"Saint Tim", Patron of RUSSELL

I got a box in the mail today, and my mood lit up when I saw the name on the return address: Tim Guard.

Robert T. “Tim” Guard is in his public life the president of one of Hawaii’s oldest and most respected corporations, McCabe, Hamilton & Renny Co., Ltd. In his spare time, he’s a key member of the Navy League in Hawaii, a director for the Pacific Marine Life Foundation, and he's adopted our ship and her crew. But, while impressive in their own right, these are among what we aboard RUSSELL think are his least accomplishments. You see, Tim once served as a naval officer and won a Bronze Star for his service to our Navy and Nation in Vietnam.

Every so often, I get a box of books from Tim for the ship’s library, and when we’re in port he’s often found about the middle decks talking to Sailors, shaking their hands, thanking them for their service and asking what he can do for them. There’s a quote attributed to John Paul Jones about the character of naval officers that goes like this:

It is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor. He should be the soul of tact, patience, justice, firmness, kindness, and charity.

Tim Guard pretty much exemplifies that and provides a goal for which we should all strive. So, this post’s for you, Tim. On behalf of the officers and crew of RUSSELL, mahalo.