DEHM and DESA and indeed all of us have lost a friend and shipmate Tom Gruber, US BROUGH DE 148, slipped his mooring and sailed away from us
on June 19th. Tom was a Past President of SOLDESA, Vice-President of DESA and a member of its Board. If you have attended DESA's National Conventions, Tom was the
quiet hard working fellow who tended to the Ship Store. In addition to the above, he was an ardent supporter of our DE. Tom arranged for and lead the "SLATER Seven", the
riding crew that was aboard when the ship was towed from New York City to Albany. Tom Gruber was the most humble and pleasant man I have known. I never heard a cross
word from him. No task was ever too big or hard for him to take on. Tom has gone but his spirit will live on, aboard our DE. We call his name and he does not answer.
We shall miss him.
Sam Saylor
