1943

The Captain Richard G. Spear was launched from Washburn & Doughty, East Boothbay, Maine on April 9. The newest vessel of the Maine State Ferry Service fleet is named after MMA graduate Capt. Richard G. Spear ’43-1, the first employee of the State Ferry Service.

1956

Under the watchful eye of tug captain Finn Welch ’13, Gordon Brailsford of Bridgewater, Mass. backs the Pentagoet into its waterfront berth after he and his reunion classmates and friends returned from an afternoon cruise of Penobscot Bay August 10. While underway, they spotted the TS State of Maine at anchor in Searsport, making preparations to return to Castine the next day.

1956

Richard Merrifield found the historic schooner Bowdoin at the Castine waterfront during one of her rare summer rests from a busy training summer. Merrifield was in town attending his class reunion.

1966

Captain Mark Robinson (left) was presented with a Quilts of Valor quilt at the June meeting of the South Baldwin Republican Women to honor his military service to our country. The quilt was presented by the South Baldwin Republican Women and Joyce Reed (right) of Mobile, a representative of the Quilts of Valor Foundation.

Captain Robinson was hired by Lykes Brothers Steamship Company and made many perilous voyages to and from Vietnam during wartime. Each voyage typically lasted 90 days or longer, after which a 90-day “vacation” was mandatory. On each of the vacations, Captain Robinson returned to a school for Merchant Marines in “Mitag” in Lithecum Heights, Maryland.

Over the years, Captain Robinson received his Captain license and continued sailing for 30 years. He sailed all over the world with Lykes Brothers Steamship Company. He encountered rough waters, storms and pirates but also made many smooth journeys. (GulfCoast News Today, 7/13/2021)

1968

Thanks to Ron Ieva who sent a couple of class notes: “A Celebration of Life was recently held for Bucky Vaughn in Hancock, Maine. As with all such events, it was a bitter-sweet affair as five classmates reminisced about our experiences at MMA with Bucky. Sail on, Bucky. Sail on!” Also, Ieva and Ray Lessard stopped into Ron Berthiaume’s home in Dayton, ME for lunch. Top photo: L to R is David Theriault, Herb Michaud, Bob Blackmore, Ron Ieva, and Bob Lindvall. Bottom Ron Berthiaume, Ron Ieva, and Ray Lessard.

1969

Dr. John Gaddis was recently inducted into the first cohort of the Maine Wild Blueberry Hall of Fame. Gaddis, best known as a family doctor in his native East Machias, ME, is the remaining owner of the sixth-generation Gaddis Brothers business, which was established in 1892. Gaddis has been a decades-long board member of the Wild Blueberry Association of North America, which he continues today. “It’s tradition and it’s in my blood. It’s kind of automatic. And I have a keen interest in how wild blueberries sell.” (Machias Valley Observer 7/14/2021)

1971

Benny Pratt sailed on ocean-going tug boats for 10 years after graduation, then spent 25 years as a college facilities manager. When Pratt learned that his godfather, 88-year-old Benny Beal, had permanently hauled his lobster boat Stella Ann out of the water, Pratt was inspired to find a good home for the vessel. Beal was barely out of his teenage years when he set about building a small working lobster boat that would become a racing legend. The Stella Ann was used for inshore fishing: lobstering, seining, and, as many fishermen did in those days, racing at the Moosabec World’s Fastest Lobster Boat Races on the 4th of July. Beal “took on all comers who, for many years, saw only his stern.” Recently, Pratt assisted Beal in moving the Stella Ann to its final berth at the Beals Historical Society. Pratt is retired and lives with wife Lorraine in Morrill, ME. (Machias Valley Observer 5/11/2021)

1980

Terence Gilvey sent a picture of him and 1977 freshmen cruise roommate Gary Henry, taken in St. George, Bermuda NAS. “We were short of funds with a couple of days still left in Bermuda. Capt. Brennan recommended the Officers’ Club at Bermuda NAS to everyone as a reasonably-priced place to go ashore. The catch: you had to wear your Summer Whites. As near as we can tell, we were the only ones who went. We wound up hanging out with a P-3 squadron from Brunswick who took great care of us. As they were leaving, they introduced us to the flight officers of a Canadian Forces Argus. They not only treated us well, we were invited to fly with them. Capt. Brennan approved and the next day we flew an 18-hour mission with the Canadian Forces. Here we are showing off our flight suits. When we turned them in, the Brunswick guys wanted us to fly with them, too. Unfortunately, it was our last day in Bermuda. We did get a tour of a P-3, though. We should have gone to the O Club a day earlier.”

