Eight Bells
armada of ships preparing for D-day invasion
Southeast Asia service. He then signed on with
youth soccer and softbal .
near London in 1944.
SeaLand at the height of the container revolu-
A scholarship fund has been established in
In 1946, Record decided to go back to school
tion and sailed as Chief Mate on its SL-7 Class
Valliere's name, and information is available from
and entered Bates College where he studied
ships. These 1,000-foot container vessels were
MMA Donor Services by contacting Leah Bish-
mathematics and graduated in 1950. He then
very fast and required a tremendous amount of
op, at (207) 326-2223, leah.bishop@mma.edu or
joined the Air Force as a weatherman and was
knowledge about stability due to the number of
Maine Maritime Academy, Development Office,
stationed in Illinois. While there, he took ad-
containerized cargoes onboard. By 1980 Smith
Pleasant Street, Castine, Maine 04420.
vanced courses in actuarial work at the Universi-
was promoted to Master on smaller ships in the
ty of Illinois. After being discharged from the Air
SeaLand fleet. Eight years later he was in com-
David C. Witham '62
Force, Record returned to New England where
mand of the largest ships in the company's fleet.
he worked for Connecticut General. He later
In 1995, SeaLand became CSX Lines. and a few
died April 2 in the Bahamas. After graduation
pursued a career as an actuary at Union Mutual.
years later, Horizon Lines, LLC. It was an exciting
from MMA, Witham sailed with Moore-McCor-
and tumultuous time, and Smith sailed as Master
mick Line, raising his license to Chief Engineer.
on some of the company's most prestigious routes In 1968, he came ashore and worked as Plant
Richard K. Reese '57
and ships.
Engineer at BDA Engineering and Textron. He
died April 24 in Swainton, New Jersey. An Army
In 2008, he joined the faculty of Marine
attained his professional license in 1982, and
veteran of the Korean War, Reese was also a Mer-
Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies in
opened his own consulting business, Witham &
chant Marine captain and an avid outdoorsman.
Linthicum Heights, Maryland as an instructor in
Associates. A lifelong resident of Rhode Island,
He was a member of Cape May Lodge, F&AM
Shiphandling and Bridge Resource Management,
he was an avid boater and fisherman. Always
and Zembo Shrine, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Emergency Shiphandling, Basic and Advanced
busy, he ran his business, fished and found time
Reese was the high-point winner in Harrisburg's
Shiphandling, and Navigational Skil s Assess-
to build three houses and four boats, doing al
annual Kipona canoe races from 1948 to 1956.
ment.
the work himself. He always had a project or two
In 1992, in col aboration with the Canoe Club of
"Peter was an amazing instructor and wanted
going on.
Greater Harrisburg, he re-established the Kipona
mariners coming up through the ranks to have
--submitted by friend & classmate Paul Tracy '62
canoe races and provided prize sponsorships
the best opportunity for success," said Eric
every year since.
Friend, MITAGS Director of Training. "He wil
be remembered for the scale of his contributions
to the maritime industry." Smith was a 50-year
Paul C. Sackley '45
member of the International Organization of
Masters, Mates & Pilots.
died May 31 in Rockford, Illinois. He went to sea
MMA has established a Memorial Fund in the
as a third mate on a cargo ship loaded with war
name of Capt. Smith. Donations can be made via
Former MMA Staff Member,
material meant for the World War II invasion
telephone at (207) 326-2470 or mailed to Maine
Barbara Trott
of Japan. He graduated from the University of
Maritime Academy, Development Office, Pleas-
Maine in 1950 with a bachelor's in Mechanical
died June 8 in Maine. After high school, she
ant Street, Castine, Maine 04420. Please mention
Engineering. Sackley served as First Lieutenant
worked as a receptionist for Dr. Robert Rus-
"In Loving Memory of Captain Peter S. Smith."
and Gunnery Officer on USS Diachenko (APD-
sel , and then served 21 years as the librarian
123) in the Korean War. He served as Platoon Of-
for the Castine library. She also worked for
ficer of Underwater Demolition Team One (now
Melissa A. Valliere '01
MMA, and many remember her as the Voice
U.S. Team One of Navy Seals), and retired from
of the Academy when she served as the main
the Navy as Lt. USNR. Sackley worked for a va-
died March 21 in Brunswick, Maine. While
receptionist and switchboard operator before
riety of corporations, including General Electric
attending MMA, she was a member of the first
digital technology. "If you ever called the
(twice). In 1991, Sackley retired from Emerson
Women's Soccer Team. Valliere also studied for
academy back then," stated her obituary in
Electric, where he was a field sales engineer.
a semester at the Southampton Institute in South-
Bangor Daily News, "it was her no-nonsense,
ampton, England. After graduating, she moved
but lovely Downeast accent you heard on the
to Freeport and began her career at Unum as a
other end of the line. She genuinely loved al
Peter S. Smith '64
producer compensation analyst. She later worked
the students, alumni, professors and support
at Bath Iron Works in several analytical and
died April 3. After graduating from MMA, Smith
staff who she worked with throughout her
estimating roles. For the past two years, Valliere
sailed with States Marine Lines attaining the
tenure. Many became and remained close
worked for the Brunswick School Department as
rank of Chief Mate. He was an expert navigator
friends to her over the years."
a substitute teacher. This transition allowed her
and also grew his skil s in cargo stowage, ship
to spend more time with her children. Valliere
stability and the management of deck personnel
volunteered with Girl Scout Troop 1648, the Mer-
while also serving as the ship's medical officer. In
ry Meeting Girl Scout Service Unit, Cub Scout
1971, Smith joined States Steamship Company
Pack 648, Boy Scout Troop 648, and also coached
as Chief Mate on its demanding West Coast to
mainemaritime.edu
41

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