Jerome Collins
3rd Engineer

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SHIPS, 1943 through 1948 -- from 1920s era: Narbo, Charles H Cramp, Henry S Grove, A L Kent, Edward Pierce; Libertys: Eugene Hale, Lambert Cadwalader, William E Pendleton, Milan R Stefanik, Old Dominion State; Victorys: Lewiston Victory, American Victory, Princeton Victory, Norwalk Victory; "High pressure" tanker: Gulf Maracaibo; C2s: Cotton State, Mason Lykes.

SAILED TO -- South & Central America, Mediterranean, Africa, Europe, Far East.

In wartime it was "a trip on every ship" as: wiper, fireman, FWT, oiler, machinist, deck engineer. Once fired coal on a noble old "up-and-downer;" never ate so much in my life! Then, Jr 3rd, 3rd, and 2nd assistant engineer; also OS, and sparks.

My sparks career now sporadic as AF3H (formerly W2VVQ). I used the Brown's amateur Morse transmitter on one recent trip.

LAST SHIP -- (before signing on the Brown, of course!) was in 1947 and 1948 on the Mason Lykes, a C2: as 3rd and 2nd assistant engineer--New Orleans and Gulf ports to West, South, and East Africa. Coincidentally, my first ship, the Narbo, was also a Lykes Lines ship. (In 1988 while visiting Savannah, I saw that the Mason Lykes was in port, however it was a newer vessel! But I looked up my old Chief, now a VP for a bulk carrier fleet; we recognized each other after 40 years.)

The American Victory, is now in the James River Reserve Fleet. I reached up and patted its hull from our work launch (1995)--for old time's sake.

SHORESIDE CAREER -- from 1942 (and between trips) as machinist. Then, beginning in 1949: instrument maker, R&D engineer in defense & civilian industries; then systems analysis professor; and last, manager of engineering research.

RETIRED -- December 1991. A year later, found the JOHN W. BROWN, and here I am, unbelievably, sailing again, and even one more "foreign" voyage--to Halifax. Most important, however, is to be able to contribute to maintaining the Brown as a steaming museum.

INTERESTS NOW -- writing, and researching local history.