Felix Riesenberg

Felix Riesenberg (9 April 1879 – 19 November 1939) was an American maritime officer and writer of maritime professional, historical, and fictional literature in the early 20th century. Riesenberg was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He later attended the New York Nautical School, graduating in the class of 1897. Afterward, he secured a position as a deck officer in the United States Merchant Marine, serving in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. He also served in the United States Naval Reserve until 1909. Riesenberg was hired by Walter Wellman to be a part of the support crew in an unsuccessful attempt to reach the North Pole by airship in the summer of 1906. He was rehired by Wellman as the navigator aboard the three-man airship America in a second failed attempt to reach the North Pole in 1907.After this, Riesenberg enrolled in the Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science, from which he graduated in 1913.

Riesenberg worked as a civil Engineer for the State of New York from 1913 to 1915 and then again from 1920 to 1922. In the interim, he was the Chief Officer of the United States Shipping Board.

Riesenberg was the superintendent of the New York Nautical School on two occasions, from 1917 to 1919 as captain of the barkentine "Newport" and again from 1923 to 1924.

Riesenberg was also a prolific author, publishing a textbook, Standard Seamanship for the Merchant Service that became commonly used, as well as several maritime historical works and novels. He wrote several articles that appeared in the magazine The Nation. Riesenberg published his memoir Living Again in 1937.Riesenberg died on 19 November 1939 in Scarsdale, New York. After a funeral service held in Bronxville. New York, his ashes were scattered at sea.Riesenberg had four children, Felix Jr., William, Margaret (Peggy), and John (Jack). His son Felix Jr. (1913–1962) was also an author of numerous maritime books. Felix Jr.'s married a woman named Priscilla.The New York Nautical School is today called the State University of New York Maritime College and is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Present-day cadets are still taught the "Riesenberg Saying": "The sea is selective; slow at recognition of effort and aptitude, but fast in sinking the unfit."