Joseph Lafferty, Jr. was born December 5, 1898, in
North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Joseph and Katherine
Lafferty. When he was seven years old, his family moved
to Burlington, New Jersey, where he attended school in a
one-room schoolhouse with one teacher for eight grades.
At twelve, he went to work for a farmer who paid him
fifty cents a day. At ten hours a day, he was earning
just five cents an hour.
Joseph joined the U.S. Navy on February 20, 1916, and
was sent to the Norfolk, Virginia, Naval Station for six
months of training. On June 12, 1916, he was assigned to
the new battleship USS PENNSYLVANIA. The newly formed
Naval Armed Guard Service was calling for volunteers and
on April 6, 1917, he left the PENNSYLVANIA to serve on
one of the Naval Armed Guard's first crews. He was sent
to New Orleans as part of a gun crew on the SS GARNET
and made one trip to La Racel, France. He then
transferred to the SS PAULSBORO, an oil tanker.
In March 1918, a German submarine attacked the
PAULSBORO, and was sunk by Joseph's crew. He sustained
a head wound in the battle inflicted by German shrapnel.
While in the Armed Guard service, he received a Purple
Heart and a letter from Secretary of the Navy, Josephus
Daniels, commending the PAULSBORO crew for their actions.
On January I, 1918, Joseph was transferred to the USS
WHEELING, an old gunboat, and was discharged at New
Orleans on December 5, 1919.
He then took out a Third Mate's license and served on
various ships of the Mississippi Shipping Company until
November 1924. Afterward, he took up the building trade,
working as construction foreman for the U.S. Coast Guard
during World War II. He resigned from that position on
January 3, 1947, and was self-employed until 1949.
Joseph built his own home at 374 San Jose Avenue, San
Francisco, California 941l0, in 1950, where he has lived
alone since his wife passed away in 1982. His hobbies
include writing, oil painting, rock, mineral and seashell
collecting and volunteer work at Army Letterman Hospi-
tal.
JOHN WILLIAM LAIRD, JR.
John William Laird, Jr. was born June 28, 1926, in
Crisfield, Maryland. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy June 20,
1944, and trained at Bainbridge, Maryland. From Bainbridge
he was sent to Armed Guard School at Camp Shelton,
Virginia.
On October 14, 1944, he was assigned to the SS JOHN
GIBBON, leaving New York for Murmansk, Russia, with a short
stop in Scotland of about two days. On the way back to the
U.S., the ship hit a storm off Norway that was so bad it
broke up the convoy. Without escort, the convoy lost 13
ships. John slept on the stern and during the bad weather,
the 5-inch 38 shells broke loose and were banging against
the bulkhead in the magazine.
He arrived in New York in January with news he was
going back to Molotov. He spent VE Day in Russia, and
arrived back in Baltimore, Maryland in June 1945. He then
was transferred to the Armed Guard Center in New York
and sent from there to Camp Shelton as ships company
until his discharge June 30, 1946.
He retired in 1987 after 40 years as a supermarket meat
cutter. He married Ada Laird in 1960 and has two sons
and one grandson.
John lives at Route 2, Box 1 lB, Byrch Road, Crisfield,
Maryland 21817.
MILAN DEMAINE LaMARCHE
Milan Demaine LaMarche was born to Hector and Violet
LaMarche at Wapato, Washington, March 23, 1925. He
enlisted in the U.S. Navy March 19, 1943, and trained at
at Farragut, Idaho.
On June 5, 1943, he was transferred to service school
command at Farragut, Idaho, for training in radio school.
From there, he was transferred to Communications Pool
School on Lila Terrace, Los Angeles.
He was assigned to the Armed Guard crew aboard the
SS PLATANO January 18, 1944. On the PLATANO, he was
advanced to radioman 3/C. On November 2, 1944, he was
granted a two-week leave at home, at which time he
renewed his courtship with Dolly Derr, his childhood
sweetheart.
On December 7, 1944, he boarded the SS LUNDY'S
LANE as a radioman. After unloading high octane fuel
and P-38 fighter planes at Leyte, the LUNDY'S LANE
was assigned to a 1,200 ship convoy. Upon arriving in the
Panama Canal zone, Milan was transferred to Coco Sola
Naval Base, Cristobal Canal Zone, for further transfer to
the United States.
