Document jZMwM7eG8XOg767emK24Db8p

Vo!. 5, No. 19 PUBLISHED BY THE MARINE DIVISION, HUMBLE OIL & REFINING COMPANY October 3, 1963 "It's Whatcha Do With Whatcha Got" If there are such things as guardian angels, some of us must give them a pretty rough time. There they are -- pulling for us, trying to get us off dead center or trying to get us to open our eyes to opportunities -- perhaps trying mostly to make us realize our own strength, talents and capacities. It must be discouraging to a guardian angel to look down and see a fellow with 100 octane intelligence driving around in second gear or even idling at every chance. Or see another chap who has talents he doesn't even suspect. What a waste, these angels must think. Well, one guardian angel who ought to be quite satisfied is Henry J. Miller's. Dutch re tired Aug. 1 after nearly 16 years in the fleet as Pumpman and Machinist. He had a couple of assignments as Machinist in 1935, rejoined the Company as Pumpman in May 1948, sailed in that rating for 10 years and ^^^ `sffss Henry L M,Mer as Machinist from May 1959 until his retirement. Today. Mr. Miller might be considered fairly well-off. In addition to his Company retirement benefits, he has had some success with real estate and investments. Shortly after the War he and his brother-in-law bought a 44-acre orange grove in what was then the outskirts of Tampa. One winter apparent disaster struck in the form of a cold spell that killed all the trees. Dutch was offered an attractive price for the land but he reasoned that if it was worth that much to some one else, it should be worth more to him. So he hired bulldozers, cleared out the dead trees and made his part of the property into a residential subdivision of 108 lots. Over the years he has sold them (still has about 18 left) and invested in first mortgages. What must please the guardian angel most is to look back 45-50 years. Dutch was then an apprentice machinist in Germany (he was bom in New York City but raised in Germany) and times were hard. It was a great day when he could buy a new pair of shoes and stop wearing misfit hand-me-downs. He returned to this country in 1918 and went to sea with Eastern Steamship, Tidewater, Socony and others until 1936. Then for 12 years he was an ace machinist, tool and die maker in New York area shops and shipyards. When shore work became scarce, he went to sea again -- with Esso. Mr. Miller and his wife, Dorothy, have been married 43 years. They have a married daughter and son and a younger daughter who is a program mer with IBM and is working for a master's de gree. One of their three grandsons is also working on a master's degree -- at Harvard. In the game of life as in the game of poker, in which Dutch used to indulge with some success, what counts is "whatcha do with whatcha got", to quote the once-popular song. Health Service Certificates Certificates outlining the hospital-medical-sur gical coverage provided by Health Service, Inc. have been sent to all seagoing subscribers. Identi fication cards for men who joined the plan July 1 this year will be forwarded as received from the insurance company. In regard to Major Medical insurance, an ex planatory booklet, certificate and claim form will be issued as soon as possible. No separate identi fication card is needed or issued for Major Medical insurance. Stewards Sign New Amendment The Esso Stewards Organization and the Com pany have agreed upon terms of an amendment to the existing agreement. The principal new provision is a $21 per month wage increase. The amendment, which runs for 2 years, was signed by both parties on Oct. 2 and became effective Oct. 1. subject to ratification by the ESO membership. camt) FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN H1ST0R' THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN R.O. John W. Heistand John W. Heistand, Radio Officer in the Esso Balti more, claims this is the "best equipped radio room in the fleet". Although he might well have included the electronic equipment, he referred to his own contri butions-- the Venetian blinds and potted plants -- which we must admit, certainly do promote an atmos phere of gentility. John has been occupying the suite regularly for the past 2 years. "Give it a Try, Mates" Ye Ed. Said, Testily If you-all haven't been too, too out-of-touch, you've probably heard about the current craze -- "Tom Swifties". The thing developed from the Tom Swift boys' books in which the author. Victor Appleton, always has his hero expressing himself more colorfully than just plain said, with the modifiers closely compatible with the sense of the remarks. Expanding upon this theme, we get such groaners as the following: "You're a pretty smart cookie," snapped Tom gingerly. "Storm clouds ahead," the Mate thundered. "Shouldn't we slow down a bit?" asked Tom hesitatingly. "This is a swell boat," Chris said craftily. "There's something wrong with that tire," Tom said flatly. "A Swiss cheese sandwich is very -wholesome," Joe said with a wry grin. "I hear we're getting a 25% wage increase," Tom said dreamily. "Go to blazes," Jerry replied hotly. You get the idea? Give it a try and if you come up with any real gems, perhaps the Fleet News could publish a few. We would sound a note of caution, though -- too much enthusiasm in this direction could lead one to or beyond the brink of unpopularity aboard ship. A Letter of Appreciation It is not uncommon to hear reports and com ments about the fine caliber of men who sail in the Esso fleet. Theirs is a reputation of long standing which frequent acts of kindness and con sideration serve to enhance. One such is mentioned in the following letter: Esso Miami Sept. 24, 1963 Editor, Esso Fleet News Dear Sir: A few days ago it was my misfortune to receive a radio message telling me of the passing of my father. Being at sea and knowing the impossibility of even attending his funeral, you can imagine my sense of helplessness and sorrow. But a few hours later, I was told that the officers and men aboard had gotten together and had sent in a radio order for a floral piece. How does one describe the feeling of warmth and friendship that such an act brings on? And more too; how can one express sincere gratitude? Thank you seems so inadequate. I would like to express my appreciation by saying that the men of the Esso Miami in particular and all the men in the fleet in general are the men that I like to go down to sea in ships with. Sincerely, William L. Thievon Chief Engineer TAFFRAIL TALK A note from Captain Edward Crawford, Esso Gloucester, says: "Everything here is going rather smoothly in spite of the fact that this ship, on arrival at Sabine Pass tonight (Sept. 21) reeled off its 30th port since June 17 -- that is in 97 days. Believe me, no one is complaining. One good thing about the Gulf `milk run' is that no one has time to complain, everyone is broke and happy." Why should they complain and how could they be broke when they re pulling down the heaviest docking and undocking pay in the fleet? *** Leo Whyte, well-known Employee Relations Representative in the New York Branch Office and lesser-known Sage of Staten Island, is off on a vacation trip to the Emerald Isle. Leo said he is going to demand equal time in order to set the Irish straight after President Kennedy's visit. ESSO FLEET NEWS is published for the seagomg em ployees of the Marine Division, Humble Oil & Refining Co.: Joseph Andreae, General Manager; Sydney Wire, Assistant General Manager. W. E. Gardner, Editor. Contributions and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to The Editor, Esso Fleet News, Humble Oil & Refining Co., P. 0. Box 1512. Houston 1, Texas i "tSstr-- EXX-MOR-007328 0 The Esso Scranton, which left Baytown Aug. 20, has delivered part of her cargo at Bombay and is now discharging the balance at Calcutta. Next destination will be the Persian Gulf to load an MSTS cargo for Cartagena, Spain, arriving on or about Oct. 31. Everyone aboard should be home for Thanksgiving. There's something about a long voyage that encourages the growth of chin whiskers, sideburns and mustachios. This is AB Cecil E. Walker with a handsome 2-tone set of bristles after the Esso Dallas' 59-day voyage to Japan. Joao B. Spencer, FWT, Esso New York, was taken ashore by Coast Guard helicopter on the afternoon of Sept. 24 and rushed to the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville. The ship was also head ed for Jacksonville but at reduced speed because of heavy seas and gales which, it is interesting to note, did not prevent the successful helicopter operation. Mr. Spencer had swelling and redness in his right arm, evidently a reaction to some prescribed medication. He was released from the hospital on Sept. 27. Humble