applied to large sections of the ship. It must be put on according to the manufacturer's (Enjay Chemical) specifications to pre vent rust. They measure the j| thickness of the coating as close P as three thousandths of an inch. Paul Balcius and Ed Worrel inspect thousands of welding seams to make sure the ship is water tight, well constructed and capable of holding her fu ture cargoes of crude oil or petroleum products without springing a leak. Ed is also a machinery inspector. The reach rods were rejected by John Ireland after he made his way along a narrow scaf fold in the cargo tank, reached out with his long arms and shook the rods. They rattled be cause the guides in the brack ets were loose. Lloyd Comeaux, an Avon dale coordinator, knew that an easy but important adjustment would put the rods in ship shape. Their repair, he knew, was critical. The rods reach from the main deck to pipe valves on the bottom of the cargo tank. From the deck a seaman can operate the valves. ^ But if one broke or came loose October 2, 1969 during a loading or unloading operation, the cargo would have to be pumped out or transferred to another tank so that repairs could be made. "That could be real costly when you consider you'd have to hold up a ship to do it," Mr. Ireland observed. It is a precise and exacting business. Checking a Tank To check out a cargo tank, vou seal it up tight. Seams in adjoining tanks are coated with a soapy substance. The sealed tank is then pumped full of air that will create bubbles in the soapy material wherever a leak occurs. To see the bubbles, Humble inspectors crawl around the five-story tanks to examine each seam individ ually. "Nothing less than a snake is any good in this business," smiled John Ireland as he wig gled his way along a dim, nar row opening in the bowels of the ship. "You've got to crawl, scoot, climb and slide to get around one of these babies." CHIEF INSPECTOR John Ireland (left) and Lloyd Comeaux, Avondale co ordinator, aboard Esso San Fra fi asco talk over inspection of cargo tanks following close examination by Humble inspectors. As he spoke, a shower of flaming sparks falling from 40 feet above momentarily lighted the area. Welding torches glowed in the darkness over head. John stepped over a glowing hot piece of steel and kept walking. "These safety helmets are uncomfortable at times," he remarked, "but you don't ever want to be without one around here." In the deck house, Bob Reed and Avondale coordinator Jim Hawco were making a joint in spection of bulkheads in crew quarters before workers put up paneling that would hide pipes, wires and insulation. Leaving the deck house, Jim said, "There ought to be a couple of steps here, Bob, but the plans don't call for any. We need them and the Coast Guard is going to demand them." (Ships must also meet Coast Guard and American Bureau of Ship ping construction require ments.) "Okay, I'll tell Ireland and he'll have to work it out with Humble and Esso Internation al," Bob Reed agreed. Con struction plans, detailed and voluminous as they are, some times omit small things like steps. Neither Humble inspec tors nor Avondale engineers have authority to change them. Change in Plans To have the steps incorporat ed in the plans, John Ireland requests a change. The request is reviewed in Houston by Rob ert X. Caldwell, Marine Dept, technical superintendent who draws up shipbuilding specifi cations. With his approval, Esso International -- ship de signer for Jersey affiliates -- makes the necessary changes. Then a modification plan is sent to Mr. Ireland at Avon dale. He spends up to two hours a day noting changes and filing them in one of 16 big file drawers in his office. It usually gets done during his lunch hour and near the end of the day. (Continued Next Page) Page 5 EXX-MOR-007543 {Continued from Page 5) Observations made by Hum ble inspectors at the construc tion site can be vital to the life of a ship. For instance, in sulation was about to be laid on the galley deck in the San Francisco when Bob Reed noted that the deck should be painted with a special solution first. The salt base of the insulation, according to the manufacturer, would rust naked steel. Plans, however, did not call for the protective paint. So Mr. Ireland once again went through the process of having plans altered. At the end of the workday, Humble inspectors gathered in a modestly furnished office and discussed inspections they had completed. With crayons, John colored a small set of drawings that looked like the kind you find in model shipbuilding kits at hobby shops. Different colors indicated ship sections that had been accepted, rejected or var ious stages of construction. "I gave up color books when I was a kid, but this isn't for kicks," smiled the chief inspector. Just then an Avondale office boy popped through the door and dropped several sheets of paper on John's desk. It was a summary of tests and inspec tions scheduled for the follow ing day. Four inspections were slated at 9 a.m. in four differ ent sections on three ships: the Esso San Francisco, the Esso Baton Rouge and the Esso Phil adelphia. Another was set for 9:30 a.m. With one inspector on vaca tion, it meant that Mr. Ireland and the other Humble trouble shooters would have to move fast next morning. The sched ules are important. 