On September 22, 1945, he was transferred to the USS
LANG DD 399 for transfer to Brooklyn, New York, and
recommended for rehabilitation leave. He returned to duty
at Armed Guard Center Pacific, San Francisco, October 29,
1945, and transferred November 10, 1945, for temporary duty
with Port Directors Office, 13th Naval District, Seattle,
Washington.
He served as a Master of Arms at the overflow barracks
at Kirkland, Washington, until March 4, 1946. While
there, he continued his romance with his former sweet-
heart while she attended the University of Washington.
He was discharged from the Navy March 14, 1946, and
returned to his boyhood home at Clark Fork, Idaho. He
married Geraldine Brooks April 12, 1947, and they had
three children, Linda Leigh, Timothy and Steven.
Prior to his retirement March 1, 1987, he was employed
by the Spokane International Railroad as station agent for
Sandpoint, Idaho. He spent 40 years in this occupation,
succeeding his father and other family members before
him.
After losing his wife in 1988, he met and married Dolly,
his former sweetheart and a retired schoolteacher. They
now live at 2170 Lakeshore Drive, Sagle, Idaho 83860.
DEVERE A. LANE
Seaman First Class Devere A. Lane was born to Ado and
Laura (Davis) Lane April "7,1925, in Shiawassee County,
Michigan. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy May 3, 1944, and
trained at Great Lakes, Illinois. From Great Lakes, he was
sent to Gulfport, Mississippi, to gunnery school. He took
gunnery practice at Shell Beach, Louisiana. His home base
was Algiers, New Orleans.
He was assigned to the SS HENRI HADLEY out of
Jacksonville, Florida, with an Armed Guard crew of 27 men
and one officer. The HADLEY was a Liberty Ship that carried
ammunition in its holds and a deck cargo of tanks and trucks.
In October 1944, the ship sailed for Liverpool, England and
unloaded, then returned to the States to pick up another load
of ammunition and trucks. The cargo was carried to LeHavre,
France, and up the Seine River to Ruon, France. He returned
to the States again, got another load of ammunition and
trucks, and sailed for Cheroburg, France, where the ship was
unloaded and returned to the States. He made another trip
across the Atlantic and anchored off the Island of Wight on
VE Day. After returning stateside, he went on leave before
being sent to Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. From
California, Devere went to Grosse Isle Naval Air Station,
Grosse Isle, Michigan, where he waited out time for points.
He was discharged June 22, 1946.
He married Betty L. Cook November 8, 1946. They have
two children, Ronald and Cindy.
Prior to his retirement on March 31, 1977, he was
employed by General Motors, where he worked in the tool
room as a journeyman blacksmith in Lansing, Michigan,
for 30 years.
His current address is 611 S. Ithaca Street, Ithaca,
Michigan 48847.
JAY LARSON
Jay W Larson served on the SS SINCLAIR RUBILENE, SS PETER
MORAN and SS AGWIPRINCE. Jay retired as a policeman and
later as a State Farm Insurance agent and presently lives
in Sandy, Utah, with his lovely wife, Laura. You can
contact Jay by sending email to phxbird@netutah.net.
FRANCIS J. LEAMING
Francis J. Learning graduated from St. Joseph's College,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1942. He was commissioned
in the U.S. Navy September 4, 1942, as an Ensign and was
ordered to report to the United States Navy Training Station
in Boston, Massachusetts. Upon completion of training, he
was ordered to the Armed Guard Center in Little Creek,
Virginia, for additional training as a gunnery officer. His next
assignment was the Armed Guard Center, Brooklyn, New
York.
In early December 1942, he was sent to Marcus Hook,
Pennsylvania, to command the Navy gun crew on the SS
CACALILAO, a tanker, which sailed along the East Coast
to Texas for oil, returning to Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania.
After three trips to Texas, the SS CACALILAO was
ordered to Trinidad, BWI. From Trinidad, the ship went
to Venezuela to take on oil and then proceeded to Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. The ship returned to Venezuela to take on
oil and then sailed for Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Francis was reassigned after ten months on the SS
CACALILAO and was ordered to New Orleans, Louisiana,
to be gunnery officer on the Liberty Ship SS OSCAR
CHAPPELL. The OSCAR CHAPPELL sailed to New York and from
there joined a convoy headed for Loch Ewe, Scotland. The
ship was rammed by another ship in the convoy as it was
entering the harbor at Loch Ewe.
