Page 21 - HIWT Winter 2014 World of Welding

hiwt@welding.org HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY

A SALUTE TO A SAILOR

By Neil Mansfield, AWS CWI-CWE®
Metal Fabrication Teacher, AVRTHS

The Navy, welding and friendship seems to go well together nuclear power
and this is how I think of HT-1 Mark Rudis…a sailor, a skilled plants in New
tradesman and a good friend. There are “givers and takers” in Hampshire,

this world in which we live and Mark is definitely a “giver”. built stainless
In fact, he has been giving, guiding, teaching, and advising steel and

ever since I met him 18 years ago in a Navy Seabee battalion. titanium piping
We met in what is called the “mud boot” part of the Navy and systems for
learned that we were both Navy welders. pharmaceutical
plants, welded
Mark being the HT type and me being the Seabee type, we on heavy
talked and shared countless stories about metals and how to equipment, and
make them stick together, as most welders in this world seem even learned
to do when they get together. Rather boring topics for most how to become
folks, but for us it was in our DNA. It’s what HT’s and Seabees a blacksmith,
eat, breath, and like to talk about. in his free time,
while hand
You see, Mark was one of those sailors that you meet in your forging his own
career and the moment you meet him and begin to work garden gate for
together, you know this shipmate really knows his stuff and his home… HT-1 Mark Rudis at work.
you are going to learn something new while being partnered and the list of
up with him. Mark was always willing to take the time to help things he has built with his hands goes on and on. If it’s metal
a fellow shipmate learn the craft of welding and pipe fitting, HT -1 can bend it, shape it, form it and weld it. He has that
which he does so very well, both in the Navy and in his civilian Midas touch of fine craftsmanship with metals, and for 22
life. years, the United States Navy has benefitted from his talents
as a welder/pipe fitter.

For over 15 years Mark has also been teaching, guiding, and
advising me and my welding students at our local vocational
school in Central Massachusetts. Each year HT -1 gives up his
own time and takes off from his job to be a guest speaker and
gives pipe welding demonstrations to my welding students.
He is on our advisory board and provides recommendations
and shared his expertise in welding metallurgy and new
technologies which has advanced our students knowledge and
improved their skill sets. Mark has arranged field trips with my
students to welding businesses including General Dynamics
Electric Boat Submarine Division. He also volunteers each
year to evaluate my senior students in their final welding
projects and portfolios presentations that are required for
graduation.

Finding ways to help others and improve their lives, HT-1 has
taught me and my fellow teachers advanced levels of pipe
HT-1 Mark Rudis welding pipe.
fitting and pipe welding. The Navy, welding, and friendship
is what he has forged for so long. Wherever he goes, he finds

When it comes to building things out of metal, Mark has time to help people around him. I am forever grateful to have
welded aerospace aircraft, built and welded tug boats in New him as a friend and as he moves into retirement, I wish him fair
York, welded fast-attack submarines in Rhode Island, built winds and following seas!
and welded steam and gas pipe lines in Boston, worked on

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