United States Merchant Marine Academy - Midships Yearbook (Kings Point, NY)

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» . June, 1982 Greetings To The United States Merchant Marine Academy Class of 1982 pendence of our country upon the sea for commerce and I security must be clear to all Americans. Recent even South Atlantic have brought into sharp focus the import ■)wer and the essential role of merchant shipping as an of a nation's strength at any given moment. is not merely an avenue of commerce and a pi; ” shores, it is a vital source of food and en orld. -chant Marine, the ships coi ire

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THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON June, 1982 Greetings To The United States Merchant Marine Academy Class of 1982 The dependence of our country upon the sea for commerce and for national security must be clear to all Americans. Recent events in the South Atlantic have brought into sharp focus the importance of seapower and the essential role of merchant shipping as an element of a nation's strength at any given moment. But the sea is not merely an avenue of commerce and a protective barrier to our shores, it is a vital source of food and energy for the peoples of the world. The United States Merchant Marine, the ships and the oil rigs probing the ocean depths for sources of energy and minerals, and the fishing vessels with their cargoes of food from the sea, are not merely steel and machinery; they are examples of modern tech- nology. This technology reguires highly skilled professional Merchant Marine Officers and Seamen. Your Kings Point education is now complete, and you have acguired those skills. The combination of study in the academic and technical subjects, together with the practical experience you gained at sea, have well prepared you for careers in the maritime industry and in the naval service. The success of our nation's maritime endeavors rests in part upon you. I am confident that each of you will strive to make a contribution and to do your duty. As you commence your seafaring careers, I sincerely hope you will always encounter Fair Winds and Following Seas.