DECK LOG Peter Stanford (1927-2016), His Sea History Legacy In April of 1972, Peter Stanford (1927-2016) and his colleagues at the National Maritime Historical Society published the first issue of Sea History, a sma ll black-and-wh ite periodical covering stories about maritime history and news about historic ship preservation projects. Peter became the official editor by the fourth issue, and for the next fo ur decades, his wo rk and inAuence were ev ident in t he pages of Sea H istory, even long afcer he handed over the helm to subsequent editors. Until his death this spring, he stayed on as editor-at-large, writi ng columns and a rticles, and always available for advice and guida nce. The author of hundreds of magazine art icles and ·lit_ ... Mre•,CHO<;••:,: a number of museum books, Peter Stanford published his las t book with his wife, Norma, in 20 13, A D ream of Tall Ships-How New Yo rkers came together to save the city's sailing-ship waterfront. While he had his hand in maritime projects all over the country-from saving historic ships to encouraging young people to learn maritime trades and finagling opportunities for them to get to sea, to leaning on legislators and barding developers who sought to rep urpose the work in g waterfronts around the country, to coll aborating with other maritime organizations-Peter understood how critica l it was to build a national coalition to supThe debut issue of Sea History port a nd pursue came out in spring of 1972. these goals. A big part of that effort was ca rried our through rhe development of Sea History and its role to serve as the national voice for the ma ritime heritage community. Peter developed Sea History from a 38-page magazine to the internat ionally distributed glossy 64-page issues published today. In its pages, Peter rook on the major themes in the maritime heritage field , as varied as his interests were-which were many. For almost half a century, Sea History has been the singular consistent vehicle to publish the stories of our seafaring heritage and news of what is h ap- Sea History 153, Winter 2015-16 pening today in the maritime world. Through Sea History, Peter brought this community together on a national basis the way he did with friends, in a group aro und a table on m a ny a night, whether in a ship's fo'c's le, at a local watering hole, or an o rdina ry kitchen. Sea History is an enduri ng legacy Peter left us, and it is ou r mission to rake over the watch and keep a steady hand o n the helm as we cont inue on the route he char red for us. Peter understood that the seas ahead a re often filled wit h squalls and shoals, a nd that the cou rse m ade good isn't always the course steered , bur a dedicated and sk illed crew ca n navigate a ship to fa ir winds and calmer wa ters en route to its des tination. Dr. Ray Ashley, president of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Peter's long-rime colleague a nd friend to the National Maritime Historica l Society said it best:
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SEA HISTORY-
Whenever the odds seemed too daunting or the obj ective unreachable, Peter was always there with his belief in the ability of character and determination to see the voyage through and he made yo u believe in ultimate success because he believed in it. Peter so loved to channel voices from the past; I doubt his own voice will fade for having joined them . The voyage continues. Fair winds, Peter. We have the watch. -Burchenal Green, NMHS President 4
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NATIONAL MARITIME HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PUBLISHER'S CIRC LE: Peter Aron, G uy E. C. Maitland, Ro nald L. Oswald OFFICERS & TRUSTEES: Chairman, Ronald L. Oswald; Vice Chairman, Richardo R. Lopes; President, Burchenal Green; Vice Presidents, Deirdre O'Regan , We nd y Paggiotta, Na ncy Schn aars; Treasurer, Howard Slornick; Secretary, Jean Wort; Trustees: Charl es B. Anderson; Wah er R. Brown; Wi lliam S. Dud ley; David S. Fowler; W illiam Jackso n G reen; Karen Helmerson; Robert Kamm; Ri chard M . Larrabee; G uy E. C. Maitland; Capt. Brian McAl lister; CAPT Sal ly C hin McElwrea th, USN (Ret.); Michael W. Morrow; Richard Parrick O'Leary; E rik K. O lstein; ADM Robert J. Papp Jr., USCG (Ret.); T im othy ]. Runya n; Ri chard Scarano ; Philip J. Shapiro; Capt. Cesare So ria; Roberta Weisbrod; W ill iam H. White; Chairmen Emeriti: Walte r R. Brown, Alan G . Choate, Guy E. C. Maicland, Howard Slotnick FOUNDER: Karl Kortum (1917-1996) PRESIDENT
EMERJTUS:
Peter
Sta nford
(1927-20 16) OVERSEERS: Chairman , RADM David C. Brown, USMS (Rer. ); RADM Josep h F. Call o, USN (ReL); Geo rge W. Ca rmany Ill ; James J. Co leman Jr. ; C live C ussler; Ri chard du Mo ulin; Alan D. Hutchiso n; Jakob lsbrandtsen; Gary Jobso n; Sir Robin Knox-John sto n; John Lehm an ; Capt. James ]. McNamara; H. C. Bowen Smith; John Srobart; Phi li p j . Webster; W illi am W interer NM H S ADVISORS: Chairman, Melbourne Sm ith; Geo rge Bass, O swald Brett, Francis Duffy, Jo hn Ewa ld , Timothy Foore, Steven A. Hyman , J . Russell Jini shi an, G unn ar Lundeberg, Co nrad Mi lste r, W illiam G. Mull er, Sruarr Parnes, Lori Dillard Rech, Nancy Hughes Richardson, Bert Rogers, Joyce Huber SEA HISTORY ED ITOR IAL ADVISORY BOARD: Chairman, Timothy Runyan; Norma n Brouwer, Robert Browning, W illi am Dudl ey, Daniel Finamore, Kevin Foster, John Jensen, Joseph Meany, Lisa No rlin g, Ca rl a Rahn Phillips, Walter Rybka, Que nrin Snediker, Wi lliam H. W hi te NMHS STAFF: Executive Director, Burchenal Green; Membership Director, Na ncy Schnaars; Marketing Director, Steve Lovass-Nagy; Comptroller, Anjoelin e Osuyah ; Staff Writer, Shell ey Reid; Director of Public Relations, Lisa Fin e; Membership Coordinator, Irene E isenfeld; Charles Point Council Coordinator, Barbara !tty SEA HJSTORY: Editor, Deirdre O'Regan; Advertising, Wendy Paggiotta Sea History is printed by The Lane Press, South Burlington, Vermont, USA.
SEA HISTORY 155, SUMMER 20 16