After two months in dry dock in Liverpool, England,
where the ship was towed for repairs, the OSCAR CHAPPELL
headed back to New York in a convoy. The ship developed
engine trouble when it was off Nova Scotia and was
ordered to leave the convoy and proceed to Nova Scotia.
Upon completion of repairs, the ship sailed for New York
where he received new orders.
The now Lieutenant (j.g.) Learning was ordered to the
Sub-Chaser Training Center, Miami, Florida. After six
weeks in Miami, he was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for
reassignment to Espiritos Santos, New Hebrides. He
remained in the New Hebrides until the Japanese surren-
dered and was then ordered back to Pearl Harbor and reas-
signed to Tsingtao, China, with the 6th Marine Division
as part of the occupation forces in China. He was released
from active duty May 2, 1946.
Upon his release, he went to work as a trainee for a
stock brokerage firm. He later entered the automobile
business as a salesman and later became a manager and owner
of an automobile agency. He then left the automobile business
and went to work for THE EVENING BULLETIN in Philadelphia
and retired in 1981.
He has been married to Patricia Johnson since 1951.
They have ten children and nine grandchildren. Philadelphia
is still his home and seven of his children still live in or
close to Philadelphia.
His address is 43 Woodale Road, Philadelphia, Penn-
sylvania 19118.
WARD LEDBETTER
Ward Ledbetter was born April 7, 1924, to John and
Zylfa Ledbetter at Bixby, Oklahoma. He and his best friend
Jackie Floyd, enlisted in the U.S. Navy January 27, 1943,
and were sent to boot camp in San Diego. Both were later
sent to Armed Guard school, also in San Diego.
Ward served on four ships, the SS HADLEY, a tanker;
the SS PENNSYLVANIA SUN, a tanker; the SS CAPE BRETON,
a cargo ship; and the SS SEA STAR, a troop transport.
The PENNSYLVANIA SUN met the invasion fleet in the
Fiji Islands waiting to invade the Gilbert Islands.
Fortunately for Ledbetter, the old tanker was too slow so
their load of fuel was dumped into the other ships and they
headed back to the States and home for Christmas. His
enlistment buddy, Jackie Floyd, also arrived home for
Christmas from Baltimore. What luck, both of these "old
salts" home at the same time.
The CAPE BRETON while on a zig-zag course was just
missed by a torpedo and a few nights later, in the middle
of the Pacific at 11:30 pm, it rammed the Dutch troop
At the National Armed Guard reunion in Seattle 44
years later, Ward met the Sea Star's signalman, Joe Dylina,
whom he had not seen since leaving the ship. Strange as it
may seem, Joe from Montana and Ward from Oklahoma now live
only a short distance apart in Oregon.
Ward married his Navy sweetheart, Imogene Pulliam,
and a daughter and son were born while he was attending
the University of Tulsa and Indiana University.
In 1985, Ward retired from teaching in Oklahoma and
Oregon. His time is now spent fishing, traveling, working
on his acreage neab Albany, Oregon, and restoring his
1952 Studebaker that he bought new in Oklahoma.
JOSEPH A. LeDUC
Joseph A. "Duke" LeDuc was born June 14, 1926, in
Waltham, Massachusetts, to Henry and Ellen LeDuc. Duke
enlisted in the U.S. Navy June 14, 1943, and attended
boot camp at Newport, Rhode Island, Co. 189, for seven
weeks of boat training.
He boarded his first ship, the SS HAWKINS FUDSKE,
September 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland. The ship went to
Iran through the Suez Canal and then to Bombay, India.
On his second trip to Murmansk, Russia, quite a few ships
were lost.
Duke's second ship was the C-3 SS SEA NYMPH. His
third ship, the SS THEMISTOCLES, a Greek Liberty, went
to Antwerp, Belgium. He and some mates went to visit a
a crew member's relatives in Mastrich, Holland, and got
caught in the Battle of the Bulge on January, 1944, for
ten days. They ended up in Acchen, Germany, with the 32nd
Combat Engineers (the Red Arrow division from Wisconsin).
