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eee u | | 5 ( 46-2507 - | 7 DEPARTIGNT NO. 77..= INTERVIEW OF ROBERT L, BERENSON _ BERENSON on May 8, 1952, SAs and ee, ble ceca ME ROBERT L, BERENSON in the rese [e) ‘ rey ZDWARD J, ROSS of Breed, Abbott and Morgan, at the office of United States Petroleum Carriers, Inc.; 655 Madison Avenue, New York City. He advised that his present legal residence is 823 Park Avenue, New York City. He stated that he was employed by Grace Lines from 1931 to 1946, He started at a salary of $30. K per week and during the first four or five years of his employ- de ment with Grace Lines he was employed in all their departments under their Executive Training Program, reer Starting about 1940 he became the European representa- tive of Grace Lines with headquarters in Holland. From about 1942 to 1945 he was in the United States Army serving as aide , to General MARK CLARK, He rose from the rank of private to captain.g Upon his discharge from the United States Army, he resumed his position as European representative for Grace Lines, eT Se eo Ce ea wer BERENSON estimated that his. average salary. during the oo. best. five.or-sixyears of his. employment.with Grace. Lines was... about $6,000, During 1946 he returned to New York City and organized Continental American Travel Inc., a travel agency with offices in the Ritz Towers Hotel. When he organized Continental American Travel Inc., he resigned his position at Grace Lines. fp FEE ae os eels teks ae aT eo ae tn ey i il ici sheen oan et ae rs BERENSON stated that during the early part of September 194.7 he read in tho papers that the United States Maritime Commission had surplus vessels for sale, He stated he became -_.c interested in getting in this phase of the shipping industry if it was at all possible. He advised that he discussed the possi- bility of purchasing some of these ships with ONASSIS, whom he had known since 1939. BERENSON advised that his knowledge of ONASSIS covered the period that he had known him socially in the "creek" Club, in the same community where both resided at that time. - 166 « <. -~.. ‘ af - = = “7 “a 4, Fn EE I Pat Renee Gt pg eee apainirns —_ - 4 err EO Ee OE. Ee enh, Pa Pe <a Pe ed