Captain Liberty, graduated from Farmington, NH High School in 1937, and commenced at New York Merchant Marine Academy (now SUNY Maritime College) in September of 1937. The first year we lived on the USS Annex, a schooner that was moored on the inboard side of the pier, with the Empire State on the outboard. We slept in cots in the upper tween decks. Engineering cadets were forward, and the deck cadets aft (whole class in two compartments). Classes were held in classrooms on the schooner, and on the Empire State.

At the end of the first year (1938), we moved to the Fort and set up all the KaKa that future cadets had to put up with (e.g. cutting across the pentagon, etc.). I was a bugler, boxed, captained a sailing cutter, but had no time for athletics. I made the basketball team and swimming team, but had to bow out as it interfered with my studies. You see, we had cleaning duties, watches, studies, and the lower class served mess. Besides extra duty, of which I had beaucoup, as a matter of fact, I had a minus 50 on graduation, so you can imagine what that did for my standing!

I graduated in the fall of 1939, and we were all Merchant Marine Reserve (Navy). Shipping was tough. No one sailed on his license, and most went out as Cadet Officers. I went out as AB, and was the first one to sail on his license. I was with Socony Vacuum, and we got ready to sail, but the second mate didn't show, so they moved the Third Mate to second, and since I was the only one on board with a license, they made me Third Mate and away we went!

Incidentally, it is interesting to note that all those from my Class that sailed as Cadet Officers were listed as GRADUATES OF KINGS POINT CLASS OF 1939. THEY WERE GRADUATES OF NYSMMA! USMMA DID NOT HAVE A CLASS OF 1939! This is something you may not be aware of.

I got married in 1940, and went to work at New York Shipbuilding in Camden, New Jersey, and became a Rigging Leader. I attended Temple University at night, but work prevented that later as I was working from 0700 to 2400! I was called to active Navy duty in 1942, and served first at Sheepshead Bay, a Maritime Training School for Merchant Seamen. I set up and taught seamanship. The Captain there was George Wauchaup, also a NYSMMA grad and head of American South African Lines. While there, I also taught Navigation to the Naval Officers who had never seen a ship --- and they were my seniors in rank.

Next, I went to the Naval Tanker AO-78 Chepachet, and was a Watch Officer, Division Officer, and Cargo Officer. When it came along, the Captain made me Radar Officer! I used to get 4 hours sleep out of 24 when at sea. Next, I was assigned to the AGP 12, a PT Tender Repair and Operation Ship. It was a converted C1A. I put it in commission, and I was made both Navigator and First LT (two department heads!) Later, I became executive officer, and then relieved the Captain. At that time, we had the Flag On board Commander Motor Torpedo Boats Pacific. The ship went from Guadalcanal up through the Solomon Islands to New Guinea, Mios Wendy, Pelelieu, Bablethop, and the Philippines. Six months after the war ended, I brought the ship back to San Francisco and got off active duty.

I had my second mates license, but being out of the country for most of the war, I didn't have the opportunity to take my Chief Mate's license. Therefore, because of the time and duty I had, I took my Chief Mate's and Master's license at the same time. In those days, everyone got 100% or didn't pass. Everything was essay, no multiple choice, and you knew it or you didn't. For NYSMMA graduates, it was easy, as we had a Master's Exam for finals at school. To this day, I can recite the Rules of the Road. We had to learn them WORD FOR WORD, International, Inland, and Pilot.

I went to work for Gulf Oil, and then having started a family, I went to school at the Insurance Company of North America in Philadelphia at their Executive Training School, specializing in Marine Insurance. Later, I left and went to work for a large broker in Boston in the Marine Department. After that, I started my own business, which I sold when my children were grown. I went back to sea, which was my original plan. I worked for United Fruit, American Export Isbrandtsen, and then later went with American Maritime Officers and was one of their first Captains, getting in on the ground. I put several new ships in commission, was Captain of America's first Supertanker, the BROOKLYN, and had many VLCC's including the Stuyvesant, New York and Maryland.

I retired form AMO and wrote the first Marine book on Computers, published by Cornell Maritime, entitled Computer Programming Ship's Business. It showed the individual how to write programs in BASIC to accomplish the paper work involved in running a ship. I started on computers early, and learned BASIC from a book, using it for doing trim and stability. Typical trim and stability takes about 15 minutes using a calculator, but with a computer, less that a minute! I also did frequent consulting jobs.

AMO asked me to set up a computer course for them to teach Captains, Engineers, and Mates, which I did. Then they asked me to teach it, which I did for 7 years, and then I retired again.

I can say that I was never without work in my entire life. I never wrote a resume. When I wanted work, I knocked on doors. My first job after graduation was the first place I was seeking employment. Our Alma Mater has an awesome reputation, and we have made lasting impressions wherever we have worked (or played!)