Duke guesses that they were the first American sailors in
Germany.
The THEMISTOCLES was beached at Milford Haven,
England, and then put in dry dock ar Swansea, South
Wales. The gun crew was sent to a survivors' camp in
Plymouth, England. Duke returned to the States shortly
thereafter.
On his next ship, the SS HAWAIIAN SHIPPER (C2), they
picked up a fighter squadron bound for the Philippines.
Duke was taken off the ship in the Panama Canal Zone
with a broken back. He went to the naval hospital in the
Zone for three months and then back to Key West Hospital
for four months. He was discharged November 26, 1945.
Duke retired June 1988 as a construction superinten-
dent. He was married in February, 1946, and still lives
with his wife Mildred E. Landry LeDuc. His current
address is 4233 E. Villa Theresa, Phoenix, Arizona 85032.
RICHARD FRANK LEIDY
S I/C Richard Frank Leidy, 862-87-25, was born to
George and Mildred Leidy June 11, 1925, in Niles, Mich-
igan. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy August 6, 1943, and
spent his boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois. From Great
Lakes, he volunteered for the Armed Guard and was sent
to Gulfport, Mississippi Armed Guard School November 4,
1943. After gunnery training, he was sent to Shell Beach,
Louisiana, for a short time to train in the Gulf of
Mexico on 3-inch 50 caliber and 5-inch 38 caliber guns.
On December 9, 1943, he was shipped to Armed Guard
Center Pacific, Treasure Island, San Francisco.
On December 14, 1943, he was assigned aboard the
MV CAPE FLORIDA and made a trip to the South Pacific.
On a second trip on the CAPE FLORIDA, he went directly
to Brisbane, Australia, and back to San Francisco. He
also served aboard the SS CHARLES E. SMITH and the MV
CAPE DOMINGO. He made a total of five trips to the
South Pacific, nine times sailing under the Golden Gate
Bridge. On his last voyage back, the ship put in at San
Diego.
He saw action but considers himself lucky to have made
five trips across the Pacific and back and come out
unscathed. He was discharged January 28, 1946.
He married Hilda Howe October 18, 1946. She died
July 21,1981. They had two sons, Bill and Tom. On
September 11, 1982, Dick married Norma Trapp, a widow
with two sons.
He was employed as a pipe fitter by the Bendix Corpora-
tion, South Bend, Indiana, and retired March 31, 1983,
after 32 years service. He now lives at 217 Southeastern,
Box 117, Galien, Michigan 49113.
ANTHONY F. LEONARDO, SR.
Anthony F. Leonardo, Sr., was born in Rochester, New
York, February 3, 1925. He enlisted in the U.S. Naval
Reserve as an Apprentice Seaman at the Navy Recruiting
Station in Buffalo, New York, February 5, 1942, two days
after his 17th birthday.
On February 16, 1942, he reported for active duty and
transferred to the Naval Training Station in Great Lakes,
Illinois. After boot camp, he went to gunnery school in
Chicago, Illinois, then transferred to the Armed Guard
Training Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, and then to
Brooklyn, New York.
His first ship assignment was the SS ONEIDA from
May 17, 1942, to May 17, 1943. He sailed to Halifax,
Sidney and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and also Iceland and
Greenland.
On July 5, 1942, he crossed the Arctic Circle. Several
ships in the convoy were torpedoed. On December 7, 1942,
he was sent aboard the QUEEN MARY with 59 other Armed Guard
personnel to Glasgow, Scotland. They were then taken by
train and bus to a base at the northern end of Scotland,
where a convoy was waiting. He was put aboard the SS
VERMONT December 17, 1942, and the next day the ship and
convoy sailed to Murmansk with escort provided by the
British fleet.
On December 31, 1942, at 9 a.m., the convoy was
attacked by the German fleet for four hours before shelling
was stopped because of darkness. Of the 32 ships in the
convoy, 12 reached Murmansk. The rest were torpedoed.
The commander of the convoy received Britain's highest
award. The convoy was under constant attack until its
arrival at Murmansk.
During the three months at Murmansk, there were only
six days the convoy was not bombed by German bombers
coming from Finland, six minutes flying time away.
The ship left Murmansk in April 1943. The convoy was
under constant attack and most of the ships were sunk.
