Peter V. Patterson Capt. USNR Ret. The Portland
The Last CO of Whitehurst, Captain Peter V.
Patterson USNR Ret.
Now Operations and Maintenance,
Steamer Portland
Peter V. Patterson
Capt. USNR Ret.
The Portland
Captain Patterson, who was the last Commanding Officer
of USS Whitehurst DE-634 (68-69)
is now Maintenance and Operations Officer of the Steamer Portland. He was
born in Portland,
the fourth generation of a seafaring family. Patterson enlisted in the
Naval Reserve in 1951
and was commissioned as an Ensign in 1955.
During his naval service, Patterson served as a Surface
Warfare Officer and commanded
the destroyer escorts USS McGinty and USS Whitehurst; was
prospective commanding
officer of the destroyers USS Brush and USS Braine, and was Chief
of Staff to Desron in
Seattle. He commanded reserve units in Portland, Seattle and as Commanding
Officer of
Military Sealift Command Headquarters, Washington D.C. After 32 years of
service, he retired
as Captain USNR 1985.
Patterson's civilian career involved world wide work as
an engineering geologist supporting
civil works of engineering for the Corps of Engineers, Forest Service and
Resource Conser-
vation Service. He is a licensed Engineering Geologist in Oregon and
California. He retired as
Chief Engineering Geologist for the Dept. of Agriculture in 1992 and, until
2007, worked as an
independent consulting engineering geologist in the Pacific Northwest, Pakistan,
and Siberian
Russia.
The Captain holds US Coast Guard Unlimited, Oceans,
Third Officer, Unlimited First Class Pilot
Columbia River Entrance to Portland licenses.
In 2004 he joined the volunteer crew of the Steamer
Portland and started at the bottom chipping
and painting the fire room bilges, preparing the vessel for passenger operation.
From there he
graduated to the repair of the stern wheel and to the installation of new main
bearings. In 2006
Patterson assumed responsibilities of the operation and maintenance of the
Steamer and con-
tinues in that position on the 60 year old Portland, the last operating steam
tow boat in the
United States