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LOG SHEET

Tape number: V15

Name: Captain Arthur Clement Johnson, Jr.

Location: Irvington, VA

Date of Birth: 11/11/1926

Date of Recording: 12/7/03

Recorded By: Dianne Jordon

Log Sheet by: Grayson Mattingly

Item
In Point
Category
Description

01 00/15 F Born and raised in Norfolk Va. Served in the army aircorp. Went into 5 year program to become pilot. Recalls summertimes in Norfolk at Willoughby Beach at Grandmother's house. Talks about father's past. Was a motor cycle dispatch rider in WWI.

02 5/38 W Pointed out that pilots didn't have much to do with steamers since they went where pilots were not needed. Father was a pilot on a pilot steamer. Collided with steamer Wanneta because of mix up of whistle signals.

03 7/19 W As pilot on Potomac River interacted with steamers. City of Baltimore and City of Washington. Would make room for these steamers coming up the river at night. Captain on steamer would help by lighting buoys. Tells about steamer hitting banks of river in fog.

04 10/17 ST describes how steamer captains navigated with stop watch in fog.

05 11/38 W Describes radio oddities. Oystermen story.

06 13/40 ST Steamer collision story - Steamer running on stop watch coming down to Norfolk - pilot steamer collided with steamer - no one hurt.

07 17/14 ST The C&O Virginia or the Smoky Joe small steamer that worked in Norfolk area connected Norfolk to Newport News.

08 19/50 W As pilot apprentice made $20/month, dad made $10/month. Rode on C&O Virginia - Describes steamer. Talks about noise that steam engines made.

09 20/50 ST Talks about cost factors of steamers, type of engines, types of fuels. Then talks about engines used in pilot steamers.

10 24/51 SC Story about father working as apprentice on pilot vessel, shoveling coal.

11 27/50 W Talks about pilots responsibilities, license.

12 29/00 ST Talks about steamers he would see when he was piloting vessels on the bay. Ways of communicating.with flashes of light or blowing whistle. Steamer captains very good.

13 33/20 SC Talked about pilot steamer crew members

14 37/06 SC described bay steamer crew members

15 39/45 SC more about types of men that became crew members on both the pilot and passenger steamers. Describes Guinea men.

16 42/44 ST Talks about what shapes the character of crew members - an open feeling - one with the ship. Had wonderful experience being pilot - meeting people from all over the world. Potomac River pilot was on duty for 15 hours - guided ships up and down the Potomac River. Describes responsibilities

17 48/50 SC Crews were mixed white and black. Most officers were whites since they had the better education. Provides a breakdown of "ranks".

18 53/16 SC Not many women worked on steamers - part of reason was privacy issue. Racial issues - everyone was treated the same - officers had their own quarters.The Captain of the ship is the one that is in control - everybody does what the captain wants. Continues to talk about various crew responsibilities, performances...

19 2nd title

20 SC 00/10 Describes further the licensing and responsibilities of Bay Steamer crews.

21 W,M 2/50 The importance of the steamboats throughout the bay, particularly the docks up and down the various rivers.Bay a highway for commerce.

22 H 7/22 Describes oyster wars between Maryland and Virginia

23 H 9/44 Story about Joe Leaner, duck carver.

24 ST 12/03 talks about running in the fog

25 ST 13/46 describes navigating with stop watch - method used to navigate in the fog

26 ST 14/46 Talks about the light houses on the Potomac. Ceremony involved in passing Mount Vernon.

27 SC 19/26 describes use of lead line for determining depth of water As an apprentice he used lead line.

28 H 23/49 At seven he describes hurricane of 1933. Talks about what the hurricane did to the steamboat industry. The hurricane damage along with trucks, roads, bridges brought an end to the era.

29 ST 26/20 Wonderful era - boats had character - still have passenger ship on the bay today that provide the same type of travel accommodations.

30 F 27/00 Talks about how he got interested in becoming a pilot.

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Item	In Point	Category	Description
01	00/15	F	Born and raised in Norfolk Va. Served in the army aircorp. Went into 5 year program to become pilot. Recalls summertimes in Norfolk at Willoughby Beach at Grandmother's house. Talks about father's past. Was a motor cycle dispatch rider in WWI.
02	5/38	W	Pointed out that pilots didn't have much to do with steamers since they went where pilots were not needed. Father was a pilot on a pilot steamer. Collided with steamer Wanneta because of mix up of whistle signals.
03	7/19	W	As pilot on Potomac River interacted with steamers. City of Baltimore and City of Washington. Would make room for these steamers coming up the river at night. Captain on steamer would help by lighting buoys. Tells about steamer hitting banks of river in fog.
04	10/17	ST	describes how steamer captains navigated with stop watch in fog.
05	11/38	W	Describes radio oddities. Oystermen story.
06	13/40	ST	Steamer collision story - Steamer running on stop watch coming down to Norfolk - pilot steamer collided with steamer - no one hurt.
07	17/14	ST	The C&O Virginia or the Smoky Joe small steamer that worked in Norfolk area connected Norfolk to Newport News.
08	19/50	W	As pilot apprentice made $20/month, dad made $10/month. Rode on C&O Virginia - Describes steamer. Talks about noise that steam engines made.
09	20/50	ST	Talks about cost factors of steamers, type of engines, types of fuels. Then talks about engines used in pilot steamers.
10	24/51	SC	Story about father working as apprentice on pilot vessel, shoveling coal.
11	27/50	W	Talks about pilots responsibilities, license.
12	29/00	ST	Talks about steamers he would see when he was piloting vessels on the bay. Ways of communicating.with flashes of light or blowing whistle. Steamer captains very good.
13	33/20	SC	Talked about pilot steamer crew members
14	37/06	SC	described bay steamer crew members
15	39/45	SC	more about types of men that became crew members on both the pilot and passenger steamers. Describes Guinea men.
16	42/44	ST	Talks about what shapes the character of crew members - an open feeling - one with the ship. Had wonderful experience being pilot - meeting people from all over the world. Potomac River pilot was on duty for 15 hours - guided ships up and down the Potomac River. Describes responsibilities
17	48/50	SC	Crews were mixed white and black. Most officers were whites since they had the better education. Provides a breakdown of "ranks".
18	53/16	SC	Not many women worked on steamers - part of reason was privacy issue. Racial issues - everyone was treated the same - officers had their own quarters.The Captain of the ship is the one that is in control - everybody does what the captain wants. Continues to talk about various crew responsibilities, performances...
19	2nd title
20	SC	00/10	Describes further the licensing and responsibilities of Bay Steamer crews.
21	W,M	2/50	The importance of the steamboats throughout the bay, particularly the docks up and down the various rivers.Bay a highway for commerce.
22	H	7/22	Describes oyster wars between Maryland and Virginia
23	H	9/44	Story about Joe Leaner, duck carver.
24	ST	12/03	talks about running in the fog
25	ST	13/46	describes navigating with stop watch - method used to navigate in the fog
26	ST	14/46	Talks about the light houses on the Potomac. Ceremony involved in passing Mount Vernon.
27	SC	19/26	describes use of lead line for determining depth of water As an apprentice he used lead line.
28	H	23/49	At seven he describes hurricane of 1933. Talks about what the hurricane did to the steamboat industry. The hurricane damage along with trucks, roads, bridges brought an end to the era.
29	ST	26/20	Wonderful era - boats had character - still have passenger ship on the bay today that provide the same type of travel accommodations.
30	F	27/00	Talks about how he got interested in becoming a pilot.