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Joseph Coluzzi, my husband, served his country in Vietnam as a United States Marine. I learned of his military service from Captain Boltin of the Merchant Vessel Lopez. Joe went to war from Seminary at St. John's. The only thing Joe said about Vietnam was that he served his country to provide Vietnamese with democractic opportunities, i.e., free speech, the right to vote, and the opportunity to determine their own future. Joe was awarded a Purple Heart, according to his Captain, who told me about Joe's service. We were on his ship the day Joe asked Boltin perform the ceremony. Boltin agreed and addressed with pride Joe's achievements. In Japanese custom it is necessary for a spokesperson to speak on behalf of a person about to be married, and Saipan my family home for thirty years which was also Joe's home port, shares many customs with Micronesians and Japanese. I am an American but lived abroad for many years.
Joe never spoke of Vietnam. He served his country - and the Vietnamese who prevailed that the United States save them from communism. Joe believed a man's duty was to serve his country.
Joe's family was from Manhatten. He traveled frequently between New York and Philadelphia. We sent letters to his family in Yonkers. He played guitar, pool, enjoyed chess, Go, and community service. Joe was an avid reader and accomplished linguist. After Vietnam he sailed on the East Coast where he was a member of the Seaman's Union. He worked as a Chef in Las Vegas, Nevada and Austin, Texas. Joe loved his family who lived in the Mainland, USA and spoke of them frequently as we planned our religious marriage, a second and more public ceremony, in the Garapan church on Saipan, the Home Port of the Merchant Vessel Lopez. We planned to make our home on Saipan, the island which has been my family's residence for many years, and move to New York later. We made plans to marry in The Church, following our civil ceremony on the Vessel with the late Father Gary Bradley of the Garapan Catholic Church on Saipan. We announced our plans to members of the Saipan International Business Community. I frequently visited Joe on his Vessel and signed in on the ships logs. Joe was the Steward, a Steward has the rank of a CEO with a factory. He was essentially the purchasing and procurement officer for acquistions of all supplies for his floating city, the ship. Joe and I signed documents, in front of witnesses on the Vessel Lopez when I agreed to marry him on the ship. I had a rubber band on my finger, and I was quite proud. We believed we were married, we were told we were married, and our witnesses the ceremony believed we were married. I loved my husband more than life. My husband was my life.
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This is the first version of what I was told happened to Joe.On Jan 28, 1998 the Merchant Vessel Lopez, an AMSEA cargo ship with a Department of Defense contract, sailed from Saipan to Guam for a routine refueling. Joe was the ship Steward, an officer with the same status of a procurement and purchasing CEO. He was also active in his labor union and was respected an admired for his sense of responsibility to other members of the crew. The Officers and Crew disembarked on Guam to pick up supplies and have dinner in Agana, Guam. Joe never returned to the vessel. There are conflicting accounts of what happened on Guam the last night he was seen. Joe's passport, his Seaman's papers, his keys, his dress shoes and his money were found in the cabin. He evidently planned to return to his ship. Newpaper articles appeared in the Pacific Daily News concerning his disappearance. These articles were based on an interview between Captain Mulderig, a Captain who rotated to Boltin's position and PDN newsreporters at the Saipan Bureau- in February of 1999.In June 2004 I learned that Mulerig had attended the cremation of my husband on Guam before he gave the interview to PDN.Joe was cremated and I was never informed. Captain Mulderig had insisted that I was not legally married when we spoke in early 1999. However, Mulderig had addressed invitations to Mr and Mrs Coluzzi- which were delivered to me by employees of AMBYTH, the Port Agent. These invitations were sent at Mulderig's request to me. Joe passed his Captains exam on the vessel, Mulderig might have been threatened by Joes' popularity and the fact he could compete for Mulderig's postion with AMSEA.
I reported my suspicions concerning the possibility of foul play to Coast Guard Investigations in Sacremento California and other law enforcement agencies. Captain Mulderig has subsequently faced charges for his personal violence and a collision at sea. His Vessel is a non conscipted Cargo ship with a Department of Defense contract. I hope the company bears scrutiny for this travesty and that further contracts are not awarded to AMSEA, a subsidiary of General Dynamics,which to date have never replied to any correspondence I sent by registered mail with return receipts requested. I sent a letter to Lloyd's of London. I contacted all law enforcement agencies and labor unions and media to assist in recovery of information about Joe. I contacted his company and sent letters to all agencies which could assist in the recovery of information. Posters were distributed on Guam, I contacted the Utilities Commission and different branches of the United States Military. I was told by a man now implicated in a cover up, that my marriage was not legal, and that if I used the name Coluzzi I would be guilty of a felony. I was assaulted on Saipan and was very fearful for my family and for my safety. After all of these years, the man I first suspected of foul play has been named as a perpetrator in assault.I did write a lengthy statement for Saipan Police expressing my suspicions, fears and reservations about the men who were in charge of the ship. I have the case number. As all of our documents were on the ship I felt there was nothing I could do to prove the marriage occured, the company refused to release the address of the Captain who married us or the witnesses top the marriage. I went to military and federal law enforcement agencies. I have copies of the registered and certified mail I sent to the ship and to AMSEA. I returned to the USA and contacted Veterans Administration, the US Marine Corps, New York Police,Foreign Consuls and law enforcement agencies in Virginia and in Texas.
With the assistance of the CIA in Austin Texas I learned in June of 2004 what happened to my husband. For six years I have coped with people who expolilted my poverty, my illness and my unfamiliarity with the legal process. One woman, named Nancie, saw me as a perfect target to advance her own financial interests.
