The photo above was sent to the Seafarers LOG by Pensioner Mack D. Brendle of Bastrop, La. It is a picture from the early ’50s of “Babe” Torrey and Mack Brendle aboard the Irene Star (one of the U.S. merchant ships that sailed into the war zone during the Korean conflict). The vessel was at anchorage in Instanbul, Turkey at the time.
In a note accompany the photo, Brendle notes that Torrey was the deck engineer aboard ship; Brendle was the bosun. Torrey later passed away.
Brother Brendle, who is a veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II, joined the SIU in the port of Lake Charles, LA in 1955. He attended the Piney Point (Md.) Crews Conference in 1972 and graduated from the bosun recertification program at the union-affiliated school in September 1974.
Born in Bastrop, Brendle, now 78, retired from the union in 1979.
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