The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-13
'S1Ceetheavt" Of The Merchant Marine
With Good Reason
~ MARGUERITE YOUNG
NeA Service star writer

New York - Sweetheart Of pFAe.
tlcally the whole y, g. Merchant
Marine IN tnb port u pagny Eld.
Ske--a spectacular ash blonde with
a soft, warm Morse accent and an
understanding smile, These charao.
teristlcs have made her n nightly
toast among hundreds Of men who
sail supplies through The ocean war
zones,
They cluster around Dasny IN
q mid.Manhattan club, run by the
the wing Of the War Shipping Ad.
mlnistratlon. Here every evening,
several hundred ofiieers and men
relax during their brief shore
leave between dangerous voyages.
Tho club Is one Of 1--WE now going
In the United states, and II will
be duplicated IN every domestic
and foreign port touched BY mer.
Ichantmen IN war service,
Each OF the clubs volunteer
hostesseS usually serves one night
q week, but Dagny, such Is the
demand for her and the club on
Gals opinion OF her rs a Morales
builder, Is on duty almost every
evening. Her infectious gAiety
and ability 10 Swing II" usually
bring several tables up around
hers and draw Into her circle both
the beau Of the evening and the
gloomy sailor who sits alone until
Dagny catches his eye,
Tete-a-tetes are not encouraged
IN the club, but DaRney has plenty
OF them with ofiiciNls' approval,
But none that sWoetheArtS and
wives nj home could object 10. For
the truth IA, Dagny Ii IN love with
the OUTFIT and the memory Of ono
Of It's heroes, not with individuals,
Most OF these men have been
In action" she explains, "Many
whom I've talked TO have been
wounded, try 10 switch CONVEX
Sation politely away from such
things, But when q mans got
something on his chest we'll, I
can listen, because ] know what he
means and know he needs 10 talk
70 somebody who understands
him"
somO get romantic, and then
comes DRgnyS understanding
smile and, I'm sorry, but ] can.
not look ut anybody that way"
Few OF the conslders learn why,
but sometimes Dagny tells her
story, briefly, and that IL tho end
OF sad talk for tho evening
On q gold chain OF her throat
Is q lookot containing two pictures
Of o laughing, Viking-llke young
man Hawkins Fudske, He had
boon her husband,
He was q Norwegian American,
81, who got his captains papers Rt
90 but shipped ~ chief mate be.
cause OF his youth, He sailed up
and down North and South Amer.
iea's Bub.infested coast many
times during the nine months
Dagny was married 10 him, Then,
Just before Christmas, his ships
engineer called Dagny and said
her husband had been lost when
the vessel was torpedoed,
A little later Dagney got the gold
Merchant Marine Distinguished
Service Medal and Q letter; "The
President OF the United states
takes pleasure for herolsm
above and beyond the call OF duty
an enduring inspiration 10 sea-
men OF tho y, 3, Merchant Ma
rlne everywhere"
Soon afterward Dagny read
about the new club for merchant
sailors, She wrote and offered 10
| wash dishes or do anything else
for the club,
Anything" she said, "heeause
these men arc heroes they've
seen action and people don't seem
10 realize II oven couldn't DO.
fore, TO mo they're heroes,
every one, or course, I'm preju.
diced toward them; I guess I feel
like eVeFyone's mother"