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

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dets on ships based on their size and tonnages. These cadets were young Americans under 21 who were to hold rank as Petty Officers, be trained in the duties of seamanship and receive a reasonable pay. This proved to be an unsatisfactory way to train ship’s officers. The Jones-White Act of 1928 tried to solve the problem by repealing the previous act and bring- ing the cadet’s training under the mail subsidy portion of the law, but the harsh working conditions and low pay discour- aged young men from joining the program and few were able to obtain and sail on their licenses. In the early 1930’s suggestions began to be made to start a Federal Academy to train officers for service in the American Merchant Marine. Then in 1934 the MORROW CASTLE caught fire and in January of 1935 the MOHAWK was in- volved in a collision in which'over 150 lives were lost. These two disasters brought to light, the level of incompetence that was then plaguing the industry and on June 14, 1935 Presi- dent Roosevelt urged the formation of a Federal Academy and an officer training program. Clockwise from above: One of the campus residents. The bar- racks in springtime. The Academy Seal. A member of the band during a review. The Throgs Neck in early morning. A lone trumpeter. 5 Opening

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On June 29, 1936 President Roosevelt approved the Mer- chant Marine Act of 1936 and later amendments were made for the train- ing of officers under the U.S. Maritime Commision. Rear Admiral Wiley, USN undertook the plan to develop a train- ing system under this act. The U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps was es- tablised on March 15, 1938. The origi- nal Corps consisted of 99 men who were previously under the company system of training estab- lished by the 1928 Act. To be consid- ered, the Engine Ca- dets had to have two years experience in a shipyard, a boiler manufacturing plant, or a technical college. Deck Ca- dets were required to have at least a high school educa- tion. These men were given a list of subsidized compa- nies to which they could apply for their training aboard a ship. On January 1, 1939 the Maritime com- mision took over the selection of cadets. Richard R. McNulty became the first su- pervisor of the Ca- det Corps in the same year, and on April 17, 1939 The first competitive tests were given to candidates. In July 1939 the Cadet Corps had increased its ranks to 216 men. Opposite Page: A wintery scene of the Academy Chapel. This page: Paintings of the ships of yesteryear. 7 Opening