Off to Fiddler's Green Captain Fred C. Hawkins (1928-2008)
Olin]. Stephens II (1908-2008}
Captain Fred C. Hawkins of Belmont, CA, died 10 August 2008. A native of Los Angeles, he graduated from UC Berkeley in 1950 with a bachelor of science degree in economics and foreign trade, and married Pat Christensen two years later. After serving in the merchant marine during WW2, he received a direct commission into the Naval Reserves in 1956, where he served until his retirement in 1982. His 36 years of service garnered the Navy Commendation Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal , and Merchant Marine Medal . Captain Hawkins was an executive in the Pacific Coast transport industry for 16 years, including Matson Navigation, Strick Trailer Corp., Integrated Container Service, and Pacific-Gulf & Marine. In 1974 he became Director of International Sales and Marketing for Kansas Packing Co., and traveled the globe for the next 15 years in that capacity. Hawkins was a Life Member of the Naval Order and served as its Commander General from 2003-2005 . He was an NMHS trustee, member of the Naval War College Foundation, the Naval Reserve Association and the Reserve Officer Association. Just a few weeks before his death, Captain Hawkins volunteered at the NMHS table in San Francisco during the ASTA West Coast Challenge. "He was a wonderful and active trustee of the Society and, as an honorary trustee, we could always count on his support for our California events. 1hose at NMHS who served with him will remember him with great fondness." -Burchenal Green, NMHS President
Olin ]. Stephens II, one of the most significant yacht designers of our time, died in September at his home in New Hampshire. After a single semester at MIT, Mr. Stephens went on to design more than 2,000 yachts, including six America's Cup defenders. At the age of 23 , he designed Dorade, a 52-foot yawl that won the 1931 TransAdantic Race. A few years later, in collaboration with Starling Burgess, he produced Ranger, a 135-foot ]-Class sloop that successfully defended the 1937 America's Cup. Along with the Sparkman brothers, Stephens and his brother, Roderick Stephens Jr. , founded Sparkman and Stephens, the firm that built Dorade, plus the more than 2,000 other boats from racing sai ling yachts to power boats to military vessels-during WW2 he designed amphibio us landing craft and minesweepers. Stephens was prolific in his work and stayed at the cutting edge of design concepts and technology as the decades passed. In Dorade 2000, he wrote his autobiography, All This and Sailing Too, while cominuing ro design new boats and follow other pursuits ashore. Stephens was the winner of the 2006 NMHS Distinguished Service Award, was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 1993, and last year was named as one of six inductees to the inaugural International Sailing Federation Hall of Fame.
Celebrate our maritime heritage this holiday season with NMHS greeting cards Based on the painting "New York, East River Arrival c. 1884" by celebrated marine artist John Stobart, this new greeting card captures the romance of a bygone era- and helps support the work of NMHS. Greeting reads "Wishing you fair winds for the holidays and calm seas for the New Year." Also available as blank note cards.
CDl - On a s umm e r eve nin g in 188 4 , th e ta ll Dow n Eas te r Eclips e has ju s t docke d in S o uth S tree t afte r e ncounter in g a ra in squ a ll o n th e way. Th e c rew is puttin g th e s hip to bed w hi le sa il s dry o ut ove rh ea d . Beyo nd he r a rc hin g bow of New Eng la nd oa k li es a n iron British full -ri gge r.
Box of 10: $ 14.95, or $ 13.46 for NMHS members. Add $4 s/h for one box and $2 for each additional box. Please indicate your choice of holiday or blank cards. Additional cards are available in limited quantities on our web site www.seahistmy.org.
To order, call 1-800-221-NMHS (6647), ext. 0, e-mail nmhs@seahistory.org, or visit our web site at www.seahistory.org. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.