Jeremiah K. Lahey writes:

"My father, Richard T. Lahey, Sr., was first an avid radio ham and second a seafarer. He became hooked on ham radio as a young man and quickly used his skills to explore the world beyond Plymouth, Massachusetts. Later settled down when he married my mother, Ruth. Enlisted in the Navy the day after Pearl Harbor and sailed as radio officer on the destroyer, Howard D. Crow. Had three sons, Richard T. Lahey, Jr., Benjamin B. Lahey , plus me, Jeremiah K. Lahey.

Dad had to return to sea on the Steel Chemist for health reasons, smoking and reaction to chemicals in his dry cleaning business, and need of a decent advocation to support his family. Dad sailed for almost 20 years until he retired at 65. He and Ruth then traveled the United States in their Avion trailer and completely enjoyed themselves as visting grandparents. Also, they visited the many ham radio friends that Dad had made over the years.

Dad's legacy to his sons was imprinting onto us the importance of education. When he returned from sea we would often times take a family vacation. Whenever, we passed a chain gang, Dad, while still driving, would point over his shoulder at us in the back seat and always say the same thing - "See what happens to you when you don't go to college." Needless to say we did. An engineer, a psychologist and and an architect. Of course, Mom contibuted as well but Dad was smart enough to marry her."

Dick (right) with John Fennell,
off the coast of Mexico, 1954.

S.S. Steel Chemist

S.S. Steel Chemist