JC Henderson, a Meeker High School Class of 2014 graduate, has graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in shipboard engineering and shipyard management and the United States Coast Guard Engineers License.
After graduation from Meeker High School, Henderson earned his associate’s degree from Adams State University in Alamosa, Colorado, before receiving his appointment to the Merchant Marine Academy. He accepted his appointment and participated in indoctrination in June 2016, where he was awarded for finishing in the top 10 in his class.
In July 2017 Henderson set sail as a shipboard engineer in training on the USNS Sgt. William R. Button. He sailed the Atlantic and Indian oceans for four months before returning to the academy for another trimester of academics.
In 2018 and 2019, Henderson spent eight months at sea on the Empire State Tanker Vessel, traveling to Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. He then completed an internship for Vigor Shipyard in Portland, Oregon, where he completed, start to finish, drydocking of the ROS Vessel M/VCape Henry. He finished his sea time serving aboard the USNS Mercy, a hospital ship that later served Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After completing his sailing year, Henderson competed on the academy’s track and field team and became the highest-ranking student — regimental commander — at the academy. As regimental commander, he organized and ran indoctrination for the incoming freshman Class of 2023 and acted as the lead midshipman representative to the commandant’s staff for the academy as a whole.
Henderson will now begin his job as a third assistant engineer on deep sea-going vessels of unlimited horsepower and unlimited tonnage.
Special to the Herald Times
