United States Merchant Marine Academy: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), located in Kings Point, New York, stands as a distinguished service academy. It prepares midshipmen for leadership roles in the United States Merchant Marine, various branches of the United States Armed Forces, and the broader transportation industry. USMMA graduates have made significant contributions across diverse fields, from maritime administration and military service to business, politics, and even the arts. This article highlights some of the academy's notable alumni and their remarkable achievements.

Historical Context and Mission

The USMMA's origins can be traced back to the late 19th century, with federal legislation supporting maritime training through school ships and internships. The Merchant Marine Cadet Corps was established, marking a crucial step toward the academy's formation. The Kings Point campus, originally Walter Chrysler's waterfront estate, was acquired in early 1942. Formally dedicated in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the academy played a vital role during World War II, accelerating training to meet the urgent need for Merchant Marine officers.

Since its inception, the academy has adapted to meet the changing needs of the nation, including accelerating graduating classes during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Today, the USMMA continues to uphold its mission of educating and graduating leaders of character, ready to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic interests of the United States.

Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science Degree and a merchant marine officer license, ensuring a steady stream of qualified officers for the nation's maritime needs. They have the option of joining the Naval Reserves, working in the merchant marine and transportation industry, or applying for active duty in any of the Armed Forces.

Notable Alumni in Public Service and Military

Many USMMA graduates have distinguished themselves through public service and military careers.

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Mark H. Buzby

A graduate of the Class of 1979, Mark H. Buzby served as the Administrator of the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) from 2017 to 2021. A retired Rear Admiral in the US Navy, Buzby brought extensive experience to the role, demonstrating the academy's commitment to producing leaders in the maritime sector.

Andrew Card

Andrew Hill Card Jr. is an American politician who served as White House Chief of Staff under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2006, as well as head of Bush's White House Iraq Group. Card also served as United States Secretary of Transportation under President George H. W. Bush from 1992 to 1993.

Sean Connaughton

Sean Thomas Connaughton, an American attorney, served as the Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to that, he was the Administrator of the United States Maritime Administration from 2006 to 2009. Connaughton's career includes service as Chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, as well as being a former United States Coast Guard officer and a retired officer of the United States Naval Reserve.

Romulo Espaldon

Romulo Mercader Espaldon was a Filipino politician, military officer, civil servant and diplomat. He was the first naval officer to attain the rank of Rear Admiral in the Philippine Navy.

Albert J. Herberger

Albert Joseph Herberger was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy, and the first United States Merchant Marine Academy graduate to attain the rank.

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Timothy Kott

Timothy Jon Kott is a retired United States Navy rear admiral and surface warfare officer who last served as the commander of Navy Region Hawaii from June 18, 2021 to June 17, 2022.

Robert H. Scarborough

Robert Henry Scarborough Jr. was a vice admiral in the United States Coast Guard who served as the 13th Vice Commandant from 1978 to 1982.

Johnny Wolfe

Johnny Ray Wolfe Jr. is a United States Navy vice admiral who currently serves as the Director for Strategic Systems Programs.

Dianna Wolfson

Dianna Wolfson is an officer in the United States Navy who is the first woman to lead an American Naval Shipyard, and served from January 2021 to June 2023 as the 110th Commander of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. From June 2019 to December 2020 she served as the 50th Commander of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

These individuals exemplify the academy's success in preparing graduates for leadership roles in the military and government.

Accomplishments in Business and Industry

USMMA alumni have also made significant strides in the business world, demonstrating the versatility of their education.

Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Toru Kiyosaki is an American businessman and author, known for the Rich Dad Poor Dad series of personal finance books. He founded the Rich Dad Company, which provides personal finance and business education through books and videos.

John Diebold

John Theurer Diebold was an American businessman who was a pioneer in the field of automation, founding The Diebold Group to advise corporations around the world as well as governments in the U.S and abroad in the potential of information technology.

Brian Peterman

Brian Peterman (Class of 1972) served for 30 years in the US Coast Guard and retired as a Rear Admiral in 2002. Currently, he is an Executive Vice President of SeaRiver Maritime, a marine affiliate of ExxonMobil.

Jennifer Boykin

Jennifer Boykin is an engineer, the first woman president of Newport News Shipbuilding, and the vice president of Huntington Ingalls Industries, which is located in Newport News, Virginia.

These alumni demonstrate that the skills and knowledge gained at the USMMA are highly transferable to the business sector.

Contributions to Arts, Sciences and Athletics

The USMMA's influence extends beyond the military and business realms, with alumni making notable contributions to the arts, sciences, and athletics.

Carroll O'Connor

John Carroll O'Connor was an American actor whose television career spanned over four decades. He found widespread fame as Archie Bunker, the main character in the CBS television sitcoms All in the Family (1971-1979) and its continuation, Archie Bunker's Place (1979-1983). O'Connor won five Emmys and one Golden Globe Award.

Mark Kelly

Mark Edward Kelly is an American politician, retired astronaut, and United States Navy captain serving as the senior United States senator from Arizona, a seat he has held since 2020. He is a member of the Democratic Party. In 1986 Kelly graduated with Bachelor of Science in marine engineering from United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Elliot See

Elliot McKay See Jr. was an American engineer, naval aviator, test pilot and NASA astronaut.

Martin Lewis Perl

Martin Lewis Perl was an American chemical engineer and physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1995 for his discovery of the tau lepton.

Henry Way Kendall

Henry Way Kendall was an American particle physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1990 jointly with Jerome Isaac Friedman and Richard E. Taylor "for their pioneering investigations concerning deep inelastic scattering of electrons on protons and bound neutrons, which have been of essential importance for the development of the quark model in particle physics."

Ed Jucker

Edwin Louis Jucker was an American basketball and baseball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head basketball coach at the United States Merchant Marine Academy from 1945 to 1948.

Skip Prosser

George Edward "Skip" Prosser was an American college basketball coach who was head men's basketball coach at Wake Forest University at the time of his death. He was the only coach in NCAA history to take three separate schools to the NCAA tournament in his first year coaching the teams.

Clayton Kendrick-Holmes

Clayton Kendrick-Holmes (Class of 1995) is a former Head Coach of Sprint Football at the USMMA, Clayton led the team to multiple undefeated seasons and was named Coach of the Year as a result.

These individuals demonstrate the diverse talents and passions fostered by the USMMA.

Alumni as Superintendents of the Academy

Several distinguished alumni have returned to lead the USMMA as superintendents, shaping the future of the academy.

James Harvey Tomb

Captain James Harvey Tomb served as superintendent of the New York State Merchant Marine Academy and was appointed the first superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy on April 15, 1942.

Richard Robert McNulty

Richard Robert McNulty served as the academy's third superintendent. The USMMA community considers McNulty to be the academy's "father".

Thomas A. King

Thomas A. King, Rear Admiral (United States), was the first graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point, New York (1942) to become its Superintendent He was the 6th Superintendent of the USMMA, serving in that capacity from 1980-1987.

Paul L. Krinsky

Paul L. Krinsky was an American merchant mariner and sailor. He served as the superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy from 1987 to 1993 and attained the rank of rear admiral.

Joseph D. Stewart

Joseph D. Stewart, also known as "Joey D," was a United States Marine Corps major general, who after his retirement from the Marine Corps, was appointed as superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) on August 1, 1998.

Philip H. Greene, Jr

Philip H. Greene Jr. is a retired United States Navy rear admiral. After retirement, RADM Greene served as the 11th Superintendent of the Academy from 2010-2011.

These leaders have played a crucial role in maintaining the academy's high standards and guiding its future direction.

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