George Maier
Master, 2001-2008
President

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Captain George L. Maier, master of the S.S. JOHN W. BROWN and President of Project Liberty Ship, died on February 26, 2008, after a long and courageous battle with cancer, at the age of 80.

George Maier became master of the S.S. JOHN W. BROWN and President of Project Liberty Ship in 2001 after the retirement of Captain Paul Esbensen. Captain Maier was born in Brooklyn, New York, and as a teenage worker in lower Manhattan watched Liberty ships load up and leave for Europe during World War II.

Captain Maier graduated in 1948 from the New York State Maritime Academy at Fort Schuyler, New York. He worked for United States Lines for 33 years until retiring in 1981. He served as third mate, second mate and chief mate at sea from 1948 to 1960, making 45 round trips across the Atlantic on passenger and cargo ships. He became a port manager in Baltimore and later was general manager of Maher Terminals, Inc. in Baltimore. He held a commission in the U.S. Navy Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant commander.

In retirement, Captain Maier joined Project Liberty Ship in 1991 as a deck worker. He became third mate, the day-to- day boss of the deck crew, eager as anyone to keep the BROWN, as well as her all-volunteer crew, shipshape. He was a hands-on master, as likely to be found hanging over the side in a bosun's chair to chip paint as to be on the bridge.