Written by Kris Land
Thomas Heggen: The Pen that Started It All
Thomas Heggen was the author who created the original story behind Mister Roberts. Little did 
Heggen realize just how strong his influence on the popularity of the U.S.S. New Bedford would be, even decades later. The original story was based on Heggens personal experiences aboard the U.S.S. Virgo and U.S.S. Rotanin during World War II. Stationed in the South Pacific, Heggen turned this period in his life into a series of short stories that would grow into something much, much larger.
Early Life of Thomas Heggen
Heggen was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa on December 23rd, 1919. His parents gave him the name Orlo Thomas Heggen. He spent his childhood primarily in Minnesota and Oklahoma. His early years were not terribly remarkable. He went on to attend classes at the University of Minnesota. It is here that his writing career began in 1937. He worked on a literary apprenticeship with the Minnesota Daily and campus humor magazine, Ski-U-Mah. He was a devoted writer, in fact more devoted to his apprenticeship than to his other academics. Heggen graduated in 1941 with a bachelors degree. Soon after graduating, he obtained a job as a member of the Readers Digest editorial staff.
Enduring the War
Heggen had only spent a short time with Readers Digest before the tragedy of Pearl Harbor occurred. Much like other young men at the time, this attack on his native soil convinced him to enlist. He joined the United States Navy where he was placed on a ship and began taking in daily life as a sailor. These experiences would later go on to form the story of Mister Roberts. Heggens enlistment ended in October of 1945. Afterwards, he returned to his job with the Readers Digest.
The Birth of an Author
During this time, Heggens cousin Wallace Stegner encouraged him to pen his war time stories. He originally planned to create a collection called The Iron-Bound Bucket. The finished manuscript was published in 1946 under the title Mister Roberts. Heggens creation received immense praise and a generally positive response from the public. His time with the Readers Digest was yet again cut short because he was now a successful author.
Heggens novel later went on to become a popular Broadway performance starring Henry Fonda followed by a film, television series and television movie. The film would also star an iconic vessel named the U.S.S. New Bedford. The ship is still making history today, although this time it has moved from the silver screen to the wide open ocean where it is being refitted to assist in environmental clean up efforts.
The Death of Thomas Heggen
Sadly, Heggen did not survive to enjoy his success for very long. Nearly thirty years old, Heggen was found dead in the bath tub of his New York apartment on May 19th, 1949. He had overdosed on barbiturates and drowned in what some say was suicide and other say was an accident. His literary work went on to touch many lives and later play a roll in the long history of the U.S.S. New Bedford (currently the Seabird).
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1944: Camano Class Light Cargo Ship was laid down for the US Army as FS-289 at Wheeler Shipbuilding in Whitestone, NY.
1945: Delivered to US Army.
1950: Acquired by the US Navy on July 1, 1950 and placed in service as USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1954: The movie, Mister Roberts, was made on the USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1955 - 1963: Used as a cargo supply ship for the Texas Towers, a network of advanced radar stations located off the Eastern Seaboard. In 1957, Capt. Sixto Mangual was commander of the AKL-17 and in 1961 it was rechristened the USNS New Bedford. The New Bedford, sailing out of State Pier, was keeping vigil when Texas Tower No. 4 callapsed off the New Jersey coast during a January 1961 nor'easter.
1963: Reclassified as Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX-308).
1971: The New Bedford (IX-308) served as a Torpedo Test Firing Vessel in the Puget Sound area.
1994: Ceremony in New Bedford.
1995: The ship was struck from the Naval Register on April 4.
2004: The Sea Bird's current disposition is a tuna long liner (fishing boat) out of San Diego, CA.
2006: Design of the Tesla Turbine began on June 11, 2006. The Sea Bird was sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service for commercial service.
2007: The Sea Bird was drydocked for renovations.
2008: The Sea Bird setting sail to Sea-Tac in Seattle, WA.
2009 - 2010: The Sea Bird is currently docked at Seattle Sea-Tac.
