Service Details
-
Albert G Brown Vessel Messman period Nov 1959 to Mar 1960,
Joined the Albert G Brown off Spotts in Grand Cayman. My mother, Ivy Urselina Hurlston, accompanied me to Spotts. Left Cayman and went to Venezuela and loaded up with oil. She was a T2 Tanker. Went to Manchester in England to offload. Then, they went to Southampton to wash the tanks and picked up molasses, delivering it to Liverpool, the Isle of Wight, and a few other ports in England. Then, I went to the Panama Canal and disembarked from the ship as it was being taken to the scrapyard in Japan. We picked scrap metal along the way to the scrap yard.
-
Ore Saturn Vessel period 1 May 1960 to May 1961,
I received my call again in May 1960 and travelled to Newark on the way to New York, not knowing which ship we would be assigned to. When we arrived in New York, my luggage and some of the other guys were missing. We were then told that we would be rejoining the Albert G Brown in Seattle, Tacoma, on her last voyage to the Japan scrap yard. We did not get our luggage before leaving Seattle. It took us 26 days to reach Japan, departing on May 4th. Had to work in the uniform jacket and messman for those 26 days. Washed my pants at night and slept in my underwear. Got to the scrap yard in Japan on May 30th and stayed on board the ship that night. The next day, two busloads of us went to Kure, where the Ore Saturn was being built. I bought pants in Japan, but the first time water touched them, they shrank so much that it was as if I was wearing shorts. I visited the shipyard and stayed in a nearby hotel for 26 days, then joined the ship for four days before it sailed. At that time, I was earning US$90 per month, and I sent $50 home to my mother. While in Japan, waiting to join the ship, we would receive advances from the Captain, and he would write on a matchbox. To our delight, he would throw away the box when it was finished, so we didn't have to repay the advances. We left Japan on my birthday, June 30th, and sailed to the Panama Canal, then on to Venezuela, specifically to Puerto Ordaz, where my luggage was finally delivered to me. We loaded up with Iron Ore and then went to Marcus Hook in Philadelphia, then back to Venezuela, and then to Trenton, New Jersey. That was the route until I got off in Philadelphia in 1961 and came home for a few weeks.
-
Phoenix Vessel Wiper period Jun 1961 to May 1963, Junior Engineer period Jan 1970 to Jun 1970,
Joined the Phoenix as wiper stayed with her 24 months and left as Fireman water tender. A job I really enjoyed. Joined in New York and got off in Aruba
-
Petroemperor Vessel Fireman Water Tender period 29 Oct 1964 to 9 Feb 1966,
Joined in Portland Maine and got off the ship in Naples Italy,
-
Bulkoceanic Vessel Oiler period 16 Feb 1966 to 7 Sep 1966,
Joined in New Jersey and got off in Panama
-
Ore Meridian Vessel Oiler period 15 Nov 1966 to 14 Dec 1967,
Jpined in Philadelpha and got in Morrisville PA
-
Ore Jupiter Vessel Junior Engineer period 21 Dec 1967 to 16 Dec 1968,
Joined her in Morrisville and paid off in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. Flew to Jamaica before coming home.
-
Frisia Vessel Junior Engineer period 12 Mar 1969 to 26 Oct 1969,
Joined in Le Havre, France, and also paid off there.