1982

Capt. John Gazzola was working a ship job this spring and came across a classmate and fellow MMA graduate on the vessel OSG Vision. Pictured are (L to R) Captain John Gazzola ’82, Excel Hydraulics; Chief Engineer Bob Elwell ’82, OSG; and Chief Mate Jim Geaumont ‘11, OSG.

1982

Mick Burke (right) met up with Fred Amicangioli on Memorial Day weekend at a WarBird Fly In air show near Atlanta. Burke explains, “Fred came down from Alaska to take part in the show. He is a member of the organization that put on the show. We got caught up on what we have been doing for the last 39 years. I attached a picture, Fred looks the same as the last time I saw him at our graduation.”

1984

Skip Strong sent an image of ’84 alumni on the bridge wing of the State of Maine after return of Cruise A this spring. Pictured are (L to R) Chris Brown, cruise watch officer; Dave Gelinas, PenBay Pilot; and Sandy Cameron, Chief Engineer, TSSOM.

1985

“Reaching out because I know these two outstanding men won’t, and I am so proud of them. Captain Kevin Farrin ’02 and Chief Engineer David Perkins ’85 had an exciting day christening the USNS John Lewis. Above is a picture of them with actress/advocate Alfre Woodard, who was a Sponsor. Making MMA proud!” Submitted by Kate Otto.

1986

MMA is well represented onboard the Noble Globetrotter 2 as we support Shell’s oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and around the world. Pictured L to R, Tanner Littlefield ’17, Cliff Jackson ’08, Garth Pulkkinen ’95 and Richard Lawrence ’86.

1988

MMA alumni gathered for some refreshments in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in March while at the Florida Marine Center. Pictured are: Jim Mundth ’89, Tim Reid ’88, Kevin Arruda ’88, Steve Moglia ’87 and Eric Smith ’88.

1993

Jimmy L’Italien posted this picture on LinkedIn stating, “After 26+ years of shift work and power plants, I had the opportunity to take on this new adventure! JIMMY’S General Store, Turner, ME (formerly Angello’s). You can’t become successful if you never take the chance.” Good luck, Jim.

1993

Capt. John Amaro, Marty (Baker) Page and Capt. Dan Page ’94 enjoyed dinner together this summer on Saint Thomas. The Pages were in town to drop off their daughter at UVI. Their son, Robert, is a member of the Class of 2021.

1999

Old friends from the Class of 1999, Wes Pooler, Capt. Jennifer Brokaw, and Capt. Clarence Young, connected for a short visit in Virginia Beach over the Memorial Day weekend.

2000

Jay Stewart ’00D, Jered Norton ’00E and Tom Norton ’71E met up in Charleston (SC) while the Nortons were in town for a wedding. They haven’t seen each other in almost 20 years. “It was great to catch up!”

2000

Capt. Gordon MacArthur shared an image from the bridge wing of the TSSOM during its recent visit to Port Canaveral, FL. (L to R) Capt. John Cashman, Commandant, MMA; Capt. Nate Cerato ’04, apprentice Pilot; Capt. “Mac” MacArthur ’00, Master – TSSOM; and Capt. Sean Morrissey ’03, Pilot.

2001

Ronald Perry lives in Stewartsville, NJ with wife Leigh and two children Mitchell and June. He works as a Sandy Hook Pilot, although he tries to go fishing as much as he can. Capt. Perry says, “Hello classmates! I took this year to complete a lifelong goal of building my own boat. This boat is for drifting rivers and fishing. I wish you all health and happiness.”