is celebrating its third anniversary in Ohio during the 3 weeks from Sept. 15 to Oct. 5. Since Sept. 19, 1960. the Company has built 150 sendee stations in the State and acquired about 20 others. Its multi-million dollar invest ment has provided about 850 new jobs in Ohio. WORDS OF THE WISE Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. -- William James RECENT RETIREMENTS Captain Rolf Clausen's career at sea led him to sail under the flags of 12 nations before he joined the Company's W. C. Teagle in Oct. 1939. He started as AB and had advanced to Bos'n in the Allan Jackson when she was torpedoed off N. C. on Jan. 18, 1942 with heavy loss of life. He was Third Mate in his next ship, the Livings ton Roe, was promoted to Second Mate in July, 1943 and sailed as Chief Mate in the F. Q. Barstow (WET, Inc.) from April 1944 to March 1946. His first command, the Red Canyon in April 1948, was followed by nearly 3 years in the ship as Chief Mate and Master and-over 4 years (1958-62) in those ranks aboard the Esso Greenville. He retired Sept. 1 with 21 years of credited service. Born in Norway, Captain Clausen lives in Eau Gallie, Fla. with his wife, Helene. He enjoys reading, fishing, civic activities and a little gardening. Chief Mate Joseph R. Acosta be came an "early annuitant" Sept. 1. with 24 years, 7 months of con tinuous Company service, begin ning as AB in the Charles G. Black on Oct. 11, 1937. He was promoted to Third Mate in May .. .-T V 1941 and in the following year sur vived 2 successive torpedoings -- 5 . " ' the Heinrich v. Riedemann in April and the Esso Aruba in August. He continued during the War as Third and Second Mate and had his first Chief Mate's berth in the Esso Bay town in Jan. 1945. From June 1959 to Aug. 1960 he was on special assignment to train crews in new Creole Petroleum tankers Esso Maracaibo, Amuay and Cari- Pito. Most recently he was Chief Mate in the Esso Tampa. Mr. Acosta was born in Spain and lives in New York City with his wife, Mercedes and son. Joseph, Jr., 21. Captain Robert E. Evans retired Sept. 1. with 29 years, 8 months' service in the fleet. Except for 2 assignments as AB in 1927 and '33 and one as Bos'n in 1930, all his service was as a licensed of ficer. He was promoted to Third m -f Mate in the I. C. White in June tiC-1934 and to Second Mate 5 years fv later. After surviving the torpedo ing of the Charles Pratt off the west coast of Africa on Dec. 21, 1940, he sailed as Chief Mate until Aug. 1944, when he was given command of the Glenpool, of WET, Inc. For 10 years (Dec. 1945- Dec. 1955) he was Chief Mate and relieving Master, and then Master until his retirement. Captain Evans and his wife, Marion, plan to "stay where they are" in Baltimore, except for a yearly trip to California. Second Mate Albert J. Isakson, since retirement, Aug. 1, has been attending Lee College in Baytown with the idea of becoming a high school math, teacher. Mrs. Isakson has been studying too, receiving her "cap" as a Licensed Vocational Nurse last August. They have 4 children -- Linda Ruth (married), Robert 16, Ronnie Jo 13, and Albert, Jr. 10. ..r - \ V Mr. Isakson had a 35-year sea career, beginning as a deck boy in the Morgan Line in 1928. He became third mate in 1934 and served in licensed ranks with the Bull Lines (12 years) and Standard Dredging Co. before joining Esso in Dec. 1947. Except for 4Va months as AB, all of his 15 years of Company service was as Third, Second and Chief Mate. 'IX U :!< j|J ja II z 1i Q< Fc/ SO Z Jti- < l_ ZLU *< jCj 7* iIzK. uP' \== > ui z H Xo3 xuJ U! EXX-MOR-007329 Recent Retirements (Continued) Chief Engineer Walter R. Gillam got his first job afloat in 1918 aboard a U. S. Army Engineers' dredge working in the Columbia River. For the next 11 years he spent a few months here and a year or so there, shipping out in vessels of the U. S. Shipping Board, Standard of Calif., McCor mick SS Co. and U. S. Lines, to mention a few. He started as fire man and was sailing as third and second asst, prior to joining Esso and serving in those ranks in the E. T. Bedford in April 1929. He was promoted to First Asst, in the Beaconstar in July 1936 and to Chief Engineer in the John Worthington in Jan. 1943. That ship was torpedoed off the coast of Brazil 2 months later but there were no casualties and the ship remained in con voy. In post-war years, Mr. Gillam was Chief in the Esso