Document wDzB9nrKr7Kd6Nm0NzMOgV3kE

COPIPIJ FROM THE COLLECTIONS IN THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN HI,STOiC THE UNIVERSITY OF TE X A S A T A U S TIN Vol. 12, No. 8 April 20, 1970 Humble Lets Contract for Design Of Mammoth Icebreaking Tankers 1 *4. t ` ; <gs! CAPTAIN ARTHUR W. SMITH Master, S. S. Manhattan Humble awarded a contract to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company of Newport News, Virginia, to develop a design for icebreak ing tankers for possible use in transporting crude oil through the Northwest Passage. "We have not yet reached a decision on construction of ice breaking tankers," emphasized Manhattan Sails on Second Voyage To Gather New Data on Arctic Ice The S. S. Manhattan set sail three weeks ago on a voyage to complete a chapter in mari time history that reached a dramatic climax last year when the ship breached the fabled Northwest Passage. This data-gathering mission is expected to unlock some of the Arctic's best-kept secrets Gene Legler Named Fleet News Editor Gene Legler has been named editor of the Esso Fleet Neius as the result of a reorganiza tion of the Public Affairs De partment, which will be re sponsible for this newspaper. This takes effect immediately. Mr. Legler is an experienced professional writer and editor. He began his writing career as a newspaperman and has been employed for many years by Humble as an editor of newspapers and magazines. Jim Pitts, editor of Fleet News since last March, has been assigned to the Humble News staff. and lead to a conclusion of one of the most intriguing sea stories since Columbus discov ered America. The 1,005 - foot tanker will collect data to determine the economic feasibility of moving crude oil in ships from Alaska's North Slope oil fields through the passage to the U. S. east coast. Ice testing in northern Baffin Bay and the eastern half of the Northwest Passage is ex pected to take six to eight weeks. The outcome of these tests may also lead to new oppor tunities for seafaring men, the shipbuilding industry and world trade. The mammoth Manhattan -- her 725-ton bow jutting out like an iron jaw -- turned toward the steel-like ice cap at the top of the world at 7:15 a.m., April 3, as she sailed from Newport News, Virginia. The ship was readied for the voyage at the Newport News Ship building & Drydock Company. Two days after sailing, the tanker was joined by the Louis St. Laurent. Canada's newest {Continued on page 2) R. C. "Rusty" Curtis, Marine Department general manager. "Our contract with Newport News will enable us to move more quickly toward actual construction of such ships if it is determined that this is a desirable method of transport ing Alaskan oil. "If we build icebreaking tankers, a prime consideration in the ship design and construc tion will be the prevention of any pollution of the Arctic waters." The announcement came three days before the Manhat tan set sail on April 3 on her second probe into the Arctic to gather data that is expected to tell Humble whether it is eco- {Continued on page 2) W5 BUBBLING over with enthusiasm, this little Eskimo girl smiles behind the results of her first experience with one of civilization's novel pas times, bubble gum, which was brought to the Arctic by Able Sea man Arthur T. Koller during the Manhattan's first voyage in the Northwest Passage in 1969. He and 23 other officers and men are now aboard the tanker on their second trip to the Far North. EXX-MOR-008136 Ice-Hardened Arctic Veterans Part of Ship's Crew (Continued from Page 1) icebreaker. This ship also sailed with the Manhattan as part of her own sea trials on the tanker's return voyage through the passage last October and November. Twenty-three of the 50 offi cers and men in the tanker are ice-hardened veterans of the first Arctic voyage. There are also 30 scientific and research personnel aboard. Arthur W. Smith, a bearded veteran of the first voyage, is the Man hattan's master. Stanley B. Haas. Marine Arc tic Task Force manager, is also aboard the ship. He was on the epic voyage last year when the tanker became the first com mercial ship to sail through the passage. These are the officers and men aboard the Manhattan. Asterisks indicate those who sailed in the ship on her first Arctic adventure: "Captain Arthur W. Smith "Chief Officer Donald E. Gra ham, Chief Officer George Beck, Jr., ```Chief Officer Al bert Scara, 2nd Mate Jack T. Stillman, 3rd Mate Arthur S. Melanson, Deck Cadet George Henderson of the U. S. Mer chant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. ```Chief Engineer Colos J. Ben nett, *lst Assistant Engineer Edward Dolloff, ```2nd Assistant Engineer Lawrence D. Roth, 3rd Assistant Engineer Edwin J. Gould, 3rd Assistant Engi neer Anthony A. Bonaffini. *3rd Assistant Engineer Alton Burns, Jr., 3rd Assistant Engi- ESSO FLEET NEWS is published every other Monday for active and retired employees of the Marine De partment, Humble Oil & Refining Co.: Russell C. Curtis, General Man ager: Sydney Wire. Assistant Gen