450 Workers With 450 men working on the San Francisco and hundreds of others on the Baton Rouge and Philadelphia, the step by step process of construction hinges on coordination and timing. "They can't put up paneling in the steering gear room until after we've made our inspec tion tomorrow," John said. Page 6 "And if we're late it means that men will be idle and standing in line to do their work. The whole work schedule goes to pot right down the line." Then he turned to schedule the next day's workload for the inspectors, who are charged with making certain the ships are built according to specifi cations. When the San Fran cisco is completed and passes her sea trials, she will be turned over to a Humble mas ter and crew in a seaworthy condition. "Even then the crew is going to find a few bugs in the new ship," Mr. Ireland said. "It's like the fancy new cars that people take back to the dealers for mechanical adjustments." But John Ireland knows that the Esso San Francisco will be a well built tanker capable of doing the job for which she has been designed. ESSO BATON ROUGE. Coating inspector Ed Worrel (top) and Bob Reed cross paths in sprawling Avondale shipyard where Esso Baton Rouge in background is beginning to take the shape of a ship under the watchful eyes of marine inspectors. ESSO FLEET NEWS s ok5T COPIEUFROMthecoubjions in the center foramerIcM As Boat Burns on Deleware River Coast Guard Crew from Water "Fire" -- one of the most dreaded words in a sailor's vo cabulary -- was the warning cry that shattered Capt. Oscar Vansant's sound sleep at 2:30 a.m. The master of the Esso Delaware Valley shot out of bed, darted across his cabin and out the door. Inevitably the thought flashed in his mind that the 104foot tug was afire. Out on deck he quickly learned it was not. Half a mile away bright orange flames burned a jagged hole in the darkness. Taking command in the pilot house, Capt. Vansant headed the Esso tug directly for the flames dancing wildly on the Delaware River north-north west of Billingsport, New Jer sey. Seven minutes later the Esso Delaware Valley was within 200 feet of a 40-foot-long vessel engulfed by fire. It was Coast Guard patrol boat 30560. As he approached the burn ing boat, the captain wondered about her crew -- were they in his path? Then he spotted. a cluster of three small white lights bobbing in the water. A fourth was about 75 feet away from the others. The lights were attached to life pre servers. 10-Minute Rescue Capt. Vansant sent Mate Ed O'Neal, who had seen the fire first, to direct rescue opera tions on the deck. The other three crew members of the Delaware Valley had already assembled there. Three minutes later all four members of the Coast Guard crew had been fished out of the river. None was injured. The rescue opera tion took exactly ten minutes. Other tugs in the area of the fire had been unable to assist in the emergency because they were pushing barges. The Esso crew then turned full attention on the boat and fought the fire until 3 a.m. Fi nally, the vessel turned over and the flames were snuffed out in the water. Meantime, Capt. Vansant had given the Coast Guard crew several of his shirts. "It was chilly and they were cold," he explained. The Esso Delaware Valley took the charred, totally de stroyed patrol boat in tow be fore heading for Paulsboro, New Jersey, where the Marine Dept, maintains a sub-office of the Baltimore Branch. Saving the worthless vessel turned out to be a good move. Coast Guard investigators later determined the fire broke out when a fuel line burst, spilling oil which was ignited bv heat from an engine. Modi fications have since been or dered on other patrol boats to prevent the recurrence of a similar tragedy. Routine Work The Coast Guard crew was served a hot breakfast enroute to Paulsboro, where they ar rived at 3:45 a.m. A few hours later the Esso Delaware Valley went about her routine work of pushing barges in the Dela ware River-Delaware Bay area and occasionally in Chesapeake Bay. "We were between jobs when the emergency arose, and when it was over we went back to work," Capt. Vansant re marked. All in a day's work he seemed to say. He lives in Baltimore and has been