NMHS: A CAUSE IN MOTION
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The Mariner's True Character Celebrated at the 2009 NMHS Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club ues ts at the N MHS Awards Dinner in New York declared it a rem arkable evening. N MHS advisor Russ Jini shian bro ught original art from his gallery, as did artists Bill Muller and Paul Garnett. In displaying his art, Paul Garnett spoke at length about th e research involved in creating paintings of histo ric ships, fro m learning the specifics of the weather condi tions on the day of the scene depicted, to capturing details of the ship's riggi ng and unifo rms of the sailors. The US Coast G uard Academy C ho rale's perfor mance, fro m shanties to patriotic anthem s, was enchanting, as always. Gary Jobson-NMH S overseer, Ame ri ca's yachting commentator, and tactician fro m the 1977 America's C up champion boat Courageous-was on hand to introduce his fo rmer skipper Ted Turner. As a man who has known Turner fo r years and has seen him fi rs thand under some ve ry intense situations, Jobson described Turner as Paul Garnett discusses maritime art with Rick Malkames. "larger than life," a description he lived up to in his keynote presentation. Ted Turner is wel l kn own as a medi a mogul, philanthropist and enviro nmentalist, and this ni ght was receiving th e Society's award in recogni tio n of his vision, dedication, and influence as a pro po nent of America's maritime heritage and for his many accomplishments as a wo rld-renowned yachtsm an. Most of the 1977 championship crew from Courageous were in arrendance to support him. Yet, Turner didn't speak abo ut the glory days of America's Cup- there were plen ty of other peopl e for that- bu t rather about the significant lessons in charac ter that he had learn ed from sailing. To best represent these traits of loyal ty, fri endship, Ted Turner's personal and thoughtand humili ty, he reci ted from three classic p rovoking keynote presentation was poems, befi tting the occasion addressing a the highlight ofthe evening. historic society. The awa rds event also provided an opportuni ty fo r the Society to pay tribute Gary Jobson introducing his good friend Ted Turner. to the exemplary efforts of the ferryboat captains who rescued the crew and passengers of the US Airways fligh t 1549 that ditched in the Hudson River o n th at fri gid day las t January 15 th. TI1ese "H eroes on the Hudso n" we re ho no red fo r fulfillin g that ages-old understanding of m ariners to do the righ t thing for their fe llow man, no matter who th ey are o r how they got there, no matter the risk. Wh en these ferryboat captains and their crews rushed to the downed ai rliner immedi ately after it cras hed into the icy ri ver, they exemplified what it means to be a true m ariner, and the Na ti onal Maritime Historical Society was pleased to recognize them fo r their heroic efforts that day. NMH S Vice Chairman Rick Lo pes produced a moving video with foo tage of the downed plane with passengers standing o n the wings as it drifted with the current and showed interviews of th e captains, their crews, and Arthur Imperatore Sr. , founder and owner of N YWaterway, the fe rryboat company whose boats saved most of those rescued. N MHS trustee John M cDonald stated, "I had wa tched the repo rts o n TV alo ng with everyo ne else, but that video captured the heroism of those men and wo men in a way that was quite remarkable." Ma ny an eye was rearing up as the captains came forward fo r their awards. -Burchenal Green, President
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NMHS Dinner Co-Chairman Daniel Whalen, Chairman Ronald Oswald, NYWaterway Founder Arthur Imperatore Sr., Captain Robert R. O'Brien J r., USCG, Captain of the Port, Sector NY, and D inner Co-Chairman Captain Cesare Sorio congratulate the "H eroes on the H udson. "
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SEA HI STORY 129, WINTER 2009-10