Saving our History

In this Centennial year I want to make a challenge to each and every Sea Scout in every Ship.

The concept is capturing the Sea Scouting legacy.   Interviewing (on video would be great, written up would also be good) long time Sea Scouters in order to capture their memories of the program.

Perhaps we could get them posted on the National Sea Scout web page.

The main motivation:

Years ago when I was a Sea Scout our Ship participated in our Councils Scout O Rama by having a Landship display. Every year an old man would come out, wearing blues that looked like they had been in his closet for years, and sit on the Landship for an hour or so…then he would leave. We were so busy, showing Cubs and Scouts all the things on the Landship that we did not really talk to him much.  But I did know that his name was Ray J. Warner. Then one year he was not there…I later found out that he had passed away that year.

Then when I was a Jr Mate, I undertook the task of doing some research on my Ships history. I learned that our Ship started in 1948 and during the early/mid 1960’s it had merged another Ship into its ranks. The Skipper of that merged Ship was Ray J. Warner. Of course I knew that name and could place a face to it.  I had wished I knew that years earlier as it explained why he would visit our Scout O Rama Landship.

Many many years later I started collecting Sea Scout memorabilia and ended up purchasing several items from a EBay seller in the Gorman CA area. She mentioned that the items came from the collection of her Father in Law who was a Lone Scout as a kid and a Sea Scout as an adult. I asked her for the name of her father in law…Ray J. Warner. I told her about having met him a few times and about my regret for not taking the initiative to talk to him more and not having a Sea Scout Honor Guard at his services. Those items are now amongst the most treasured items in my collection.

My goal is to avoid this happening again…when possible.  The persons who preceeded us helped create and shape the program for us…and it is that legacy that should drive each of us to keep it going for those who come after us.  I know that the Sea Scout program has had a profound positive impact upon my life, I have always been grateful to those who came before me.

Some of the already lost legacies:
Jackie & “Tiny” Hamman – Long Beach Area Council – Their daughter in in the area and her ex-husband is on the list below.
Chick Russell – Skipper Albatross, NorCal
Andy Fitzpatrick – Base Manager Orange County Council
Gene Nelson – Base Manager, Pardee Scout Sea Base, Marina del Rey, Western LA County Council
the Pardee (George, Hoyt and Douglas) brothers – all members of Islander (one of which was the namesake of the MdR base)

Some candidates to speak to could include:
Lee Bradford – Skipper Conquest – Long Beach Area Council
Chuck Modlin – Skipper Volunteer – Orange County (CA) Council
Shane Foster – Past Skipper Volunteer V – Long Beach Area Council
Mitzi Koch – Former Skipper Morning Star – Western LA Area Council
Mike Stewart – Skipper Del Mar, Orange County Council
Carl Shelhorn – Skipper Chaser
Bob French – Skipper Reliance/Morris
Joseph Steinberg – Former Mate to Skipper Joe Hines (for whom the Rendezvous Drill Trophy is named in honor of).

I know that there are many other names that would come to mind once we get started asking around.   The ones I have listed are the ones that I personally know…but there are many others that I am not personally aware of.  I feel that learning and recording our legacy is an important thing to do…especially in this centennial year.

Who is up for the challenge?

Michael Trouillon

Chair – Southwestern Rendezvous