Every day Sailing with C/M Sam Irvin was extremely uncomfortable. I was scared & dreaded reporting to work. I chose to forget most of it, but these are the things that were not as easy to forget.

*(This Statement Was Written By The Victim and was submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard in connection with the Coast Guard’s S&R Investigation into Captain Samuel Sullivan Irvin, III. Irvin was charged with 11 counts of shipboard sexual misconduct, including multiple charges of shipboard rape and molestation, yet the Coast Guard allowed Irvin to walk away with only a suspension of his license after signing a secret settlement agreement. This Victim Statement Was Obtained By MLAA Through Records Requests. Certain Information Has Been Redacted To Protect the Victim’s Identity).

STATEMENT ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH CHIEF MATE SAMUEL SULLIVAN IRVIN

To Whom It May Concern:

During my first Sea Year, November [REDACTED] to March [REDACTED], I sailed as Deck Cadet aboard the [REDACTED]. For the first three months, I worked under the direction of C/M Samuel Sullivan Irvin.

I will preface this statement by saying: Every day aboard the ship with C/M Irvin was extremely uncomfortable; I chose to forget many of the situations. When I was contacted by Coast Guard Commander [REDACTED] because of an investigation into Irvin, these are the few situations I could recall since they were not as easy to forget.

When I first met C/M Irvin I was informed I was to work with him. He said "the Captain thinks you will cause trouble on deck." However, when the relief Chief Mate came in January/February, under the same Captain, I was allowed to work on deck. During the time with C/M Irvin I was to follow him around and was not allowed any time with the crew for anything. When we were crossing the Atlantic, C/M Irvin called me in my room. It was after hours and I was asleep. When I answered, he said, “Oh, I'm sorry you are sleeping.” He hung up. 

However, he called right back. At this point he said, “Throw on your robe and come over. It is important.” Even though alarm bells were ringing in my head, I went because he was my boss. I did not don my robe, instead I dressed completely. When I got to his office, he invited me into his room. I hung close to the door. He told me to relax. He said this was a celebration for my first time crossing the Atlantic. He offered me corn alcohol. I told him I did not drink. He urged me to try it, saying that it was the best out there. Finally, I tasted a sip and then wrinkled up my nose and said I did not like it. He looked angry and said I could go back to my room.

Approaching port, I had requested permission from the Chief Mate to go on leave when we reached town, to see my fiance. Irvin approached me the day before and said the crew was concerned I would be making too loud of noises from my room if my boyfriend were to visit. I told him that I would like to go on leave from the ship on that day, if it would be allowed. That same evening, outside of his office, he warned me to the idea "if you touch yourself tonight you will ruin the sex tomorrow." I forget the way it was worded, but the meaning was abundantly clear. The day of port, when we were fishing up the arrival paperwork on the bridge, C/M Irvin slipped me $200 and suggested I purchase a hotel room so we would not need to come back to the ship. 

I did not want to take it and declined. He put it in my pocket and said that he had promised the Second Mate there would be no noises from my room. He said the Second Mate was lonely and would be uncomfortable. Whether it is an important point or not, the Second Mate was a friend of mine and would have never said that. 

While walking around on deck, he would discuss his wife and all the types of lingerie he would buy for her. He would describe the lingerie and the things she did when he bought them for her. He also discussed his daughter. At one time, on the bridge wing, he said female sexual exploration is normal. He said, in essence “my daughter was only 12 when she got a whistle stuck up inside her vagina and I had to take her to the hospital to have it removed.”

Constantly, he would tell me stories about women he would meet. Most of these conversations occurred in his office. He would talk about how they all wanted him. He told me his wife was okay with it. That at one time, a girl had called her to get permission and the wife said it was fine. I was scared on the boat. I made every possible excuse not to run into C/M Irvin and dreaded reporting to work. My door was locked continuously. Whether I was out of the room, in the room, or just stepped in to grab something. It was always locked. 

However, one afternoon; exhausted, I was taking a nap. Apparently, I had left the keys in the door. When I woke up my keys were laying beside my pillow on the bed. I do not know who did this. But my room was directly across from C/M Irvin’s room and no one else paid me any mind on the vessel.

Finally, during the Senior/Alumni Awards Dinner in the Fall of [REDACTED], I saw C/M Irvin at Kings Point. He was there to receive an award from the Kings Point Alumni Association. When I left the dining room to go to the restroom, he found me in the hallway. He put his arm on my lower back and whispered in my ear, "You've grown up nicely."

I never reported any of this. I never told C/M Irvin that I was uncomfortable with the things he said. I always played the “dumb blonde card.” When he said something, I acted as though I did not understand. This always seemed to end the conversation quickly because he would just be annoyed. My sea partner, [REDACTED], was told everything as it happened. The rest of the boat seemed to know what was going on. While in port, the engineers would take me under their wing and they would make comments about C/M Irvin.

However, I never said anything. After getting off the ship, I felt stupid in that I never did anything to stand up for myself. I also felt that I was just as guilty because I had allowed him to say those things. This was my first sailing experience and I did not know any better. Experience and maturity allows me to realize my mistake and would like now to help in any way that I can. I hope this assists in the investigation. 

Everything I have written is a true statement to the best of my knowledge. 

Any questions, feel free to contact me at the below information.

Respectfully,

[REDACTED]

USMMA Class of [REDACTED]