uscg license illustration

**seadog!** · September 18th, 2008, 11:21 PM

Can anybody tell me what vessels are represented on a license? For years I thought one was the Tug Hoga but comparing photos to the license just don't match. The SS United States seems to be one but I wouldn't swear to it. Any help would be appreciated.

**jdcavo** · September 19th, 2008, 05:52 AM

The unlimited Master license form has an SL-7. The "U.S. Merchant Marine Officer" form has what looks like the United States, a T-2 tanker, and a steam tug.

**injunear** · September 19th, 2008, 02:16 PM

When I renewed in 04, the picture on the Chief's license was changed to the generic form. Is this the same for U/L Master now?

**El Capitan** · September 19th, 2008, 11:26 PM

Injunear - We all get the same ugly form now. It's too bad too; receiving that beautifully engraved license the first time around was about as close as you were going to get to having a marching band standing outside the REC when you were done! It was almost worth all the work and effort alone just to receive that paper. Oh well...

**jdcavo** · September 20th, 2008, 12:00 AM

You're right. I was looking at one that was issued just before we switched. The switch was made after we changed the form to add a lott of embedded security features. It was too expensive to carry several different forms. It also was not as well regarded outside of the unlimited tonnage and horsepower communities, all other Masters got the standard form. In any event, the current forms are going away sooner or later. Our reg, project to merge the MMD (z-card) STCW and license into a single document is stalled at DHS, but when it gets through threre will be a single document that looks like a passport (but is red). Almost every other country is already using a document like this. James D. Cavo Chief, Mariner Training & Assessment Division USCG National Maritime Center James.D.Cavo@uscg.mil

**seadog!** · September 20th, 2008, 12:54 AM

I'm really curious about these vessels. I find it hard to believe they are generic. Any idea where more info could be found? If you study photos of T-2 Tankers there seems to be a difference in the deck line forward of the aft superstructure (I know there were several variations of Oilers during the war years). Symbols usually have important meanings and I'd like to know the back-story of these particular vessels. Why the SS United States (fastest Atlantic crossing and the pride of the nation) paired with just any old boats, there surely is some distinction about these vessels. I've contacted Kings Point, questioned several maritime academy grads, searched google, checked the Merchant Mariners Museum website, asked my USCG REC evaluator...nothing. The reply from jdcavo is the best lead I've ever gotten. An "Old School" Chief I worked for told me the tug was the HOGA from Pearl Harbor fame but that just doesn't hold water. Still searching...

**New3M** · September 20th, 2008, 06:46 AM

So does this mean that once the new project is done, there will be no more license hanging on the bulkhead? All you get is another passport looking thing?