Editor's note: The Seafarers LOG reserves the right to edit letters for grammar as well as space provisions without changing the writer's intent. The LOG welcomes letters from members, pensioners, their families and shipmates and will publish them on a timely basis.Help Restore Victory Class Ship
The S.S. Red Oak Victory was rescued from the Benecia Mothball Fleet four-and-a-half years ago by the Richmond (Calif.) Museum of History and later was named by Congress as a part of the Rosie the Riveter National Historic Park, which was established in 2001.
Our ship was launched in 1944 in Richmond, participated in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and was then in mothballs for 32 years. The vessel is now being restored entirely by volunteers and, hopefully, will sail within a year or two.
As a non-profit corporation, we are able to offer tax benefits to all donors of cash or material. For volunteers, we offer good old Navy coffee with donuts most every day and a hot lunch on Tuesdays. With such largesse to offer, we hope to attract many more volunteers in all departments. We have a necessary cadre of highly skilled retired captains, chief engineers, bosuns, etc., but we need as many additional "hands" as we can get. Experience is helpful but not necessary; we can do the training. Age is not really a factor either, as we range from the mid-forties to the early eighties, and our non-sailor crew consists of an airline captain, a dentist, a college professor, an airplane machinist, a police captain, a UPS driver, a building contractor, etc. One day a week is the usual work stint, though we have some working two days or more.
The job is big, but no contribution is too small.
Rolly Hauck, Restoration Manager
S.S. Red Oak Victory
P.O. Box 1267
Richmond, CA 94802
(510) 237-2933; www.redoakvictory.org
Give Credit to Mariners Involved in War Effort
I would like to recognize an overlooked group of Americans playing a key role in our war against the Iraqi regime. Currently there are more than 3,500 U.S. Merchant Mariners serving aboard military support ships in the war zone (as designated by the Defense Department).
Franklin Delano Roosevelt dubbed the U.S. Merchant Marine "the fourth arm of defense" after its heroic performance in World War II. Our mariners, an all-volunteer service, suffered a casualty rate second only to that of the Marine Corps during WWII. In fact, the merchant marine has played a vital support role in our nation's conflicts dating back to Revolutionary times.
After the Persian Gulf War, Colin Powell said, "American Seafarers provide an essential service to the nation, as was demonstrated so clearly during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm... We are a maritime nation. We must be able to project power across the sea. This means that not only do we need strong Navy, but also a strong maritime industry as well."
I strongly believe that the basic unit of our society is the family--that without strong families we can't have strong communities, and without strong communities we can't have a strong nation. Working as a unit should be our goal in supporting all we achieve. We should band together as families and communities and as a nation and send our support to all forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Merchant Mariners.
Shout pride, patriotism and courage to our troops, loudly so all can hear we love our troops and we support them.
I close today by saying thank you to all of our troops and veterans for their service to our country and for our freedom. I thank the maritime unions-- including the Seafarers International Union, which has more than 2,000 mariners sailing in this conflict --for standing up for our mariners and supporting them.
God be with our troops, our mariners and all of America.
Lori Carraway
Martin, Kentucky
(The writer's husband, Gary, is an AB in the SIU.)
School Embodies 'American Ideal'
In Alaska I feel like I am in the best place in the world. I feel the same way when I am at the school (the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education). This must be the greatness of the American Ideal.
But it is individually great Americans who make this possible. I am reminded of this as I see you effectively communicating with everyone and I imagine that what I don't see is you doing other things for the great institutions that are important also.
We have said thank you to our instructors for each class. So, this letter is to say "thank you" to you for the wonderful seamanship school experience. With people from every department, work area or office, I have perceived the finest spirit and intent.
It is wonderful to be in such a concentration of heroes... My eager fulfillment of SIU contracts will follow--and so may my hopes to return to the school be also realized.
Steve Odoi
Dutch Harbor, Alaska
(The writer was among the first participants in a job-training program involving the SIU, the Paul Hall Center and the nonprofit recruiting and referral agency SEA Link, Inc. that started earlier this year. This letter first was sent to SIU President Mike Sacco because the union negotiates with contracted employers for contributions and support of the school.)
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