LETTERS
DECK LOG Change of Command Justine Ah lstrom has worked for the National Maritime Historical Society for a dozen years, as editor of Sea History for the last five. There are not enough accolades for her work here, as those who have written for these pages or are avid readers well know. Justine has also been curator of the NMHS library, produced our invitations and programs, and edited Sea History Gaz ette. Ready to expand her horizons, she has moved on to new and different work. We are sorry to lose her and congratulate the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History on their good fortune. Our advisor, Dr. Timothy J. Runyan, Director of the Maritime Studies Program at East Carolina University and a long-time friend of NMHS , recommended Deirdre O'Regan as our new editor. A licensed, professional mariner, Deirdre left the quarterdeck to work as adjunct instructor for Southampton College's SEAmester Program, where she teaches Maritime History and Literature ofthe Sea on board ship for an ine-weekcollege semester.As a mariner, instructor, and traditional sailmaker, she has shipped out on the schooners Spirit ofMassachusetts, Ernestina, Californian, and Harvey Gamage and the brig Niagara. Deirdre has an MA in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology from East Caro lin a University. She wrote her thesis on Sailmaking in Nineteenth Century Southern N ew England, tapping on her professional experiences as a mariner and sai lm aker and adding them to her academic studies at ECU. Her undergraduate degree is from Cornell University. In addition to her academic work, Deirdre documented a number of shipwrecks through field schools in nautical archaeology. She is also the Sally Kress Tompkins Maritime Fellow working with the Council of American Maritime Museums and the National Parks Service to survey historic structures and fishing vessels at work along the Gloucester, Massachusetts, waterfront . She is married to Brian Andrews, a sailing ship captain and marine geographer, and is the moth er of two young children. She lives in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Justine and Deirdre have co-edited this issue, after which Deirdre wi ll take the helm. On behalf of the Board ofTrustees and our members, we welcome her aboard. Tim Runyan has agreed to chair a Maritime Advisory Committee for the Society, which should give us greater depth and resources in maritime history. Deirdre will work closely with, and help create, this board. We are scheduling receptions around the country as we can to get a chance to meet our members. In addition, we are excited to be working on three very different and compelling cruises for 2004. First, our program chair Ronald Oswald chose a cruise to Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Deirdre 0 'Regan at the helm ofthe Islands aboard the 106-guest Orion. Next, NMHS topsail schooner Cali fornian members Philip and Irmy Webster recommended we sail on board Star Clipper for the Tall Ship Race in Antigua next April, after having sailed on five cruises themselves to recognize the opportunity it could provide other members. Finally, our "Maritime Seminars at Sea" transAtlantic cruise aboard the Queen Mary 2 in her inaugural season features sem inars by our president emeritus Peter Stanford and the president of Mystic Seaport, Douglas H . Teeson. We are voyaging with several maritime organizations, affording the opportunity to travel with many other knowledgeable maritime enthusiasts. A cruise affords an excellent opportunity to meet other members of your Society, and I hope you make the time to take at least one. BURCHINAL GREEN
Executive Vice President 2
I read with great interest Peter Stanford's article "From Two-Ocean Navy to AJlOcean Navy" in Sea History 104. I was especially interested in the relationship between Admiral Sims and President Theodore Roosevelt. Admiral Sims was not the on ly US leader in World War I who was first recognized, and whose career was greatly affected, by Roosevelt. General ofrheArmiesJohnJ. Pershing, Commander of rhe American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) in France in World War I, first mer Roosevelt in 1898 when Lieutenant Pershing of the 10th US Cavalry was the regular army officer assigned as an "advisor" to rhe Rough Riders; Roosevelt was greatly impressed by Pershing's abilities. Pershing's post-war activities in the Philippines subduing the Moros came to Roosevelt's attention , as did Pershing's service as a military observer to the Japanese army in the Russo-] apanese War. By 1906, when Pershing was still a captain, President Roosevelt had him promoted to brigadier general over the heads of 862 senior officers (having a father-in-law who was chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee didn't hurt either!). Thus , both top combat leaders of US forces in Europe in WWI wer.e recognized and influenced by Theodore Roosevelt. SIDNEY L. SALTZSTEIN, MD El Cajon, California I have just read your article "The American Achievement by Sea: Parr II" in Sea History 104. Ir is very difficult to cover such a broad stretch of historical turf in so few pages, and I admire your abi lity to explain rhe conrriburions of key historical figuresparticularly Admiral Sims. I do rake issue with the statement that Admiral King failed to give protection to shipping in American waters the priority it needed and that it took General Marshall to straighten this out. King believed rhat a convoy system wirh destroyer escorts was the best way to protecrAJlied shipping, bur escort ship construction was limited due to rhe need for ships for a proposed landing in Europe in late 1942. King had also tried to get the Army Air Corps to assist the N avy in its A.SW patrol work but was not getting sufficienr help from General Arnold. In 1942, King wrote to Marshall requesting help for land-based air support, and it was in reply that Marshall sent a
SEA HISTORY I05, AUTUMN 2003