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COP/FO FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN hTsToiT PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY Vol. 8, No. 12 June 16, 1966 EXX-MOR-007521 THE DOUBLE LIFE OF WILLIE HELMS You meet many a man that follows the sea, who in his earlier }rears, followed the plow. Not so common, though, is a man who has mud on his boots and tar on his hands at the same time. Willie D. Helms, Able Seaman in the Esso New Orleans, is one of those excep tional ones. He has 20 years of continuous service in the Fleet (as of Oct. 18, 1965) and, for almost the same length of time, has had a farm. His place is in Brundidge. Ala., about 60 miles SE of Montgomery. Born and raised on a farm in that area, Willie bought a house, bam and 200 acres on a memo rable paid leave in 1947. He rented the land to sharecroppers for 5 years, then put some in the Government's soil bank but 7 or 8 years ago he started raising beef cattle. He has 130 head of white face Herefords now, including 3 thorough bred bulls, and he's still building his herd. There are various ways to make money with beef cattle. Willie does it by selling some of his "feeder steers" -- 9-month old calves that weigh around 500 lbs. They sell for 26-27 cents a lb., or $130-$135 each. Buyers ship them out West to graze on the ranges and put on another 600-700 lbs. before going to market. Of course, the feeder steer income is not all profit. There are investment costs -- lots of fenc ing; an additional 100 acres bought in 1962; a haying outfit -- tractor, mower and baler; putting in expensive Coastal Bermuda Grass (which grows 2i/a-3 ft. high) for feed, and a new 40' x 50' concrete block barn for a workshop and hay storage. There are some operating costs, too. One is "back rub oil" to discourage ticks and other insects that spread disease or retard growth. Willie rigged a clever method to apply the oil. He wraps a 10' chain with sacks and soaks them every 10 days with the oil. The chain is placed between fences so that the cattle have to get under it for water or salt, thereby getting an automatic back rub oil treatment. Another insect problem at times are face flies, which spread pink eye. Then there are casualties. Willie lost 4 cows last year -- one ate poison, one fell into a gully, one died at "calfbirth" and one just disappeared. And this is where Mrs. Helms comes into the act. "The main thing she does," Willie said, "is to count the herd." But he didn't say what she does if the count doesn't come out right and, of course, he meant the main thing outside of being a schoolteacher, and mother to 3 fine daughters: Deborah Ann, 10; Nancy, 7, and Judy, 2. ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagoing em ployees of the Marine Department, 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. COWIJ FltOM THE CCJtLBTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTOIT Esso Miami Preparing for Grain Cargo Since the announcement last issue that the Esso Miami would load grain for India, one of the uncertainties has been settled --- the loading port will be Houston. The date of departure is still a bit vague as it takes several days to load and we have to wait our turn to get under the grain elevator spouts. Best guess now is that the Miami will be ready to start loading about June 26. In the meantime, the ship will deliver a cargo to Charleston and then prepare for grain. This involves thoroughly cleaning tanks and cargo lines, cementing main suction bell-mouths, installing metal boxes covered with burlap around stripper suctions so they can be used as bilge suctions without getting grain inside, and installing IV2" sounding pipes under each ullage hole. Off-Shore Voyages in Progress Esso Dallas (Capt. Milton L. Franklin, C.E. Robert I. Giddens) left Aruba June 6 and is due at Ozol (San Francisco) the 18th; thence back to Aruba about July 1 to load for Searsport, July 8. Esso Jamestown (Capt. Harold L. Sholes, C.E. William A. Dundon) is due at Baytown June 18 from Guam, May 28. Esso Newark (Capt. Donald E. Graham, C.E. Gregor 0. W. Collins) left Boston June 13 for Aruba, the 18th and back to Paulsboro, the 24th. Esso New York (Capt. Victor T. Springer, C.E. Edw'ard J. Schleifer) left Houston May 28 and is due at Pearl Harbor the 16th, Baytown, July 7. Esso Scranton (Capt. Taisto A. Johnson, C.E. Nunzio Consoli) sailed June 10 from Texas City for Stockton, Calif., due the 27th. Esso Seattle (Capt. Vincent F. Lucas, C.E. Keith V. Wintenburg) was to discharge at Yokosuka June 15, thence to Amuay/Aruba about July 10. New Barge Dock Building at Baytown The derrick barge at upper right in the photo on page 1 is working on a new 190' dock which wrill be used to load hot asphalt into insulated barges. The Refinery is also installing gas-fired heaters and insulation on an 80,000-bbl. tank to maintain the asphalt, or more correctly, coker feed stock, at 400F. and building an insulated and electrically heated pipeline from the tank to the dock. The hot coker feed stock will be barged -- in chartered equipment at first -- to the Baton Rouge Refinery, where it will be processed into coke for Reynolds Metals Co., who use it in making aluminum. A Cup O' Kindness There's an old adage that says "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." This could be expressed algebraically as F = H- V But if you were not so much interested in catching flies as in making life aboard ship more enjoyable -- for yourself and those with whom you come in contact --- we can suggest a different formula H = C + U where H = harmony, C = charity and U = understanding. At times this is so easy. A good