Everett for 7 years and in the Esso Huntington from Feb. 1955 until his retirement, Sept. 1. He had over 34 years of continuous service. Born in Oregon, Mr. Gillam lives in Staten Island with his wife, Anne. They have a daughter, Molly, who is an actress with a repertoire company in England. Bos'n Walter S. McPhee sailed in 2 ratings -- Bos'n and AB -- throughout his 24 years, 4 months of con tinuous service in the fleet. Beginning as AB in the Esso Baltimore in April 1939, he shipped out as Bos'n and AB in 10 vessels during World War II and served continuously as Bos'n for I6V2 years --July 1946 to Jan. 1963. He was top man on the Bos'n's seniority list when he retired Sept. 1. Mr. McPhee was born in Mass, and lives in Staten Island with his wife, Mary. Able Seaman Harry Hesketh had 2 assignments as DM but served all the rest of his 15 V? years in the fleet as AB. The Esso Baytown was his first ship (April 6, 1948) and the Esso Jamestown was the last before his mandatory retirement on Aug. 1. An Eng lishman by birth, Mr. Hesketh lives in Baytown and has a 37-year old son, William, in California. Fireman-Watertender Sune Er iksson left his native Sweden in a 4-masted bark in 1920 and was to follow the sea for 43 years. He spent his first 3 years in windjam mers but from then on his ser vices were in the enginerooms of steamers and motorships. He sail ed with the Munson Line, Canada SS Lines, Lykes Bros, and the WSA, surviving 3 torpedoings in World War II. Mr. Eriksson joined Esso as Fireman in the W. H. Libby (April 17, 1945) and from his next berth in the F. H. Bedford, Jr. until his retirement Sept. 1, he sailed as FWT. He had 17 years, 10 months of con tinuous service. A resident of Staten Island, Mr. Eriksson intends to do some fishing, sailing and "travel around a little and then settle down". Wiper Emilio Garcia reached the 65-year retirement age on Sept. 1. He served 12 years, 8 months in the fleet as Wiper and FWT, starting in the Esso Aruba on Dec. 9, 1950 and ending in the Esso Chester. Born in the District of Coruna, Spain, Mr. Garcia came to New York City (his present home) in 1916. He worked as a coal passer, in shipyards in World War I, sailed with Isthmian, Union Sulphur and Pocahontas SS Co. and had 9 months in the U. S. Army in 1942-3. Chief Cook Angel A. Abena lives in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, which is not far from San Juan but is about 12,000 miles from his birthplace, the Philippine Islands. He and his wife, Elena, have a daughter, Maria Teresa and a son, Julio. Mr. Abena joined the Company's Geo. H. Jones on Oct. 30, 1940 and shipped out in 7 vessels during the War. One, the Esso Providence, was the victim of a direct bomb hit in the harbor of Augusta, Sicily on Aug. 24, 1943. Upon his retirement, Aug. 1, he had 22 years of credited service, all as Chief Cook. Chief Cook Francisco Aguilar, a native of the Philippines, served in the U. S. Navy from 1923-29 and then had another 6 years as cook at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He put in 11 years with the Isthmian Line, sailing as cook and steward and surviving the torpedoing of the Steel Seafarer in the Red Sea on Sept. 6, 1941. His 15-year career in the Com pany began in the Esso Rochester in July 1948 and continued uninterruptedly until his retirement, Aug. 1. Nearly all his assignments were Second or Chief Cook. Mr. Aguilar lives in Pasadena, Texas with his wife, Emiteria and 6-year old son, Francisco, Jr. They have a big garden (100' x 800') in which they enjoy working. Utilityman James F. Kelley accepted special volun tary early retirement, effective Aug. 1, after 15 years of continuous service in the Company. He was Second and Chief Cook from June 1948, when he joined the Esso Roanoke, until a year before his retirement. He was born in Johnstown, Mo. and has been living in Baytown. New Radar Sets for 37,700-dwt. Vessels The Esso Gettysburg, Jamestown, Lexington and Washington are to be equipped with second radar sets in the next 60 days. The new sets have a iy<i" scope and will be mounted on the forward bulkhead of the wheelhouse, below tire windows. To be used primarily as a stand-by, the new 3 cm. units are the Decca D202 model which are transistorized to reduce heat, weight and power consumption and provide greater reliability. They have 6 range scales between one-half and 24 nautical miles.