Meanwhile I traveled to New Jersey and New York, Texas, Pennslyvania and to Virginia to locate Joe's relatives. I contacted Lloyd's of London in the United Kingdom, they have been very helpful. In June of 2004 I learned, with assistance of the FBI and CIA, that Joe died after being attacked on the ship, in his cabin. The press release which was published in Pacific Daily News, a bogus missing person news release which stated Joe was AWOL, was issued after Joe's cremation. Our famiy grieves over the betrayal of our trust by government employees and company officials who concealed the circumstances. The day I was informed about his disappearance, I was at a Saipan Chamber of Commerce Meeting. Joe's favorite prayer was "God's Tapestry". Although I have learned that once you experience love, you have a wellspring to share, although I have been exposed to people without humanity, integrity or the ability to perform in the official capacities to which they were appointed and although I have been victimized by those who attempt to expolit my tragedy, I have at least learned what happened and individuals responsible will be held accountable.Peo[pple have neither sympathized or even given me the benefit of the doubt regarding my suspicions and information until Captain Mulderig rammed a Russian fishing trawler in the Pacific. It seems Mulderig had a lot of information about a house in Nyack which I was awarded by inheritance but about which I knew nothing.
I solicited information through this geocity and by forwarding this and threatening e-mails I received to the CIA, in Austin, Texas,
The first web page I constructed was maliciously damaged by a supervisor at my office at DC Gov't. This web site has brought forward leads and information which were instrumental in the discovery of facts surrounding the death of my husband. The person responsible for the cover up was found to be guilty of many violations of Maritime Law. Men on the Merchant Vessel Lopez believe the ship to be haunted. My husband was a Christian, but I believe that other spirits of souls and our saints lost at sea can influence the outcome of a voyage.The ultimate voyage is in God's hands. There is a power which surpasses our intellect. I spoke with the crew on the Vessel in June of 2004 I learned that my misgivings about certain people were not unfounded.
Joe's honesty and courage cannot be destroyed by criminals or the evil abuses of power perpetrated by those who do not have the character or integrity for the positions which they occupy. Many people who were empowered with governmental and maritime responsibilities escaped scrutiny regarding the details and potential of their own culpability in Joe's death and the manner in which my husbands death was attended. Many agencies refused to reply to my correspondence or to forward it to agencies though they knew of appropriate contacts of which I had no awareness. The company's negligence with regard to misinformation I received is simply evil. Presently one insurance company is threatening to stall the release of my annuities unless I agree to certain conditions. A law firm in the District of Columbia attempted to represent me without my knowledge or consent, these people also linked my family business web site to their publicity page. I have received a number of bogus e-mails indicating that I owe money to various creditors of Joe's. We had no debts. Another scam involved an attorney who misrrepresented herself as my legal counsel and attempted to take out a loan against the annuities. Other scams involved a phone call asking me to collect money being deposited for me from Joe's former company at a local bank. A woman with whom Joe had a previous relationship attempted to usurp his insurance. A man who claimed to represent an insurance company attempted coersion to force me to share the small sum I expect to receive from the insurance for a marker for Joseph.Bogus sitings of Joe were reported in Virginia. A woman on Saipan accepted a crate of furniture which arrived after Joe's death and was addressed to me. I have been able to resolve my questions and insurance issues with the help of the Central Intelligence Agency and the FBI. I wonder how the alcoholics, sociopaths and corrupt officials in government and the company will resolve the issues now brought to light? I have asked God only for Justice. I am seeking legal representation and have sent e-mails to United States Senators and News Media.
It must have seemed so simple to push aside the widow of a man who was murdered at sea and lived so far from where an investigation should have immediately been conducted. Since arriving home to the USA I have had three surgeries and have lived at a Ukrainian Orthodox Convent Charity house because I had no funds.
Update
Our marriage has been verified and confirmed by many witnesses. It was revealed to me in June 2004 that Joe was cremated on Guam and that our familly was not informed. I will soon make my home in New York. On Sept 7, 2004 afetr a teleconference with the CIA in Austin, Texas I telephoned AMSEA again, I was told that noone was available to speak with me. I was transfered to Pat Booth who said, A)" A Captain cannot legally marry anyone"(this is incorrect) and B) That he spoke with Captain Boltin "three weeks ago" and that Boltin denied the marraige, then Booth said Boltin is an Afro American (this is incorrect)
and C) That Joe is alive and he cannot release my husbands phone number. (A photo of Joe's body was taken in the morgue on Guam) and finally Booth saidthat D)He did not owe me anything. Booth acknowledged that he is the procurement officer for General Dynamics, he would not say how long he worked for the company and he also admitted that he did not have any further interest in the matter. MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE A CONTINUED INTEREST IN THE MATTER- Booth did not have the correct DOB or spelling of Joe's name.Could it be that the company is fearful of loosing their contract with the United States Department of Defense ? Would our country be better served if preposition ships were Navy or Coast Guard vessels? For more information on the circumstances please scroll below or View my geocity on yahoo http://geocities/yahoo.com/ColuzziKathryn
I will not return to West Virginia where most unfortunately the voyeurism and cruelty of those with whom I discussed the matter have caused me great distress.All I have learned is that ignorant people and sadists find experience outside their own limited lives too difficult to comprehend. Sometimes the incomprehensible is part of life. Joe is in a better place.
My geocity is http://www/geocities.com/ColuzziKathryn |
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