Massachusetts Maritime Academy - Muster Yearbook (Buzzards Bay, MA)

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EDITORIAL One sunny day, as I was standing O.O.W. duty, I observed an elderly gentleman as he stepped aboard the quarterdeck of the Bay State. Along with the dignified composure about him, he appeared very much at home and yet foreign to his surroundings. After glancing about for a few moments, he looked at me — and scratching his chin he stated; You know, lad, this is a bit different from the old school. Yes, those were the days of wooden ships and iron men. Then — with a slight smile, he gave a salute and departed. Yes, he was correct, it is a bit different from the old school (as any old M.M.A. salt will tell vou during his relating of a laughter filled and slightly exaggerated sea story) — but not that different. As long as there is an M.M.A., as long as there are middies, there will al- ways be an 86, a youngie, a mid, a cozy spot or a ship to jump, a classmate to say You rate it and a group of well versed liberty hounds singing the renowned phrases of the Academy Theme Song ( We ' re a bunch of et ' .-ctc. ). However, the unique expressions used at the Academy form only a fraction of the lasting memories we will take with us. There are memories of many weekends on board, oi the unforgettable youngie year, of cruises and liberty, ot dances and parties, of great times and rough times — of laughter and gloom and of the many events that only a middle could relate. And yet, as one looks back, he remembers all those things — good and bad — as part of his years at M.M.A. So, now that our class must set sail, we also will leave our slight mark, as other classes be- fore us have done. The major mark we leave is in the form of the MUSTER, which you are about to read. In this publication we have tried to present to you the Mass. Maritime as we know it; so that, in years to come, all may read and re-read of our Alma Mater. But, with us we will take such momentos as — leftovers from the immortal Hunger Strike a la 62, cUppings from the M.M.A. for State College campaign, the smallest class since before the war, second place in the Colonial Soccer League, a few salts, a little bit of Rio. — Bahia (Scissors Club) and the Falstaff Brewery, and a little bit of yours — dear taxpayer. Paul Ramsay Kelleher Editor-in-Chief 1965 MUSTER 2

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DEDICATED TO William L. LaCasse, Jr. To William L. LaCasse, we, the graduating class of 1965, dedicate our yearbook; in appreciation and rec- ognition for all the unrewarded help and advice that he has given us during our stay at Massachusetts Mari- time Academy. At the age of seventeen, after finishing High School, he joined the U.S. Navy and volunteered for submarine service after basic training. Early in 1944, Mr. LaCasse was assigned to the U.S.S. Besugo in the South Pacific theater of war. On the first patrol of the new submarine, they encountered en- emy shipping while surfaced and he was wounded. He was flown back to Pearl Harbor where he recuperated for three months, and was later awarded the Purple Heart. His next assignment lasted to the end of the war, aboard the U.S.S. Chub. During four successful patrols, this submarine was awarded the Submarme Combat Pin with three silver stars, and the crew received the Commanding Officers Commendation. After the war he became active in the American Le- gion and since then he has held the positions of Jr. Vice Commander and Sr. Vice Commander. Mr. LaCasse now resides with his wife Frances and two children, Hallv and Mickv, in Fairhaven, Mass. WilUe, as he is known to all aboard, first came to the Academy in March of 1947. He resigned his posi- tion in 1950, but returned in May of 1954, to lend a helping hand to the midshipmen. We sav Thanks and extend our gratitude to you, Mr. LaCasse, for all vou ' ve done to readv us for our lives at sea. and we hope that this dedication will, in some small wav, show our sincere appreciation. The Graduating Class ot 1965 4