February 6, 2001

Robert Moses State Park, Massena, New York

 

    My wife, who is a Navy Veteran and a employee at Robert Moses State Park, discovered a naval photograph as she was cleaning out a wall safe in the park offices. She brought it to my attention when I came to pick her up and take her home after the day's work.  I received the photograph today, and identified that it is the USS Macon (CA-132).  The photograph has some wear and tears on it, but it is salvageable.  

    On the back of this photograph, there is a stamp which says "Photograph By David F. Lane, 177 Park Avenue, Watertown, N.Y.".  In reviewing your web site photos of the Macon going through the Canals in 1959, I believe that this is a picture from the same period.  This photo is of her transiting thru the St. Lawrence Seaway (probably in the vicinity of what is now Robert Moses State Park).

    Although the original photo remains property of the park, I hope that it will be restored and framed along with a narrative of the ship's history.  My wife says that it would be a item of interest to visitors who come by the Park's Reservation Center Building.  It should be a interesting Item for park visitor's to observe.

    Since my retirement from the US Navy in 1998, I work as a linehandler for shipping that goes thru the Snell and Eisenhower Locks (United States Side).  I am Happy to say that the US Navy continues to this day to send Naval Vessels thru the St Lawrence Seaway into the Great Lakes every summer for a "Great Lakes Cruise".

 

                                                                                                    Respectfully Submitted,

 

                                                                                                    Gary L. Smoyer

                                                                                                    HMC(SW), USN (Ret.)