Hidden Treasure
In the Hills

Occasionally I hear about unique individuals who have accomplished many things and they live right under our noses and yet we know little about them. One such person that I have the privilege of counting as a good friend is Captain Tom Malanchuk.

Captain Tom, a Merchant Marine captain, has been all over the world in all kinds of storms, and weather and knows every port on all coasts of the U.S. intimately. He has been involved in maritime law and admiralty law cases. He has made several rescues at sea and holds the distinction of being the first American ship through the Panama Canal after Jimmy Carter gave the Canal back to the Panamanians. In addition he has been through the Suez Canal, the Bosporus, Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, and many more.

Tom became involved with my project of saving the USS Orleck DD 886, a destroyer that was named for my uncle, Lt. Joseph Orleck, who lost his life when he went down with his ship during the invasion of Salerno in WW II.

After USS Orleck served the US Navy for 37 years it was given to Turkey and served there for 16 years.

Captain Tom was delivering jet fuel to Haifa in the 90s when he noticed a destroyer kicking up a rooster tail along with another destroyer in the Sea of Marmara. He got the numbers off the ship and sure enough it was the ex-USS Orleck and that began his involvement with this great destroyer.

I attended the decommissioning of the ex-USS Orleck in Turkey and was able to arrange for them to give the ship to us to preserve as a museum in Texas. When the ship was being towed back, Captain Tom, who was then sailing fuel oil from Texas to Florida, made it a point to get the coordinates and met up with the Orleck in the Gulf of Mexico on a foggy morning, gave his respects and got some good pictures as she made her way to her final home. Tom played and continues to play a role with our ship to enable us to accomplish what we are attempting. Suffice it to say he has a love for the sea and the ships that sail the sea that leads to action on his part.

He graduated 1967 from SUNY Maritime College with a BS degree, had a commission as Lt. JG in the naval reserve, and was an LCDR in the naval reserve when his commission ended.

Most impressive is that he has spent 40 years going to sea and has received the highest license obtainable, that of "Master Mariner/oceans unlimited, steam or diesel, radar and ARPA endorsements, GMDSS endorsements (satellite communications."

He has been inducted into the Boston Marine Society, the oldest and most prestigious of all marine societies that stems from the old sailing ship days.

During the 30 years he has been a captain, he has had command of about a dozen different ships carrying about every liquid cargo known to man. He was a pioneer in the trade with Keystone Shipping Company as master and chief officer on "Drugstore" chemical ships carrying as many as 22 different chemicals simultaneously.

If you get a chance to hear a few of Captain Tom’s stories, they are exciting and worth listening to. Tom lives in Randolph Center with his wife Sandy and is an avid outdoorsman and hunter.

Bob Orleck

Randolph