Mobile Daylight Rechristening

to either from the Webb Institute homepage, or from the Alumni Relations page. Find old friends, check out the Career Center, volunteer to mentor, or reminisce over some photos of past Webb events or upload photos of your own. It’s definitely a rabbit-hole worth going down. You can also check out our social media, including the WAA Facebook Group, and Webb Institute’s Facebook, Linked-In and Twitter accounts. There’s also Vimeo and YouTube accounts for Webb-related videos and SmugMug for additional Webb campus event photos and videos. If you haven’t seen the Giving Day 2020 video, I would definitely recommend it!

This would typically be where I would say something about looking forward to seeing alumni and friends of Webb at the WAA Annual Banquet, traditionally held during the SNAME Maritime Convention, this year at the end of September/early October in Houston, TX. As I’m sure many of you already know, SNAME announced that this year’s event will be fully virtual, and the WAA will follow suit, with a “virtual” WAA Annual Banquet. The WAA Executive Committee is working on the details (i.e. there won’t be any food) and will let you know our plans as soon as they are finalized.

Stay Safe and Healthy!

MOBIL DAYLIGHT RECHRISTENING by Kathie & Curt Jr. Townshend

Screen capture of the Community Portal where you have access to alumni profiles, interactive map, career center, and photo collections.

URL: https://community.webb.edu

For questions and help: please contact Kerri Allegretta at: kallegretta@webb.edu

The Mobil Daylight was originally built in 1963 in Sasebo, Japan, as a 101,000 deadweight oil tanker, then was enlarged in 1973 to a 120,000 LT deadweight. At the time the ship was jumboized and launched in Yokohama, Curt Townshend '53 was manager of Mobil Oil Corporation's U.S. Marine Operations and was responsible for design, construction, repair, and operation of its domestic and international tanker fleet. As such, he worked closely with Mitsubishi Industries Ltd., the shipyard that enlarged the vessel. As his wife, I was honored and thrilled when invited to be godmother and to officially rechristen the ship! It was an exciting and somewhat nerve-wracking experience, as I was told it would be bad luck for the ship and crew if the champagne bottle did not shatter on the first attempt. Thankfully it did!

When the Mobil Daylight was sold by Mobil Oil Corp. several years later, my husband received the ship's brass bell in remembrance. Eventually the brass lost its luster and our family decided to have it refinished and in his memory to share its beauty with Webb, the school that enabled Curt to spend his professional years in the marine industry he loved so much.

Pictured: Curt Jr., the day he presented the bell to Webb.