eral Manager. Gene Legler, 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. neer Matthew Wendelboe, 3rd Assistant Engineer William H. Fornuff, ```Radio Officer Carl W. Thenemann, `"Radio Officer Alton H. Tschirhart. Able Seaman George W. Young, ```Able Seaman Joseph R. Hendershott, ```Able Seaman Arthur T. Roller, Able Seaman William E. Stanley, Able Sea man George W. Wright, Able Seaman Bill E. Tyra, *Ordinary Seaman Ronald A. Makowiecki, Ordinary Seaman Paul G. Cano, Jr., Ordinary Seaman John R. Dunlap. `Chief Pumpman Auriel T. Hall, Pumpman Raymond Mott, *Oiler Juan J. Aurelio, *Oiler Frederick Munchhausen, Oiler Grady V. Fountain, Oiler Clif ton E. Weddell, Oiler Frederick N. Jones, Oiler James T. Wyatt, ```Fireman-Watertender John P. Jennings, Fireman - Watertender John J. Forker, FiremanWatertender Sigmund F. Kosensky. ``Chief Steward Leopold Oliviera. Jr., Chief Cook Fernan do A. Ferreira, Chief Cook Ayres Gonzales, ```Second Cook Jose P. Leitao. Second Cook An tonio Martins, ```Messman-Utilityman Henrique I. Ferreira, S. S. MANHATTAN, steaming in the Arctic in 1969, is on her second ice-cracking voyage near the top of the world. `"Utilityman Oliver P. Picou, `"Utilityman Agustin Loredo, Jr. "Utilityman Alfredo P. Del Toro, Messman Henry Joseph, Messman John T. Shayner, Messman-Utilityman John J. Ekasala, Messman-Utilityman James P. Brennan, Jr., Mess man - Utilityman Clyde E. Ayers. Humble Lets Design Contract (Continued from Page 1) nomically feasible to operate tankers year-round in the Northwest Passage. The Marine Department in past estimates indicated that such, an operation would re quire the use of 250,000 dead weight ton tankers. And New port News confirmed that tank ers which might be constructed under the agreement would likely be in that class, more than twice the capacity of the 115,000 deadweight ton Manhat tan. The company's contract with the shipbuilder contains pro visions for assignable options in the icebreaking tanker con struction as well as licensing provisions to enable Newport News to construct tankers for other companies using the de sign developed for Humble. A decision on whether or not to construct icebreaking tanke2's will be made after data collect ed on the Manhattan's cur rent voyage is evaluated. These tankers would be the largest ships ever constructed in the United States and the largest icebreakers in the world. The nation's largest ship builder. Newport News has a Marine design group in excess of 2.000 men. the largest such organization in the country. Page 2 ESSO FLEET NEWS 1A1 A TAFFRAIL TALKA i.<S A i^i *> ifV -** A iA. A A A A .A i^> mufti i*~i i-*-| |-*-| "SPRING IS HERE and the fish have started biting in Lake Rayburn (in East Texas),'' says Chief Engineer Clyde C. O'Neal of Port Neches, Texas, and he sent along this picture to prove it. He caught 12 bass March 31, the largest weighing in at a mouth-watering 5 pounds, 9 ounces. Four others on this string weigh 5 Vi pounds or more, two are 4 Vi-pounders, one is 3 Vi pounds, and the others Clyde called "small." The whole catch weighed more than 41 pounds. So if Clyde is telling some Texas-sized fish stories aboard the Esso New Orleans, here's evidence that he has something to brag about. on the bridge when his bow lookout reported, "Captain, you won't believe this, but we've got a whale riding on the bulbous bow." What hap pened next is best told by the master himself: "I grabbed the ship's camera and went for ward. Sure enough, lying across the bow was this huge black `fish.' Based on the amount of his body extending back to each side of the bow. I estimated he must have been at least 80 feet long. "We must have hit him squarely amidships. He was perfectly balanced on the bulb, and our better than 18-knot speed was holding him there. We had to reduce speed to dead slow before he slipped off and disappeared." But before this big free loader got away, Captain Allan took some pictures of him to prove his fish story was no figment of his salty imagination. These pictures were published with his story in the Mobile Mariner's March issue. Editor R. D. Miller kindly granted per mission to Fleet News to reprint the story. This incident happened as the tanker steamed from Quincy to Beaumont, about 90 miles northeast of Matanilla Shoals off the east coast of Florida. So as you sail in those waters, don't be surprised if a big black whale hitches a ride on your ship's bow. A WHALE OF A FISH STORY We don't make it a practice to give space in this Humble publication to our competition. But in this case, a sea story is a sea story, and one of our competitors has a good one going in its fleet. In fact, it's a whale of a fish story. Captain Allan Read of the Mobil Power was This 80-foot whale rests easily on the bulbous bow of a tanker sailing at 18-knots off the Florida coast. April 20, 1970 NOTHING IS TOO GOOD FOR SEAMEN The officers and men who sailed the Esso Newark on her last voyage to India have es tablished a fund that is a tribute to the talents of Chief Steward