Some people leave a mark that endures.
Such is the case of Jacob S. Gelberman (1909-1973) former Operations Division Chief for the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s whose outstanding contributions led to naming a District drift-collection vessel after him ⎼ the GELBERMAN.
DISTRICT HOSTS FAMILY
On May 1, family and relatives ⎼ some coming from as far away as New Hampshire ⎼ visited Caven Point Marine Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, where the GELBERMAN is berthed. Visitors included: son-in law Barry Brenin; granddaughter Katy Gibney and her husband, Tim Gibney; three great grandchildren including Jacob (named after Jacob Gelberman) Jeri and Samuel; and Katy’s step-mother Carole Gurton.
The party was greeted by New York’s Physical Support Branch Chief Richard Thorsen and Marine Superintendent William Lyness, along with an eight-member crew of the vessel. Lyness, a former captain of the GELBERMAN, discussed the vessel’s history and daily functions collecting debris in New York area waters promoting safe navigation. Commissioned in 1980, the GELBERMAN is in service for 45+ years.
Also in attendance was Deputy Operations Division Chief Gerlyn Perlas. She noted how the GELBERMAN plays a critical role keeping the waterways safe for navigation by collecting and removing floating debris and other hazards. Perlas also said having the Gelberman name on an Army Corps vessel helps staff connect with the history of the District, i.e., those who came before us building the foundation for the work we continue today.
VERSATILE VESSEL
A PowerPoint presentation illustrated the GELBERMAN’s versatility beyond drift collection:
▶ Leading the Parade of Ships in New York-New Jersey Harbor during Fleet Week;
▶ Rescuing a boater whose craft had capsized;
▶ Stood by to render assistance to Flight 1549 that made an emergency landing in the Hudson River in 2009;
▶ Escorting the U.S.S. Comfort ─ a hospital vessel ⎼ in New York-New Jersey Harbor during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEPTEMBER 11 SERVICE
In an e-mail, Master Captain Elizabeth Finn recounted facets of the GELBERMAN’s response to 9/11:
▶ The day of the attack and overnight, people stranded in Lower Manhattan were brought to safety in New Jersey and Brooklyn.
▶ In the following days the vessel and crew provided logistics support for key Army Corps personnel entering and exiting Ground Zero;
▶ Supported FDNY vessels/trucks with anti-freeze, fuel and water; shuttled supplies, firefighters and EMS back and forth from multiple locations in New York City and New Jersey to North Cove.
Then the main event: touring the vessel. Visitors learned about many aspects of the craft and, at one point, Ms. Gibney took the helm in the captain’s seat surrounded by family providing a simulation of what it might have been like for her grandfather 60 years earlier. Crew assigned to the GELBERMAN that day were: Ronald Greenbaum (captain), Michael Altilio, Christian Noye, Oleg Kushelev, Nicolas Valverde, Yuri Pinto, Wilfredo Rivera and Wayne Adamkowski. (Elizabeth Finn, Master Captain of the vessel, was unable to attend.)
New York Operations Division Chief Randall Hintz noted: “New York was extremely happy to host the visitors for this emotional tribute. Re-visiting his [Gelberman’s] outstanding contributions to the New York District was very special. It’s a proud moment when an Army Corps employee is recognized with a vessel in their honor ⎼ even more so when that legacy is carried on by family and relatives. It was a great day for the family and the District.”
REMEMBERING JACOB GELBERMAN
Ms. Gibney remembers this about her grandfather:
“Jacob Gelberman was an even-tempered, kind man. He took pride in his work and service to the Army Corps. His great achievements included mitigating erosion through dredging projects. I remember seeing the results of his efforts as dramatically-eroded beaches returned to what they had been.
She continued: Aside from the sentimental nature of our visit, my family greatly appreciates the service that the DCV GELBERMAN does as it picks up debris from the waterways. We were filled with pride to see it sail to the aid of Flight 1549 in 2009.”
VESSEL LAUNCHING 1980
Gibney and her father, Barry, were present at the launching of the GELBERMAN 45+ years ago (1980). In fact, Katy broke the champagne bottle against the bow christening the maiden voyage ⎼ a centuries-old maritime tradition inviting good luck and safe travel. That day her brother, Richard Brenin, sang the National Anthem. Since then she and family members have visited Caven Point several times, most recently in 2011.
JACOB GELBERMAN: THE MAN
Jacob S. Gelberman worked for the Army Corps for 23 years, serving as Chief of the Plant Branch (1950-57), Assistant Chief of Operations Division (1957-61), and Chief of the Operations Division (1961-73). He also served his country: in 1968 the U.S. Army gave him its second-highest civilian award for the design and installation of a water‐spray system for incinerator barges to reduce air pollution; in World War II he served in the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant commander. His obituary and photo were published in The New York Times.
Gelberman, born in Nashville, TN, earned an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University. He joined the Army Corps as a civilian in 1932 working in the St. Louis-Omaha area until 1938 when he moved to New York.
BUILDING TOUR/PRESENTATIONS
Next was a tour of the Administration Building where nearly 70 Army Corps staff work. One stop was the Survey and Mapping Branch where Deputy Branch Chief Miguel Surage and Remote Sensing Section Chief Christopher Aballo gave a demonstration of current technological capabilities ⎼ dedicated to recognizing the enduring legacy of Jacob Gelberman. Tracing the evolution of operations from the time he ‘passed the baton’ to the present day, the demonstration highlighted the progression of the field since then.
Modern advancements such as multi-beam sonar technology and LiDAR were discussed ⎼ well beyond the days when survey teams relied on lead lines to conduct their work. Demonstrating the ability to visualize the seafloor in a 3D world, the presentation emphasized how the foundational efforts of his [Gelberman’s] era paved the way for the advanced, high-resolution mapping capabilities used today.
Interestingly, the family last visited Caven Point in 2011, a year before the facility was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Rebuilt in 2016, visitors experienced a state-of-the-art building designed to withstand severe storms and tidal surges: hurricane-force windows; built atop 13-foot piers; electrical and ventilation systems enter through the ceiling; and much more. Visitors also viewed photos from 2012 illustrating the intensity of the storm that destroyed the facility.
Capping the visit was a formal presentation from Richard Thorsen presenting the family with several historical photos of the GELBERMAN. The New York District also presented the family with an Army Corps flag signed by the crew of the GELBERMAN.