News From Fort Schuyler

- LISA (not Linda) OVERBY was profiled in the MEBA Marine Officer. Sorry Lisa. (Thanks to Betsy, oops, BETH CHRISTMAN, Class of 1987, for that heads up.)

- The name of MIKE BURKE's new wife is Mary. Additional Schuylerites attending the ceremony included: CHRIS SCHULKEN 86 (Wedding Party) SEAN RAJKUMAR 86 and HANK AYERS 86.

WINTER WATCH ON THE EMPIRE STATE III - In response to the May 22 NFFS item about former training ships, RICHARD BAGSHAW, Class of 1962, wrote of TSES III (xUSS MERCY): "I still remember how spooky it was to stand watch on her as a Mug. She was a hospital ship probably built for "the big one"; i.e., WW II. During the Winter months the watch had to visit the large ship's morgue. I also remember stripping her down when the TSES IV appeared. It struck me even then that even though the GIBBINS was a newer ship, we were sad to see the MERCY go. (You could hardly call the GIBBINS a "pretty" vessel).

As we age ("Seasons of a Man's Life"?) I guess we all get a bit misty-eyed when we read of something that was such an immense part of our lives rusting away in one of the various "bone yards" around the country. It certainly was a truly unique experience that few can match at such a key period of one's formative years."

BEST KEPT SECRET AT MARITIME REVEALED - We have it on good authority (i.e. a note from big sister Eileen Femenia) that BILL KREPPEIN, Class of 1980, is the brother-in-law of JOSE FEMENIA, Class of 1964.

GUNG HO THIRD MATE - There is an enthusiastic, informative profile of BRENDAN "DAN" FOLEY, Class of 1995, in the May 14 issue of the "Hockessin Community News." (You look it up, I did.) Dan sails from Valdez to the West Coast with Maritime Overseas aboard the tanker OVERSEAS WASHINGTON. Dan was so sure of his career goals that Maritime was the only place to which he sent his application - steered there by a mentor and role model who was a retired Sandy Hook Pilot.

If any reader of NFFS knows a motivated "Dan" or "Danielle" who is interested in a maritime-related career, feel free to contact "Admissions@sunymaritime.edu"

A WHALING AND GNASHING OF TEETH - Scrimshaw is the topic of an all-day symposium at Sotheby's on Sunday, June 14. A uniquely salty event for anyone near NYC, call 212-606-7949, to register for "Scrimshaw, Sailing and the Sea."

A TECHNICAL QUESTION ABOUT TSES III - DO YOU HAVE THE ANSWER ? - A 1962 graduate, DICK STENSON, has a mystery he is trying to solve. He writes that: "In the May 1972 issue of the "All Hands" magazine.... an inquiry was made as to what was the largest gun ever onboard a ship of the US Navy. The writer suggested that it might have been a gun barrel that was welded to the keel of a Hospital ship. The editors responded that they had also heard rumors to this effect, and that it might have been an 18 " gun used as ballast in the USS HAVEN, AH-12, or the USS RELIEF AH-1. They were not able to confirm this rumor, but referred to it as the "Dreadnought Hospital Ship".

At that time, I recalled that as a Mug during my indoctrination training at the Fort, in 1958, we were required to learn the statistics regarding our training ship, the TSES III, ex USS MERCY, AH-8. One of the facts that I recalled was that the MERCY had a gun barrel cast in concrete as ballast. I passed this information on to "All Hands", but they responded that after checking with the Naval History folks it could not be verified.

I am wondering if any other "old hands" who sailed on the TSES III have any recollection of this, or was I just dreaming that I spent my first cruise on a Battleship? By the way, I eventually did go to sea on a Battleship, the USS IOWA, BB-61, as Trial Director conducting extensive sea trials after its reactivation. This was just prior to the tragic explosion of the No.1 gun turret. Needless to say it was a magnificent ship, and a thrill to sail onboard even if it only had 16" guns."

NEW VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE? A world-class golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is planned for Ferry Point Park, east of the Whitestone Bridge. Completion date is 2001. An appropriate venue for Fort Schuyler Alumni Association Golf Classics in the next millennium?