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

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Favorable law and tax policies made foreign, “flag-of-convenience” registry increasingly lucrative. These laws, combined with a lack of protective legislation, as enacted in most other developed nations, caused our domes- tic flag merchant fleet to shrivel to the point that today less than four percent of our wa- terborne foreign trade is carried in American bottoms. Since the end of the Second World War, ships have become increasingly larger, with one ship now doing the job which once required many. The plethora of seagoing jobs which was available to early graduates of Kings Point simply does not exist for the Class of 1983. The jobs which are still there are as a rule filled, and those who have the good fortune to possess them are generally in no mood to give them up. Today’s American public, al- though vitally dependent upon it, is largely ambivalent to merchant shipping, Continued on page 8 6 Opening

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But deep inside, despite our frequent disclaimers to the contrary, glad we were doing it? The United States Merchant Marine Academy is the youngest of the nations five federal academies. The practice of maritime commerce, however, certainly out-dates maritime warfare. Indeed, in the late eighteenth century it was our powerful Merchant Marine which ne- cessitated the establishment of a navy. Much of America’s early prosperity was built by Yankee trader captains, and ever since, our economy has de- pended on the carriage of goods by sea. As the nation grew, we become more, not less, dependent on waterborne trade. When we went to war, the heav- ily armed Navy ships helped us project our power, but it was essentially de- fenseless merchant ships which allowed the Navy to maintain this projection. And although these workhorse vessels played every bit as heroic a role as their naval counterparts, they some how nev- er managed to achieve the same glam- our in the public eye. As our nation became increasingly wealthy, it became increasingly more difficult to build and operate ships which could afford to pay wages at ac- ceptable American levels. Continued on page 6 Opening 5

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Top Left: The Cadet Corps assembled for the noon meal in Delano Hall, 1947. Top Right: The Corps of Cadets line up for a formal review. Middle Left: During the 1982 football season, the Regiment wholeheartedly supported the Mariner team. Middle Right: Due to renovations in the barracks complex, fourth classmen are now required to study with 8 mid- shipmen per room. Bottom Left: In 1943, Cadet Midship- men studied diligently in their barracks room. Bottom Right: Not yet a varsity sport, midshipmen participate in a game of street hockey on Barney Square. Opening 7