Adinario E. Alves and his department for adding South African lobster to the menu. "We the undersigned veterans of the SS Esso Newark India expedition from September through December of 1969 salute Mr. Adinario E. Alves for his devotion to the principle that nothing is too good for seamen. "We therefore are pleased and proud to con tribute to what is to be known as the South African Lobster Tail Fund. This fund will again allow you to follow your dedication above and beyond the call of duty and procure for all of us another helping of delicious tails. "Thanks, A. E., from all of us and our thanks is also extended to Cooks Steven Johnson and Francisco Sanchez who tastefully prepared all of your offerings." All 28 officers and men who contributed a total of $108 to the fund signed this letter and sent it to the Fleet News. It will be forwarded to Mr. Alves. Page 3 z < SS m o= jU- -I liuzLU Ps-< IPS ir > H a2 xLsJ U1 x*P- l 3L Cj tJ Three Marine Department Annuitants Die Willie Albert, 54, retired Ba ton Rouge Branch inland waterway cook, died April 2 at his home in Baton Rouge. He was fii'st employed in 1938 as a cabin boy in what was then the Lighterage Department of the Baton Rouge refinery. Mr. Albert was promoted to cook in 1940 and served in that rating until his retirement in 1964, with two years out in 1944-46 for military service. He last served on the Esso West Virginia tow. He had 25 years' service with the company. Mr. Albert is survived by his wife, Mabel, and four grown sons: Peter, Donald, Ronald and Lawrence. Clarence E. Erwin, 64, died February 1. He re tired in July, 1963, as a machinist and lived in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts. Mr. Erwin first sailed with this compan}' as wiper in the Esso Dover in April, 1947. He became storekeeper a month later and shipped out as machinist from November, 1947, until his retirement in 1963. He had more than 15 years' service. Mr. Erwin worked on a large estate from 1923 to 1939 when he took a job as an estimator at Bethlehem Steel's Fore River shipyards. He worked there until 1946 and soon afterward joined the Esso fleet. Mr. Erwin's wife, Helen, died about a year ago. and his only known survivor is a brother, William, of Wilmington, North Carolina. Richard A. Brower, 60, died March 21. He re tired in 1966 as able seaman after more than 15 years' service in Humble's Esso Fleet. He joined the Esso Chattanooga in July, 1948, as cook and worked in the steward's department until he left in 1949. Mr. Brower was rehired in 1951 and sailed again in the steward's de partment until 1955 when he transferred to the deck department as ordinary seaman. He first shipped out as able seaman in 1959. Mr. Brower lived in Jersey City, New Jersey, but was a patient for the last several months in the New Orleans Public Health Service Hos pital. He is survived by a son, Richard, Jr., of Jersey City. Page 4 May the Wind Be Always at Your Back Editing the Esso Fleet News has been more of an adventure than a job. It has been an exciting voyage with the finest shipmates afloat. That voyage ends with this issue. I have been drafted into the service of another publication, the Humble News. It was a short voyage that began only 14 months ago. I have learned a lot from all of you since then. This learning process started at Baytown where I declared on the first visit, "Just in time to see the ship park." An old salt leaning against his sea bag spat into the water, looked over his shoulder and grumbled, "She's docking, fella, not parking. Got that?" Yes sir, I got it. Other things changed, too. A ship is no longer the same as a boat. The front of a ship has be come the bow. The back is the stern. Floor is deck. Wall is bulkhead. Window is porthole. Kitchen is galley. Wife is chief cook. Upstairs is topside. Right is starboard. Left is port. And then there's the matter of the head. All radio and TV announcers are named Sparks, like Sparks Huntley and Sparks Brink ley. Shoreside friends hearing this Babel recom mend a vacation. Suppose they mean paid leave? One who asked what hours I worked was puzzled when I said, `Well, mate, I stand the 8 to 5 watch." Service station people look askance when I order half a barrel of bunkers, Enco Plus, and tell them the gas cap is on the port side astern. And when you take your car to an Enco Car Care Center and ask for the chief engineer, the head mechanic thinks you're a smart aleck. But to me a head mechanic is a plumber. In farewell, I want to say thanks to all of you. Your cooperation has made the filling of the columns of this newspaper an exciting voy age. Your comradeship has made every issue a pleasure cruise. And to paraphrase a better known newspaper's motto, "We (have tried to) Pi'int All the News that's Fit to Float." It has been my pleasure, Gentlemen. Smooth sailing. And may the wind be always at your back. Sincerely. Jim Pitts, Master Esso Fleet News Last lost time injury in the Esso Fleet reportable to the National Safety Council occurred MARCH 18 ESSO FLEET NEWS