Document KrjMZ2ZOnX4LGd4qVOjao4oK

CORFU FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTOK THE UNIVERSITY OFTEYa s a t a iic t im PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT - EXXON COMPANY. U.S.A. Volume 15, Number 5 ... .............F March 12, 1973 Exxon Kentucky' Christened, Now In River Service The company's newest towboat, Exxon Kentucky, was christened on March 1 in a colorful ceremony held at Louisville, Kentucky. The vessel was named in honor of the Blue Grass state. The towboat, designed by the Marine Department's Engineering Section, will operate on the Mis sissippi and Ohio Rivers from Baton Rouge to Pittsburgh. She is 150 feet long, 52 feet wide, 11 feet in depth, and has an oper ating draft of 8V2 feet. Propulsion power is furnished by two 20cylinder marine diesel engines, each developing 3,300 horsepower at 850 rpm. She's capable of push ing a triple-string tow of 12 barges having a capacity of about 350,000 barrels (34,000 tons) of petroleum products. The towboat, with bar ges, is 1,190 feet long (equivalent to about four football fields endto-end) and is 156 feet wide. Five-bladed stainless steel pro pellers, 117 inches in diameter in stainless steel-lined Kort nozzles, are driven through reverse-reduc tion gears with air clutches. Two powerful hydraulic steering sys tems are provided, one controls the two steering rudders and the other handles the four flanking rudders. All of the major machin ery is controlled and monitored from the pilot house with backup control and detail monitoring from the engine room area. Fire fighting is provided by a total flooding C02 system for all machinery areas. This is backed up by two independent 250 gpm electrical fire pumps and 17 hand portable (See TOWBOAT, page 3) Esso Newark off-loading Sylvania in San Francisco Bay. Esso Newark' Used To Off-Load Tanker Tankers carrying crude oil from overseas ports are often so large that they need to be lightered be fore they can dock in the U.S. Such was the case recently when the 85,000-dwt Sylvania arrived in San Francisco Bay with 600,000 barrels of Arabian crude for our refinery at Benicia. She had to be light ered to meet draft requirements at Benicia, and as no barge capacity was available to off-load her with out making costly repeat trips, the Esso Newark was called on to do the job. Fitted with heavy-duty fendering, hose, and other equip ment, the Newark moored along side the Sylvania, at anchor in the lower bay, where the crew off loaded some 158,000 barrels of crude. They did so in one opera tion in 8 hours and 20 minutes pumping--and performed the job with no adverse effects to the en vironment. Captain Louis H. Staar is master in the Newark, Robert Armstrong, Jr., is chief mate, and Ronald W. Thompson was the chief engineer. Port Captain Tor rance Inman and San Francisco Branch Manager Lawrence Roth, both of whom were aboard the Newark during the lightering op eration, commended the officers and crew for a job well done. 1 EXX-MOR-007279 COPIED FROM THE CObLErriONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HISTOK THE UNIVERSITY O F T E X A S A T A U S T IN TAFFRAIL TALK agreed to pose with him. Natur ally, being bachelors, we both have her phone number," Mr. Bennett said. Nathan, who finds it somewhat lonely when the pretty nurse isn't around, has asked that his shipmates write him at the hospital. "IF YOU have to spend time in a hospital, a beautiful "Angel of Mercy" can help make your stay more enjoyable,"says Nathan Carr, AB, who is in Wentworth Douglas Hospital at Dover, New Hamp shire, recuperating from a broken leg and other injuries. Mr. Carr was involved in an automobile accident during paid leave re cently . . . "which proves to me that ships are safer than cars," he said. J. W. Bennett, Boston Branch manager, took the picture show ing Mr. Carr who managed to smile for the camera. "Actually, Nathan found it rather easy to smile and look his best, especially when Nurse Bonnie Searles "PALM TREES and geese are rather scarce in these parts," writes Captain James D. Lawton who sent in the photo above show ing the Exxon Florence plowing through heavy ice on the Hudson River, just a bit south of Kingston, New York. He took the picture about mid-February when "no launch was needed to get from ship to shore at this time." Torrance Snman Is Named Port Captain Captain Torrance Inman, who has some 27 years of seagoing experience, was named port cap tain in Marine Department-Oper ations, effective March 1. He re places Captain Leonard H. Earle who became Ocean Operations manager on February 1. Captain Inman served in his first master's assignment in June, 1961, in the Esso Huntington. Al though he filled this position briefly in three other vessels, he was assigned primarily to the Hunt ington. It was from this ship that he transferred to the Houston of fice to become acting port captain in February, 1972, the position he held until his new assignment. SERVICE AWARDS 30 Years Daniel