Photo By Molly Burgess | Able-Bodied Seaman Robert “Bobby” McCumsey poses in front of the placard for...... read more read more
The 1960s could be remembered as a time of social changes with the rise of musical icons such as the Beatles and Jimmi Hendrix, civil rights movements and walking on the moon, but for one man, it was the beginning of a maritime chapter that continues more than 58 years later.
September 1967 Robert “Bobby” McCumsey had just turned 19 and was working at local service stations pumping gas in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he grew up, and desired to experience a different life than what was surrounding him.
“Jobs in Hawaii at the time were very hard and I lost a lot of my classmates who went off to the Vietnam War and didn’t come back, and many of those who did, came back different,” McCumsey said. “I could work with my family who was working on the tugboats, but I wanted to know about what life was like outside of my family in Hawaii.”
The following October McCumsey changed the trajectory of his future and stepped off the island and onto a floating platform to join what was then called Military Sea Transportation Service, now known as Military Sealift Command (MSC).
“My dad, my grandfather and great grandfather were all merchant marines, as well as my older brother,” said McCumsey. “But I wanted to leave Hawaii and see something different; I wanted to see what the world could challenge me with.”
McCumsey said he started his maritime journey as an ordinary seaman before crossing into the engineering world as a wiper and then transitioning as a steward, at which time he said he found his passion.
“As a steward I got my lifeboat ticket which got me into loving seamanship,” he said. “After I got my lifeboat ticket, I wanted to go back to deck department as an ordinary seaman, so I did.”
McCumsey said he has sailed as a boatswain’s mate, ship’s boatswain and cargo boatswain, and now holds steady and finds joy in his position as an able-bodied seaman aboard the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209), where he can mentor, instruct, and share knowledge.
“As an able-bodied seaman, I find that I’m able to reach the new generation a lot better when teaching them,” McCumsey said. “I like working with my hands, so the other jobs didn’t really provide that opportunity, but being able to sit down with someone who wants to learn and being able to teach them is something that I truly enjoy.”
Sharing what he has learned over the years has not only become a passion of his, but it has also become an asset to some of his crewmates as well.
“Working with Bobby is a special opportunity for us new hires, especially for someone from my generation,” said Ethan Miller, an ordinary seaman assigned to Lucy Stone. “Bobby is the same age as my grandparents and still out here putting in the work. He is an oracle of nautical knowledge and philosophical advice. Working with and being around him is truly the experience of a lifetime.”
But for 58 years of sailing, McCumsey said it has been more than just learning about sea life, he has also seen many changes and advances in technology first-hand.
“I remember when the bridge was outfitted with a wheel, a radar and the mates had their charts to manually plot on,” said McCumsey. “Now, you see a lot of advanced and skilled technology that makes it look a lot fancier.”
McCumsey said one of the biggest changes he experienced was the emergency firefighting equipment on board and recalls a time when they relied more on each other to stay safe rather than the equipment.
“I remember going into a fire in the engine room and they were hosing us down with water so we wouldn’t catch on fire,” McCumsey said. “I could feel the heat on my skin underneath my gear and the floor felt slippery like walking on butter. I later saw that my boots had melted on the deck.”
Along with watching MSC evolve over the years, McCumsey said the memories he created when traveling overseas and engaging with the locals were some of the best times he has had with MSC.
“The people in Australia were so friendly, and they would line up outside the gate to meet you,” said McCumsey. “The people in Mombasa, Kenya, loved having us there and loved having us teach them. It really meant the world to them, and it created some of my best memories.”
But McCumsey has made memories for more than just himself, he has created a lasting impression on those around him who say that he is a one-of-a-kind merchant marine.
“Bobby is one of the last of a generation we’re not going to see out in the fleet much more,” said Alex Footman, chief mate, USNS Lucy Stone. “It’s likely we’ll only read maritime tales of a time of how the merchant marines and MSC used to be like when Bobby was younger. They don’t make them like him anymore. If only MSC had more “Bobbys.””
As he approaches his 59-year mark with MSC, McCumsey said he will stand his watch properly until he feels like it is time for him to step aside and let the next generation of Civil Service Mariners take his place.
“I couldn’t tell you how much longer I got, but I’ve got my health and I enjoy working,” said McCumsey. “I’m going to work till my health tells me not to anymore.”
MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.
| Date Taken: | 05.05.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2026 14:36 |
| Story ID: | 564423 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
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This work, From Honolulu to the Open Ocean: A 58-year Maritime Chapter Still Going Strong, by Molly Burgess, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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