Submitted by Name: Larry "Whitey" Jahn From: Hoopeston, IL E-mail: jahn1958@yahoo.com
Comments: Deckhand and college student in the late 50's and 60's. Worked for Mid_America Towing on M/V Eleanor Gordon, 1958, 59, 64 Mid-South Towing, M/V Girlee Knight, 1960,61, 63, 65,67 Chotin Towing M/V Irene Chotin 1962
Mid-Souh towing Julia Woods 1966
Enjoyed my experiences on Ohio, Upper and lower Missippi Rivers
Comments: I was a young computer programmer working for a client in New Orleans. The Lane Thomas, now the Nueces, was one of my first programming projects.
Comments: The girls and I walked around my old stomping grounds. While we were on the historical suspension bridge we saw a barge traveling on the Ohio river, something rare happened. The barge blew its horn and the captain came out and waved at us. I told the girls that never happens, they said \93You never had pretty girls with you.\94 Thank you for making my daughters visit to wheeling memorable.
Added: June 26, 2018 - 01:44 PM
Submitted by Name: Michael Hulett From: Quincy,Illinois E-mail: mphguitar1@gmail.com
Comments: I come from a long line of river people. My grandfather own and operated The Hulett Transportation Company. That is to say bargeline back in the 40s. I was also a bargeline deckhand back in the day
Comments: My sweet stepfather was Captain of the Ann Brent for many years. He passed away with the Mississippi River in his heart. He loved the river. R.I.P. "Fatdaddy" ... I loved you.
Added: June 01, 2018 - 07:12 PM
Submitted by Name: Jerry Robertson From: Bartlett, Tn, 38135 E-mail: jslh67@gmail.com
Comments: May 19, 2018
Today I have been blessed with a most wonderful experience!! On a certain date, shortly after October 16, 1958, a TowBoat Captain and his dear and sweet wife pulled up to my house in Tiptonville, Tn. They had come there to pick up the "kid" and so they did and we began the last leg of their journey to Pickwick Dam to meet the new "pretty little ole boat" as Captain John Morris (I believe) was fond of referring to the William B. Barnett! This was my first time to come to understand the life of a deckhand on a TowBoat that plowed the waters of the Inland Waterways! When we arrived we found that all of the fifteen to twenty barges of it's tow were scattered all over that part of the river (the Tennessee)! I don't remember all of the details of what we did but, I sure remember the work which I had not seen in all of my life prior to that day!! After getting through the Pickwick Dam we headed east towards Knoxville and somewhere, I am not sure where, we received orders to swap tow's with a boat called the Aroco (probably misspelled by me). We had gone through maybe two or three locks to finally get to the Aroco and we swaped tow's as we were instructed to do and began an incredibly difficult, that is "hard" journey back through all of the locks and, eventually back to the Mighty Mississippi! The William B. Barnett was brand new then, just like me and after Sixty years have gone by it still looks like it could cruise "forever"! What a thrill for me to see it in these pictures! I have carried it around in my heart as I often recalled those day of yesteryear! I was eighteen then and next month, June 18th, will be my Seventy-eighth birthday! That will be Sixty years since I first saw the William B. Barnett! I have not seen it since! Boy wouldn't it be nice to "ride" it again after all of these years!! God bless all of you!!
Added: May 19, 2018 - 07:03 PM
Submitted by Name: Dave Jordan From: Plano illinois E-mail: Djordan@lrffpd.com
Comments: Hal J. Pannel is my cousin . Amazing to see the pictures of the boat named after him . Thank You and hope all you remain safe .
Comments: My father was Captain Paul H. Johnson. He used to pilot the Rose G and the Sally Ann. Sadly he passed away in 1968.Finding these boats brings to life a little piece of him. My grandfather also was a river captain out of Louisville, KY. He was Captain Luther Commomdore Johnson, but went by Commodore. If anybody has any knowledge of these special men, I'd greatly appreciate your words!!
Added: May 04, 2018 - 10:43 PM
Submitted by Name: Jim Taylor From: Jennings Ferry Campground E-mail: Rvemails342@yahoo.com
Comments: Saw the Alice Parker barge heading south on the Black Warrior River. It was pushing coal. Saw it yesterday April 23, 2018.
Name: Larry "Whitey" Jahn
From: Hoopeston, IL
E-mail: jahn1958@yahoo.com
Deckhand and college student in the late 50's and 60's.
Worked for Mid_America Towing on M/V Eleanor Gordon, 1958, 59, 64
Mid-South Towing, M/V Girlee Knight, 1960,61, 63, 65,67
Chotin Towing M/V Irene Chotin 1962
Mid-Souh towing Julia Woods 1966
Enjoyed my experiences on Ohio, Upper and lower Missippi Rivers