many of our actions are really reactions. How a person makes a request or gives an order has a big effect on the spirit in which it is received. We once heard a Mate tell a Pumpman "After you finish coffee we want steam up forward." Nothing to it. A little C + U and you have H. The opposite can be pretty easy, too. A Second Pumpman had just poured a cup of fresh coffee, sat down in the messroom and lit a cigar. He hadn't taken a sip or two puffs when word came that the First Asst, wanted him below. He went but what a reaction there w'as then! "----- Doesn't he know it's coffee time?" In this case it is certain there was no under standing and precious little charity on the part of the Second Pumpman. Perhaps there was good cause, perhaps not, but he might have realized later that it was coffee time for the First, too, and the Engineer could have had a job to be done that was more important than coffee for either of them. What we would like to get across is that in dealing with people -- all sorts of people -- a little understanding and charity can make the differ ence between a pleasant relationship and one that is otherwise. What we mean by charity is giving the other fellow the benefit of the doubt (maybe he didn't mean to sound so gruff; maybe he is carrying a burden we know nothing about). But mainly what we mean by charity is kindness, in this sense -- practically every one of us has so many good things that, out of this bounty we can easily afford to speak a kind word or volunteer a helping hand. But suppose you are one of those who has a EXX-MOR-007523 heavy burden or perhaps had only 2 hrs. sleep last night. These are handicaps, to be sure, but the formula is still good -- even better. In these cir cumstances, you need a little charity and a good way to get it is to give it -- like begets like, action and reaction. If you've followed us this far, maybe you'd like to go a step further and try an experiment. Do a kindness for someone who doesn't expect it. It's like a pinch of salt in a glass of beer. Makes you feel real heady. Free Navigation Booklet Navigate Safely!, a 12-page, pocket-size booklet for boatmen, is available free from the Environ mental Science Services Administration, Rock ville, Md. 20852. The booklet is a guide to products and services provided for mariners by the ESSA, a Government agency created in 1965 and com bining the functions of the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Weather Bureau. Described in the booklet are various types of Coast and Geodetic charts, sailing directions, tide and current tables, the meaning of w'eather warn ing signals and the location of coastal warning facilities. Vacation Fever We must get away from the job again. Away from the desk and the pen. And all we ask is a clear day And a chance to satisfy a yen. Not just to drive one straight down the middle but Then to hit that green and sink a "one-time' putt. We must get away from the job again, For the call of vacation time Is a clear call and a dear call and a call that is, you see, A definite matter of Company' policy'. But we'll be back on the job again Come the day after Fourth of July, So we beg your indulgence and bid fond adieus 'Til the July 14th issue of Esso Fleet News. (Any resemblance between this poetry (?) and John Masefield's classic "Sea Fever" is purely inconsequential.) Daffynitions Chair--Headquarters for the hindquarters. Nag--A woman who has a mule for'a husband. Hug--Energy gone to waist. RECENT RETIREMENTS Able Seaman William F. Casey had just 10 days short of 20 years' credited service when he retired June 1 at the mandatory age. He first joined the Company as AB in the Christy Payne in June 1937, after several years with the United States Lines and Army Transport Service. Following 6 years as a sheet metal worker in Brooklyn, Mr. Casey rejoined the Fleet in Oct. 1946 and served continuously from Dec. 1947 until his retirement. Except for one week as DM, he always sailed as AB. Mr. Casey was born in Massachusetts and lives in Brooklyn with his wife Margaret. They have 3 children, John, 25; Anna, 22, and Marg, 21. - t^TAFFRAIL talk Auriel T. Hall, Pumpman in the Esso Chester, was taken ashore by a Coast Guard helicopter, June 10, after his right arm and shoulder had been burned (not too seriously) by hot water. The Chester was bound from New York to Everett and Mr. Hall was landed at Logan Airport in Boston and arrived at the U. S. Public Health Service Hospital in Brighton, Mass. 2 hours after the accident. He went home on June 13. *** Engineers in the Esso Boston, who are doing their utmost to get the "real feel" of their boiler automation equipment, request that the following notice be published as reflecting their sentiments. They would also be pleased to have all free advice from the Deck and Steward's departments, office, visitors and new' crew members throttled down to dead slow (or just dead). ACHTUNG. Das machine ist nicht fur gerfingerpoken und mittengraben. Ist easy schnappen der springwerk, blowfusen und poppencorken mit spitsparken. Ist nicht fur gerwerken by dummkopfen. Das rubbernechen sightseeren keepen hands in das pockets. Relaxen und watchen das blinken lights. _ --TM OBITUARY r----- Radio Officer John L. Richardson, 60, died at sea aboard the Esso Scranton on June 3. He had a heart attack after the vessel left Pascagoula, Miss, for Houston. Surviving are his wife Mar garet and 4 sons, aged 15 to 23. Mr. Richardson had over 18 years of continuous service in the Fleet, starting as Radio Officer in the Esso Manhattan on Aug. 9, 1947. He w" born in Gaysville, Vt. and lived in Dorche Mass. zc aLU >< xLU iFhj -- >b li w2 PU! 5H ' a. io