Please excuse the personal nature of this posting. It has nothing to do with the Armed Guard or Merchant Marine or World War II or anything official. It is just me being a proud dad.
My 21-year-old daughter, Lisa, graduated cum laude from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, last Friday. She did it in three years rather than the usual four, and immediately begins a one-year masters program next week. She wants to become an elementary school teacher and I think she'll be great at it. My wife and I had a wonderful time with our daughter last weekend and we are very proud of her. Our son, her brother, who graduated three years ago from Maritime College in New York City and is now a merchant marine officer, was with us as well.
Lisa has a soft spot in her heart for World War II veterans, as my dad, her grandfather, is one, a former infantryman who served in the South Pacific. And she has an interest in and a great deal of knowledge about World War II. With the rest of her family she serves as a crew member aboard Liberty ship SS JOHN W. BROWN in Baltimore, having started volunteering at the age of eight. She is a part of the deck department and I have related on this message board her skill in steering the ship, even better than her old dad. She was a member of Sea Scouts, a branch of Boy Scouts but which is for older youth up to the age of 21, and is co-ed. (I like to confuse people by saying my daughter is a member of the Boy Scouts.) She was elected bosun of her unit, the highest Sea Scout elected position in a local unit. During her year as bosun her unit was named to the Sea Scout "Flagship Fleet," meaning it was one of the top four Sea Scout units in the country. She will continue in Sea Scouts as an adult leader. And while at school in Norfolk she works as a deckhand on two tour boats, the three-masted schooner AMERICAN ROVER and the motor launch, VICTORY ROVER, that takes guided tours by water to the Norfolk naval base. She may not be as much a sailor as you Armed Guard and merchant marine veterans, but she's close.
Thanks for indulging me by reading this. If you'd like to congratulate her yourself, her e-mail is lisacarlson93@gmail.com. Tell her I sent you.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled message board.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website www.armed-guard.com
Re: A Proud Dad
Posted by Bob Taylor on May 13, 2015, 2:04 pm, in reply to "A Proud Dad"
Congrats to Lisa on her achievements. Congrats to your son on becoming a Naval officer. And congrats to you Ron on heading so successful a family. My regards to Mrs Ron who is, I’m sure, congratulating herself on her great fortune in being associated with this talented trio.
Bob Taylor
Re: A Proud Dad
Posted by Francis Kent on May 11, 2015, 5:26 pm, in reply to "A Proud Dad"
Ron:
You have good reason to be proud of your daughter, not only because of her accomplishment to date but also for choice of career. I have every confidence that she will be an exemplary teacher, especially at a time when our public schools are in trouble and in need of capable, dedicated leadership.
-- Fran
Re: A Proud Dad
Posted by Francis Kent on May 11, 2015, 5:36 pm, in reply to "Re: A Proud Dad"
Ron:
I had no success with the address for your daughter. The following is what I tried to send:
Miss Carlson:
Sincerest best wishes on the occasion of your graduation with honors. If you become a teacher in the lower grades, I expect you will be an outstanding one.
Good luck.
Francis Kent (a once-upon-a-time sailor)
Re: A Proud Dad
Posted by Harvel Arnold on May 15, 2015, 8:11 am, in reply to "Re: A Proud Dad"
Ron first I would like to congratulate you and your wife on raising two fine children Please relay my heart felt congrats to this fine young lady as well as to your son. I know with the start that they have they will be successful in whatever they do. a once up a time TIN CAN SAilor.