with Humble for more than 33 years. Other crew members who assisted in the rescue were Seaman Roland Mooney, Utilityman John Mad dox, Cook Raymond Fernald and Mate Ed O'Neal. All were officially commended by the Coast Guard for their quick, effective action. -s# m ireSES WELL DONE. Commander R. P. Hartgen, U.S. Coast Guard execu tive officer, Port of Philadelphia, presents a certificate of apprecia tion to Capt. Oscar Vansant, mas ter of the Esso Delaware Valley, for the rescue of the crew of a bur ning Coast Guard Patrol boat. Other men who helped in the rescue operation are Mate Ed O'Neal, Sea man Roland Mooney, Utilityman John Maddox and Cook Raymond Fernald. "It isn't often that the Coast Guard must call for help; how ever, it is most reassuring to know that personnel such as those of your company and the tug Esso Delaware Valley are available and willing to offer unselfish assistance when it is needed." wrote Commander H. A. French, commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Base at Gloucester City, New Jersey. The fire occurred June 8. October 2, 1969 Page 7 P tv I EXX-MOR-007545 ; RECENT RETIREMENTS First Assistant Engineer Gilmore Henderson considers the officers and seamen of the Esso Fleet "the very best in the marine industry or elsewhere." That's how he remembered his 29 years' service when he retired this month. Gil began his seagoing career with Esso in 1939 as a messman in the Elisha Wallcer, and also served aboard the vessel as second cook and wiper. Mr. Henderson moved up to fireman in 1940 in the C.A. Canfield and sailed the following year as oiler in the Esso Scranton. His first assign ment on his license was in the Esso Scranton as third assistant engineer in 1944. Gil was second assistant later in the Esso Utica, and in 1947 was first assistant in the Esso Greensboro. His last ship was the Esso New York. His retirement plans include "hunt ing, fishing and repairing my own equipment, two boats and a camper." He lives in Baytown, Texas, with his wife, Terry Lee. BEST WISHES, an electric, direct reading clock, and desk set barometer-hygrometer-thermometer were giv en to First Assistant Engineer Gilmore Henderson aboard the Esso New York preceding his retirement. Gil (center) shows his gifts to Second Assistant Richcrd L Weigel (left) and Chief Engineeer Clifford E. Lind sey. Able Seaman Arthur B. Colcord retired with 16% years' service last month as a result of physical disability. He signed on with the fleet in June, 1952, as able seaman in the Birch Coulie. Art and his wife, Margaret, live in Stockton Springs, Maine, where he was born. Last lost time injury in the Esso Fleet reportable to the National Safety Council occurred SEPTEMBER 2 Page 8 TAFFRAIL TALK & , -- To Daddy Donald Dale Dutsch The following happy message was transmitted by Humble to the S.S. Manhattan: "We are pleased to advise that the wife of Donald Dutsch gave birth to a seven pound, 2% ounce boy at 0014 September 26. Mother and baby are doing fine at Women's Hospital, Baton Rouge. Please extend our congratulations to Daddy Donald Dale Dutsch." Mr. Dutsch is a utilityman aboard the icebreaking tanker. A NEW MASTER Capt. Thomas Milligan sailed on his maiden, voyage as master September 29 when he took the Esso Lima from Charleston, South Carolina, on a voyage to Baytown, Texas. Congratulations and Good Sailing, Capt. Milligan. DEATHS Andres Ortega died of a heart attack September 16 aboard ship one day out of San Fran cisco. The 63-year-old retired messman was returning from the Philippines where he had visited a sister. Mr. Ortega re tired this past January with almost 25 years' service in Humble tankers. He joined the fleet as messman in the Dean Emery on March 7, 1942, and continued in five more vessels as second and chief cook during the next two years. After his return to the Esso Fleet in June, 1946, Mr. Ortega served contin uously until his retirement. Bom in the Phil ippines, he made his home in Hampton, Virginia. Chief Engineer Ernest J. Palmer, 66, died Sep tember 16 in a Savannah, Georgia, hospital. He retired in July, 1963, after 34% years in Esso tankers. Mr. Palmer served three years in the Army and worked briefly for a railroad prior to joining the fleet as fireman in the Charles Pratt in 1926. He sailed as third, second and first assistant in the 1930s and was promoted to chief in the Glenpool in 1942. From August, 1953, until his retirement ten years later, Mr. Palmer was in the Esso New Orleans and the Esso Gloucester. Much of his leave time was spent growing camellias, azales and unusual flowers, at which he became an expert. It was one of the pleas ures Mr. Palmer looked forward to when he retired. He leaves his wife, Maude. ESSO FLEET NEWS zUJ CJ UJ hX-- X U] -J 'usjj ! 1 n_ l