Even with Lykes, Moore-McCormack, States, Isthmian, USL, American Export etc… and their huge fleets the work was that scarce for a mate?
I remember seeing an old MMP magazine from the 50’s with all their contracts on the back and it seemed like they had ships and jobs for days.
Not doubting you, just surprised.
There may have been work that my searches didn’t uncover. There were ships and jobs, but nothing for me with a new license and no MM&P membership. After searching the market of American and finding nothing I took the marine insurance job on referral from the academy alumni association. My new boss there had sailed as a merchant ship captain age 24 in WW2, but came ashore when the jobs went away.
In 1955 all of the deck officers on SS United States had Masters licenses, as did one of the unlicensed quartermasters who had commanded a merchant ship in WW2. That tells you something about the demand.
All four of the US steamship companies I sailed for are now long gone: US Lines, American Export, Grace, States Marine.
Maybe you could tell us about your own maritime work back in the 1950’s…
Pretty disappointing to hear that even in the 1950’s there was no work for new Third mates in the US flag fleet.
As I said (if you even cared to read that far) I was not doubting you — just curious as to some insight for the postwar era when US flag shipping was still common on the high seas.
I seem to recall hearing that there was a retraction of berths in the late 50s, although there were still many shipping companies. I know that when I started sailing in the late 70s, there were still some berths out there, but the “old timers” would talk of all of the work available in the late 60s to early 70s because of Vietnam. My own experience saw the huge loss of ships and jobs that took place in the early 80s, although I was lucky enough to sail for several years.
Looks like some more ships will be joining the US fleet soon:
Those will need Officers and crews, or are they going directly into the “mothballed fleet”?
BTW; Where are these ship coming from? Will the be purchased from foreign sources and flags, or already US flagged vessels like this one?:
:
I was negatively amazed to discover the two Ro-Ro’s were already 25 years old. WTF? ? ?
Everything has a “shelf-life”, and isn’t an ocean going vessel’s life-span [mostly] considered something like 20 years? Something about ferrous metal & sodium chloride?
My eyebrows also raised when I saw the age of the two RORO’s…
Yeah, once ships get to Special Survey No. 5 there are issues. The survey is also more intense, and the hull thickness gauging, too.
The original purpose of the USMMA in WW2 was to support the maritime portion of the supply chain for military cargo and passengers. That is still valid, and should focus training on that supply chain, from factory to destination. Other supply chains, such as commercial imports and exports, are less central to the mission.
You weren’t looking where the jobs were.
The navy also had the Naval Aircraft Factory and a torpedo factory. Both were closed immediately after the war was over because they were redundant and (before Eisenhower’s warning became fact) private industry could supply better products in less time for less money.
KP is a vestigial organ of a seriously ill dinosaur. It’s only purpose for existing today is to enforce its own existence and feed the nostalgic daydreams of aging ringknockers.
The WW2 needs are not there, and the need for MSC comes and goes. Both could be a factor in event of major conflicts, which still happen. With the event of containerization, management of the full length of the military supply chains is necessary. All of the transition points, availabilty of trucks, chassis, drivers, containers, depots where containers are stuffed and delivered, ships, and piers must be managed. If USMMA were to rotate to training for it, that would be some justification for keeping it alive.
Two year community colleges teach that! Many successful logistics operations are handled by high school graduates.
Considering the return on dollar invested to fulfill the stated purpose of the USMMA? It is a failure. But will likely live forever, government folks hate to admit mistakes.
Sorry to disagree Steamer. My pop enlisted in the mid fifties in the navy . Eventually went chief, but was a torpedoman mate (TMC) Retired as a missle guy., First Polaris , then Posieden on the semi-famous “USS Observation Island”. Incorrect that torpedo research quit after WW2. Took the latest subs (Before he passed) and after he retired on sea trials on shake down cruises. Strong supporter of KP, and pop was proud of his grandson getting a hard earned appointment,.as am I.
Who said “torpedo research” quit? I suggest you research the history of torpedo development and manufacture in the USA. The last navy torpedo factory was closed in 1946.
KP should have closed at the same time.
I stand by my reply., and support KP. They have adapted to changes in the industry , some haven’t…
What part of the navy doesn’t manufacture torpedoes can’t you understand? Do you have any idea about US merchant marine history?
No one except you said anything about research having “quit”, the navy torpedo factory was shut down in 1946 and production was turned over to civilian enterprise.
KP should have been shuttered at the same time. There wis no need for the American taxpayer to fund what amounts to a buggy whip factory.
In 1946 congress enacted a new unemployment tax act which for the first time included merchant mariners. The reason being that the war time emergency that produced the need for close to a quarter million mariners no longer required even a quarter of that number.
The need to train more mariners vanished faster than the number of ships flying the American flag. WW2 ended with close to 5,000 ocean goiing ships flying the Amercan flag. We now have fewer than 200. Care to tell us why the taxpayer needs to fund KP when every military service has its own academy … and there is little reason why each needs its own these days anyway other than “tradition”.
Thanks for the laugh. The industry has changed to the point where if the place were sold off, a year’s taxes on the real estate on which KP squats would return far more benefit to the nation than another century of it feeding off the public tit.
