Topic starter
17/08/2011 8:58 pm
On this date in 1979, August 17, The Delta Queen departed St. Paul for St. Louis with 194 passengers, including President Jimmy Carter, First Lady Rosalyn Carter, and daughter Amy. Needless to say, this was no ordinary DQ cruise! Never before was the Delta Queen on such an international stage, and it lasted on the evening news every day for a whole week!
Even though I was working as a Sales Rep for Amtrak at the time, I had arranged with Capt. Jim Blum to get rehired for two weeks during my August vacation that I had planned. I got rehired as a Watchman on the same day that the President boarded, and I got my background checked by the Secret Service a week prior to departure.
Attached are some memories from that eventful trip:
1. The first night of the cruise was very foggy. We spent spent almost 4 hours in Lock #3. When we departed, we still ran at half ahead for a while. Just before Wabasha, MN, the fog lifted. Wabasha planned a big birthday party for Rosalyn Carter that morning on a temporary stage at the river. Here's the Carter's arrival at Wabasha.
2. The President visited the pilothouse a lot. On that foggy first morning, I was on the Texas Deck, watching the President on the Port Side wing. A deckhand came by while oiling the railings (I forget his name, but he looked like John Belushi..) I told the deckhand, "Wouldn't it be neat if the President waved at us while I took his picture?" With that said, the deckhand yells, "HEY! Mr. President!!!" I then grabbed this shot. It was pretty tacky for the deckhand to grab his attention that way, but I'm not complaining!
#3. On the 3rd day of the cruise, I was eating a dish of ice cream on the Starboard Side fantail, when all of a sudden a Secret Service Agent stepped out and politely asked me to leave the premises. That could mean only one thing! So I ran back to my room, and grabbed my camera. When I returned, there was Capt. Fred Martin, the President, and Amy watching the wheel which was put on slow ahead for their show.
Everybody on board had several opportunitiesto meet the First Family. Some took advantage of the opportunities, and some didn't. But it sure was a memorable trip!
-Denny Hamilton-
17/08/2011 11:10 pm
Re: picture #2 -- Denny, we called him Belushi! His real name was Jim Luis.
18/08/2011 4:45 am
I remember Belushi well, he was a good guy and good derckhand. He was from NYC if I remember correctly. I was First Mate on the MQ during the presidents trip and we were stuck in Elizabethtown Illinois for a couple days due to low water. and the President called us via Marine Radio and made a little speach I believe.
18/08/2011 6:40 am
It's always an honor
It's always an honor to work with or travel with the president, regardless of what you think of the man holding the office. I've worked numerous Presidential visits to Minneapolis for the Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama administrations. Each time I've worked with them, it's a thrill. I have some favorites and some who are not, but it is a tremendous honor when the President comes to town.
You were lucky to have made that particular trip.
18/08/2011 1:15 pm
Very nice photos and memories of President Carter's cruise. After I left the DELTA QUEEN, in 1965, to serve in the Air Force, I found myself assigned to the Presidential Protection Force of the Secret Service to aid them in the safe-keeping of the 1968 presidential candidates after the assignations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. In 1970, I returned to the QUEEN.
With my background as a former member of the elite Presidential Force and Captain of the DELTA QUEEN, I am surprised that the President and daughter Amy were allowed to stand behind the turning paddlewheel (Pic 3). I would shoo a deckhand, or anyone else, found standing in the same location.
18/08/2011 3:49 pm
Steamboat One
I was never shooed off the fantail. I loved to go stand there every so often because it was such a rush.
Was just thinking yesterday about my most famous sign, the Steamboat One sign, that I spent half a night painting, so they could put it up for the Grand Entry into St. Louis. The sign popped up on the 1990-something crew reunion cruise, much to everyone's surprise. Wonder where it is now?????
18/08/2011 5:11 pm
I was First Mate on that trip. Beforehand, we had a crew meeting in the Orleans Room with Capt. Fred Martin and the Secret Service. I asked specifically about what we should do if we saw the President doing something unsafe. Capt. Martin told us that this was a former Navy man and the President of the United States, and that basically, he could do whatever he wanted to do. That's how we handled things.
19/08/2011 12:08 am
Hey I remember that sign on our 97 reunion cruise which btw was exactly 14 years ago next week. Yes im a memorabelia packrat. we did have a good time although too short. St. Louie to Cincy. I remember getting a Steamboat One August 1979 Tee shirt even though I was on the MQ. Ironic that Steamboat One was August 79 and our reunion cruise was August 97.
Topic starter
19/08/2011 1:30 am
Belushi, Lexie, Fred Martin
Here's some photos of the stuff mentioned above....
1. Here's a shot of Capt. Rip Ware and "Belushi The Deckhand". I don't know who the lady is, Mrs. Rip???
2. Here's Lexie making the final touches on the Steamboat One sign.
3. After the President left the boat, here's the news that Fred Martin put up in the crew mess. Good news for sure!
-Denny Hamilton-
19/08/2011 3:50 am
Not Mrs. Ware. I don't know who she is, either.
19/08/2011 4:28 am
Capt. Carroll S. "RIP" Ware sure did love those checkered pants, I remember he wore those or had a few pair he wore quite often.
19/08/2011 4:01 pm
Nope, it's not Miss Cleo. Denny, could you email me the picture of me painting the sign? Send to [email protected]. I was wearing a t-shirt I had made that said Mail Pouch Tobacco on the back and Treat Yourself To The Best on the front, in case anyone is wondering.