ALEXANDER KAUFMAN class of October 1946 passed away on November 13, 2011 after a valiant and brave battle with cancer. According to his wife, he wrote his own obituary just prior to his passing.
In Alexander's own reflection:
"In 1942, at the age of 15 (I had been entered into school early), at the then greatly revised emergency standards, I graduated from the Metropolitan Vocational High School, the only US public school offering Deck and Steward Department courses in "Maritime Trades".
Two of my instructors, Joseph Shillings and Alex Donegan were pre-WWII graduates of NYSMA and encouraged me to pursue my keen desire for a career at sea with the merchant marine by seeking admission to NYSMA, rather than shipping out as O.S. on a research expedition to the South Atlantic. During my junior and senior year in high school, I had attended navigation and seamanship classes at the Seamans Church Institute at South Ferry in Manhattan. The instructors were very patient and helpful, and the Rector was kindly in keeping us "Aeronautical Marine Cadets" on the straight and narrow.
At 16 I went to work at the New York Naval Shipyard as an apprentice ship-fitter, and, in addition to practical work in a new sub-assembly shop, also worked with experienced lead men on repairs to US destroyers and also the French man-of-war Richelieu. One of my outstanding memories was to see the sun burst out of the overcast sky at the launching of the USS Missouri, BB63, an auspicious omen.
I felt particularly proud in having helped lay down the sweeping lines of her beautiful bow on the mold loft floor. In 1944, because of my lack of credits in math, I went back to the Seamans Church Institute and took remedial and qualifying courses in math and spherical geometry, as recommended by the then NYSMA Secretary, Lieutenant Commander Philip Heusel. After graduating from NYSMA, I sailed tankers and freighters (Gulf Oil and Isbrandtsen), followed by service with the Harbors and Rivers Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers"
Eleanor Kaufman added that " The old HAWK will be there to greet us in the by and by"
FMSAA