Tom Osman
Engine Dept.

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Thomas Osman, an engineer in the merchant marine through three wars, and a cheerful and popular engineer on the S.S. JOHN W. BROWN since 1991, died September 13, 2007, after a long illness. He was 84.

Tom was born May 26, 1923, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and grew up there with a sister and a brother. After graduating from high school in 1940 he began working at the Bethlehem Steel Company mill in Baltimore, where his father also worked.

When World War II began Tom learned about the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy just being organized at Kings Point, New York. He was accepted into the Academy in December 1942 and by 1943 was at sea as a cadet aboard the Liberty ship S.S. WARD HUNT. In time he earned his third engineer's license and a commission in the Naval Reserve.

During and after the war Tom served on more than 25 ships in more than 32 years of sailing in three different seagoing periods, including World War II, the Korean War and Viet Nam.

He left the sea briefly in December 1945 and married his wife, Carole, in 1946. He went to college, could not afford to continue his studies, and returned to sea duty from 1946 to 1960, in assignments with the United States Line up to chief engineer. He went ashore as a port engineer in Baltimore until 1970, when he shipped out again until his retirement in 1984.

Tom first encountered the BROWN in 1989 but did not become active with Project Liberty Ship until his wife died in 1991. Wanting to keep busy he began volunteering and for 16 years was a popular fixture with his sunny disposition and his vast knowledge of all things maritime. He served whenever and wherever an engineer was needed, and never lost his love for ships.

Tommy left no immediate survivors, other than his many friends aboard the BROWN.