G. Fernandes Steward January 15, 1973 Edward Wilson Steward January 9, 1973 Retired Chief Engineer, Pumpman Die PATRICK J. BREEN, who retired in 1961, died at age 76 in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Chief Engineer Breen had more than 34 years of service and was chief all but seven months of his sea going career. He started as 2nd assistant engineer in the Beacon- hill in April, 1927 and became chief that November. Ten years of his career were spent in the Beaconhill. He was the senior chief engineer in the fleet at the time of his retirement. He is sur- vived by his widow and two sons. SIGURD ANDERSEN, who retired as pumpman in 1962, died on February 22. He was 72. After sail ing for years in the U.S. Coast Guard and for several shipping companies, he joined our fleet as machinist in the T. J. Williams in June, 1930. He became pumpman in April, 1946, and was serving in this capacity in the Esso Lima when he retired. Mr. Andersen, who lived in Hempstead, Long Island, is survived by a sister. A/Oiler Joseph J. Sokolowski, who completed 30 years service on Oc tober 14, 1972, received a watch and service emblem from Mr. Humble dur ing recent visit to the Houston Office. Page 2 Exxon Fleet News i EXX-MOR-007280 X COPIFIJ FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS A T A U S T IN TOWBOAT continued from page 1 fire extinguishers. The vessel is equipped with the latest in com munications and navigation equip ment. The quarters are designed and equipped for comfort of the crew with individual rooms pro vided with wood grained paneling, carpeting, desks, and matching furniture. All quarters and oper ating areas are air conditioned. More than 100 guests and Exxon executives witnessed the 11 a.m. christening ceremonies and toured the new tow. Emmett A. Humble, Marine Department general manager who presided over the ceremony, said that the new tow would be joining a fleet of three other company-owned tows which work the MississippiOhio River system. The tows last year delivered 17 million barrels of petroleum products to a 10state area from Louisiana to Pennsylvania. "The movement of such large volumes of petroleum products naturally poses a number of prob lems, not all of which are related to logistics," he said. "One prob lem that we are all well aware of is that of potential pollution of the waters by accidental spill." He explained that the company's clean seas program is directed towards the prevention of such in cidents and the built-in safety fea tures of all Exxon vessels are de signed to help maintain the en vironment. "For example," he said, "the Exxon Kentucky has a sepa rate holding tank into which oily bilge wastes and other contam inates are pumped and retained for discharge into a collecting facility ashore. This retention method is unique to the industry. The vessel also has another sepa rate tank and pump to handle all wastes from the wash basins, showers, and so forth for later discharge into a sewage facility ashore. New fuel injectors for the engines are installed to reduce smoke emission. Our engineers designed the stack and installed r*&8?sr&rvS, w^mm The company's new towboat, the Exxon Kentucky, is now in service. the largest spark-arresting muff lers of any towboat on the river to help reduce noise." Other company towboats work ing the Mississippi-Ohio river sys tem are the Exxon Tennessee, Exxon Pennsylvania, and Esso West Virginia. Conrad Eberling Retires; Survived Shelling, Served Heroically In World War II Fleet Stories of heroic rescues and brave exploits performed by of ficers and men who sailed in the ocean tanker fleet during World War II would fill volumes. One man who helped save lives when his ship came under enemy fire and who later helped save the ship itself is Conrad S. Eberling who retired on March 1 as pump man in the Exxon New Orleans. Mr. Eberling began his career with the company peacefully enough when he joined the A. C. Bedford in June, 1932, as wiper. He later served in various com pany vessels as fireman, store keeper, 2nd pumpman, and pump man--all without major incident. Then on December 4, 1941, Mr. Eberling joined the Esso Bolivar-- and a few months later ran into action that he'll never forget. On March 8, 1942, the Esso Bolivar was sailing routinely along about 30 miles southeast of Guan tanamo, Cuba, when suddenly, at 2:30 in the morning, gunfire shat tered the silence. A shell whistled by, narrowly missing the vessel and throwing up a column of water ahead. It was a submarine attack! Mr. Eberling quickly took his station at the valve of the steam smothering line on the aft deck where he performed his duties until a fire started spreading and all hands were ordered forward. Even though the Bolivar was zig zagging at top speed, enemy shells found their mark. Every few min utes someone was getting hurt or killed. Mr. Eberling, working under a barrage of shells, helped give first aid to the injured. Finally, when a well-placed shell put the Boli var's