Report from Finland

("The Mooremack News," October 1948)

(Courtesy of Vincent Fiorenza)

Mooremack has made headlines once again, this time with the arrival of the Mormacdawn in the Finnish port of Helsinki.  The Helsinki newspaper Suomen Sosialidemokraatti carried a feature story of a reporter’s impression of the ship and a photograph of her as appeared at her pier.  We are happy to reprint the story in part below.

"Helsinki harbor this summer has seen many big ships which have come from far, stayed a couple of days and departed for distant lands.  The other day to Katajanokalle came the new and large Mormacdawn, an American ship of the Moore-McCormack Lines.  This vessel, finished in September 1946, today leaves again to pick up additional cargo from Copenhagen.

"A Finnish newspaper reporter visited this ship that has been on its way since July third. The ship’s captain, Jesse Hodges, was on shore at the time.  However, the other ship’s officers took the reporter on a tour from the upper deck down to the engine room.

"Even though this ship is not yet two years old, she has sailed upon many seas and seen many lands.  This trip she has visited Oslo, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Helsinki.  But the previous trip took them to Rio, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, and Trinidad. Dark-haired Sidney Rubin showed this reporter the radio room with many complicated instruments.  Mr. Rubin also said that the Finnish people looked very healthy.  He then told of his visit into town the night before and asked the reporter whether Finns are allowed to be gay and sociable.  The girls are very pretty but should be more frivolous.

"The ship’s crew numbers fifty-five and consists of many nationalities.  The Chief Steward, Anders Christensen, is a Dane, the cook a Negro, waiter a Chinese, and a Portuguese and a Brazilian also are included.  There will be sixteen passengers on the return trip. . . . These Americans explained that the staterooms were the equivalent of any modern hotel.

"Chief Engineer James C. Johnson then took the reporter on a tour of the engine room and explained that it takes twenty-one men to keep all the engines in order.  Also below deck were the refrigerators for meats, dairy products, fruits and vegetables.  This reporter enjoyed a delicious American meal, even though much of which had never been tasted before, including a Coca-Cola with floating ice."

Two Mormac ships are alongside the 23rd Street Terminal:  the Mormacpenn and the Mormacdawn. (Reprinted with permission of Carmania Press from book, "New York Shipping.")

In New York's East River. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Tom Ellsworth Copyright © 2003-2004 - All rights reserved. Do not reproduce. If anyone wants copies, please email Tom at tbells@cox.net.)

The above photo (courtesy of J. Robert Lunney) was taken aboard the S.S. Mormacdawn, June 1952.  The ship was delivering the American Olympic Team Equipment from New York to Helsinki.  Known people in the photo are:

          1.   Mrs. Albert V. Moore

          2.   Captain Griffen

          3.   Mr. Albert V. Moore,  Co-founder and President of Moore-McCormack Lines

          4.   Bill Haddad, Radio Operator

          5.   J. Robert Lunney, Staff Officer (Purser)

          6.   Chief Mate

          7.   Chief Engineer

J. Robert Lunney was Staff Officer on the Meredith Victory during the rescue at Hungnam, Korea, December 1950.