DECK LOG "Don't lose sight of Sea History," said a voice from the back of the room. It was F. Carrington Weems, a distinguished nautical collector, whose collection of historic maps and ship models was on display in the lobby of one of Houston's big office buildings. He was one of the NMHS members gathered in Brennan's Restaurant in the great Texas port to exchange ideas on the future ofNMHS. In truth, we had gone pretty deeply into the programs our education director David Allen runs for us in New York and Miami-which we aspire to see established with teachers institutes in cities like Houston. But Carrington reminded us, in his cheerful, emphatic way, that our home base is in this journal which binds together our purposes and our people. Members do every kind of thing for our Society and for the seafaring heritage, and in this gathering, kindly held for us by Scott and Diane Duncan, it was good to meet the retired shipbuilder Jam es Manzolillo, who earlier this year opened the new Houston Maritime Museum, housing a rich, eclectic collection embracing past, present and future marine interests. With him was Richard Bricker, chronicler of the great barkentines built on the Gulf Coast after World War I, just back from a visit to Italy researching the trades these big wooden ships were in. And it was a pleasure to see our member Peter Herbert, who is sorting the papers of his father, NMHS Advisor Robert G. Herbert, whose words often graced these pages during his long, productive life. And it was splendid to meet four volunteers from the Elissa in nearby Galveston. They were too young to have been involved with our NMHS role in savingthatlovely Scottish bark of 1877, but, caring people that they are, they were aware of it. From Houston I went to Dallas, where the American Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II were rash enough to invite me to speak at their convention. I took my cue from our Overseer Walter Cronkite's letter to the AMMV (see "Letters," this page) on carrying the message of their wartime service forward. Seated with dinner chairman A. J. Wichita, I lost count of the number of NMHS members who came up to say hello. But I certainly have not lost the pride I felt in being among these quiet, seamanly American heroes. At our Annual Meeting in Boston the following weekend, I gratefully laid down the president's role I have endeavored to fulfill for 31 years, turning over the helm to Pat Garvey. I have a book or two to write in retirement, and writing to do for Sea History as long as our members can stand it. And, thanks to my son Anthony, I have the 25-foot gaff-rigged sloop Whisper of 1917 to see to, which I sailed in the 1950s. As we say in the old wooden boat business, she "needs a little work. ... " -PETER STANFORD, Editor at Large W hisper, as depicted in 1956 by Fred Freeman, who sailed in her.
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LETTERS Confident Sailors
Thank you for the remarkable maritime experiences the NMHS "History at Sea" program provided our students in Floating the Apple [a non-profit educational organization that works with students to build and sail rowing gigs in New York Harbor] during the past three summers. Some day, I feel sure, they will be telling their grandchildren of sailing USCG Barque Eagle into New York Harbor at the head of the parade on the Fourth of July, 2000. The confidence your organization has shown in these youngsters has, in turn, given them confidence in themselves. This was demonstrated last summer in many ways, including their taking on the responsibility for instructing Sea Scouts and other groups of young people, planning rowing events such as the Evacuation of Brooklyn, and training four crews of students for rowing races at New York State's Maritime College. By fall, the students were discovering that their "short ships," the gigs, were great for sailing and were loath to miss a good breeze after school until the shortened days and colder weather closed down our onwater operations. Several of those who sailed aboard "HMS" Rose with NMHS are building a Whitehall gig at the Worldwide Plaza at West 50th Street to make neighborhood residents aware of their waterfront and encourage them to become active in planning the park and community boathouse intended for that stretch of the Hudson River. MICHAEL K. DAVTS, Founding President Floating the Apple New York, New York To the Merchant Marine & Armed Guard Veterans
Fraternal greetings to all hands gathered in Dallas to celebrate andhonoragreatshared heritage of service at sea! Having sai led with you on Atlantic convoys in 1942, I well remember the anxious nights and perilous days which you had to face up to month-in, month-out, in the most terrible war in history. You don't have to hear from me that without your service delivering America's message and might across dangerous seas that most awful of wars could never have been won- not a chance of it. Yo u delivered the knockout punch that won the war, SEA HISTORY 97, SUMMER 2001