John Gladsky is the definition of a colorful old salt.  He is a marine salvor and the principal of Gladsky Marine and has an old-time Long Island accent. His oral history expresses nostalgia for the Todd Shipyard and criticism of public policy that does not understand the importance of the maritime industry.  He was interviewed in 2005 during the last days of New York Shipyard, former site of Todd Shipyard, before IKEA closed on the property. He was hired to salvage two gantry cranes from the Todd era that had crashed into the water due to a pier collapse. IKEA would not close on the property until those were removed.

Unedited interview by Cate Cochran and Carolina Salguero for PortSide NewYork, 2005.