steering gear out of commis sion, causing the blazing, heav ily-damaged vessel to go around in circles (a perfect target for the sub), the order came to abandon ship. Only one bullet-riddled life boat and two rafts were in good enough condition to lower. They were soon filled with men, some of whom had jumped overboard or left the ship via the Jacob's ladder. Mr. Eberling, on one of the rafts, helped search for other survivors who were swimming around in the dark, shark-infested waters. The enemy continued shelling the Bolivar, even sending a torpedo into her starboard side, causing her to list dangerously. Fortu nately, the ship was in ballast. Then two star shells exploded, lighting up the area and the sub submerged and left the scene. It (See EBERLING, page 4) EXXON FLEET NEWS is published every other Monday for active and retired em ployees of the Marine Department, Exxon Company, U.S.A. (a division of Exxon Cor poration); Emmett A. Humble, general manager; Sydney Wire, assistant general manager. GENE LEGLER.............................................Editor Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to the Editor, EXXON FLEET NEWS, Exxon Company. U.S.A., P. 0. Box 2180, Room 4193, Hous ton, Texas 77001. March 12, 1973 Page 3 I P i EBERLING continued from page 3 was later learned that the star shells were fired by a naval vessel. Meanwhile, the raft came along side the shrapnel-riddled lifeboat and Mr. Eberling helped stop the leaks by stuffing pieces of clothing and rubber boots through the large holes and plugging the smaller ones with vegetables that were floating around--part of the refrigerated cargo hurled out of the tanker when she was struck by the torpedo. Parsnips and carrots made excellent plugs. About noontime, a minesweeper arrived and took Mr. Eberling and others to the hospital at Guan tanamo. Seven officers and men of the 45-member merchant crew had beeen killed in the attack, plus one U.S. Navy Armed Guard seaman. Mr. Eberling was one of the ship's crew who the next day re turned to the Bolivar to save her. By expert handling of the right valves in succession, he grav itated the ballast to tanks on the port side until the burning ship was practically on an even keel. After several temporary repairs were made, steam was raised and the vessel sailed under her own power into Guantanamo Bay where she lay at anchor while her crew and a Navy salvage party battled the fire that burned in the cork insulation in the refrigerated spaces. The fire was extinguished three days later and the Bolivar was docked for further temporary repairs. But Mr. Eberling was not to rest yet. The Bolivar was lower in the water than if she were fully loaded. Her hull had to be raised so that it could be strengthened for a voyage to the U.S. for per manent repairs. To do this, it was necessary to pump water out of the flooded pump room. As the valves were deep underwater, and since the Navy had no diver avail able to reach them, Mr. Eberling (who was acquainted with the valves) volunteered for the job. The ship's fresh-air breathing ap paratus was quickly converted to a diving mask and an air line was attached to it from the ship's air supply. Mr. Eberling donned the makeshift mask, tied a 24-inch pipe wrench to his belt for extra weight, dove to the bottom of the lower pumproom, and lined up the valves so that water could be pumped from the vessel. He later made a similar dive in the star board wing tank (which was open to the sea), even though a crew man reported seeing a large octo pus there earlier that day. Temporary repairs were made and the ship sailed to Mobile, Alabama, where she was per manently repaired and returned to service, resuming her regular voyages from New York to Aruba. Mr. Eberling was not aboard, however. He took a vacation. He later returned to the fleet where he had relatively smooth sailing for the remainder of his career. Mr. Eberling lives in North Ber gen, New Jersey. Jespersen Honored By Ship's Personnel REIDAR N. JESPERSEN, who retired on March 1 with more than 25V2 years of service, says: "I have enjoyed my career in the fleet and I'm probably proudest of the fact that I got through all these years without a single day of sick leave. Right now, I'm doing what I do best--resting and enjoying every minute of it. I intend to do that until winter is over when I'll probably start planning and building a new house." Mr. Jesper sen joined the fleet as junior engineer in the J. A. Mowinckel in June, 1947. He sailed for the first time as 3rd assistant engineer in the Peter Hurll in July, 1947, and about five months later he became 2nd assistant in this same ship. He advanced to 1st assistant in the Esso Augusta in March, 1953 and in August, 1968 he filled his first chief's job while serv ing in the Esso Newark. He is shown above (heart on shirt) with Captain Edward Crawford (speckled shirt) and other shipmates who gave him a farewell party in his last vessel, the Esso Seattle. Page 4 Exxon Fleet News