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ROBERT J. MACDONALD: 1987 HISTORIAN OF THE YEAR The Marine Historical Society of Detroit is Pleased to present Robert J. MacDonald as Historian of the Year for 1987. Bob was born and raised in North East, Pennsylvania, a small town between Erie and the New York border near Lake Erie. For over 19 years Bob has been the bookstore manager of Behrend College, a branch of Penn State University in Erie. He is married and has three children, two daughters and a son. Bob comes from a family of Great Lake sailors, probably the most notable of whom his grandfather, Captain Donald Sutherland McDonald, who first sailed with his uncle, Captain John Burgess on the small Canadian steamer GEORGIAN in 1877. Bob's grandfather was master of the _ ill-fated steamer SEVONA when she foundered on Lake Superior on September 2, 1905. Seven persons lost their lives including Captain McDonald. Bob's grandmother survived her husband by 50 years. His interest in lake lore started through i g Ls is opus Pete Worden, Editor 42072 Sunnydale Lane Northville, MI 48167 The U.S. Navy's new wooden-hulled mine sweeper, DEFENDER, was launched at Marinette, Wisconsin on Saturday April 4. The DEFENDER, which is 224 feet long with a beam of 39 feet and a full load displacement of 1314 tons, was.built by Marinette Marine Corporation. Fourteen similar ships will be built by the Navy. sal The SILVER HAPPINESS was the first oceangoing ship to arrive in Detroit, docking at Nicholson Terminal in Ecorse on April 8. *** The J. W. Westcott Company opened its 114th season of operation on April 9 with the downbound Passage of the JN. MCWATTER.S *** The LAWRENCECLIFFE HALL, laid up since January 7, 1986 in Monteal, is back in service for Navican, passing Detroit upbound on April 13. She was on the drydock at M.I.L. Vickers in Montreal from March 4 through 18 for survey and inspection. In other news involving former Halco ships, the FRANKCLIFFE HALL has been chartered to Canada Steamship Lines her and the stories she told of making trips on the SEVONA and also in 1894-5 when her husband commanded the wooden steamer NYANZA. The start of his photo collection were pictures his grandmother gave him of some of the ships on which his grandfather had sailed Bob sailed on the lakes himself as an A.B., primarily with the Interlake fleet on ships such as PATHFINDER, ODANAH, HARRY R. JONES, J.L. MAUTHE and SAMUEL MATHER, the latter in 1956. He also served as temporary A.B. on the PHILIP R. CLARKE and on the CLIFFS VICTORY. For over 20 years Bob has presented slide talks on the Great Lakes to various groups and written many articles on Great Lakes history some of which appeared in "Inland Seas" for The Great Lakes Historical Society and Great Lakes Maritime Institute's "Telescope". The story in Dana Thomas Bowen's book of the SEVONA was researched by Bob. He KH and will operate with a former Halco captain and crew. *** On April 15, fire caused extensive damage to Grand Trunk Western's ferry GRAND RAPIDS, laid up at Muskegon. No one was on the ferry at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. *** H Shipping's OAKGLEN entered Port Weller Shipyards on April 20 for survey and inspection. After the survey was completed, she entered service and passed Detroit upbound on April 26. *** Gaelic's CAROLYN HOEY a) ATLAS performed her first tow on April 22 when she assisted the salty VAMAND WAVE to Detroit Marine Terminal's Dock 1. *** Group Desgagnes Inc. has FRANQUELIN a) GRIFFON, as DESGAGNES. She passed Detroit upbound on April 27 under her new name. WILLOWGLEN was downbound at the Soo on April 27 approaching the MacArthur Lock when a sudden gale force gust blew her against the approach wall of the Poe Lock, cracking her hull. Temporary repairs were made at the Carbide Dock at the Soo with the assistance of Wellington Towing's CHIPPEWA, The WILLOWGLEN was downbound past Detroit on April 29. *** In other news from Wellington Towing, a second tug has been acquired to assist it's operation at the Soo. The 1912-built ONEIDA, a) GARY, has been purchased from Republic Tugs Inc. and will be rechristened d) IROQUOIS. *** Soconav Inc. has agreed to assume the operation of the Shell Canadian