Leonardo's ship was all alone when it was found by a Brit-
ish patrol out of Iceland. The ship was towed to Belfast,
Northern Ireland, and then to Middlesborough, England,
where it went into dry dock for repairs.
On May 7, 1943, the crew arrived back in New York
and was sent to a rest camp near Hyde Park, New York,
and then to another camp in Diland, Florida.
On May 25, 1943, Leonardo was assigned to the SS
GRENVILLE M. DODGE and spent 65 days in the Med-
iterranean, where they made port in Oran, Algiers,
Palermo and Bizerte.
On November 27, 1943, he arrived in New York and
from February 23, 1944, until September 26, 1944, he
was on the SS ROBERT LANSING, under the control of
the British. On June 6, 1944, he sailed from Dover,
England, through the English Channel for the invasion of
France. The ship carried troops from the British Eighth
Army and landed on the Juno Beachhead in France. The
ship made eight trips between Juno and Dover carrying
troops.
While going through the English Channel, the ship was
shelled from France. On June 11, the crew was introduced
to "jet propulsion" with V1s and V2s (buzz bombs) aimed
at the coast from both sides of the English Channel. There
were also even more deadlier foes, the "kamikaze" pilots.
When he returned to New York, he was assigned to
shore duty at Annapolis, Maryland, until his discharge at
Sampson, New York, December 15, 1945. He attained
the ranking of Coxswain.
Leonardo received the Victory Medal, Good Conduct
award and American Campaign, European-African-Middle
Eastern Campaign, two Battle Stars and a Purple Heart.
He retired as police captain for the Rochester, New
York, Police Department after 34 years. He and his wife,
Hester, have a son, Anthony F. Leonardo, Jr., a Rochester,
New York, trial attorney; a grandson, Anthony F. Leonardo
III; and a granddaughter, Jacqueline.
His current address is 600 Hinchey Road, Rochester,
New York 14624.
SIDNEY LEVINE
Sidney Levine was born April 22, 1923, in St. Louis,
Missouri, where he has lived most of his life. On November
ber 23, 1942, he enlisted at Lambert Field, St. Louis,
Missouri, and was discharged on October 26, 1945.
Sidney was stationed at Great Lakes for boot camp. He
attended radio school at Great Lakes and then attended
advanced radio school in Los Angeles.
He was awarded the Philippine Invasion Star. From
October 24, 1944, through November, his ship, the
SAMUEL K. BARLOW, was at the invasion of Leyte Island
and other nearby islands, surviving over 100 air raids
by Japanese planes.
Other ships Sidney served on included the WINFIELD
S. STRATTON from August 1943 to February 1944 and
the CAPE BARLOW from March 1945 until August 1945.
His tour on the BARLOW lasted from May 1944 to
December 1944.
His most memorable experience was having a 250 lb.
bomb hit his ship. The bomb did not explode. He also
recalls his ship being stuck on a sand bar October 25,
1944, while Japanese planes made diving attacks. During
the incident, he had seven hours sleep out of 58.
Sidney has been married to his wife, Ruth, for 45 years.
They have two sons. Stephen is 42 years old and married
with one son. Douglas is 38 years old and married with a
son and daughter. Sidney has been self-employed most of
his life. He ran shoe stores, and for the past 35 years he
operated a maintenance chemical company from which he
retired in 1984. His hobbies are carving, painting, and
origami.
His home address is 85 Derhake Road, Florissant,
Missouri 63031.
ORVILLE C. LEWIS
Orville C. Lewis was born to James T. and Lula M. Lewis
May 28, 1925, at Monett, Missouri. He enlisted in the Navy
June 12, 1942, at Vinita, Oklahoma, and went through boot
training at Great Lakes, Illinois. He attended gunnery school
school at the Naval Armory, Randolf Street, Chicago, Illinois,
and was sent to the Armed Guard Center, New Orleans,
Louisiana.
Orville was assigned to the gun crew of the SS ROGER
WILLIAMS in September 1942. The ROGER WILLIAMS was a new ship
and was armed with a 4.50, a 3.50 and four 20 mms. As they
had not seen or been instructed on 20 mm, they had to send a
chief petty officer to show them how to assemble the weapons.
The ROGER WILLIAMS had a gun crew of 14 Armed Guards, including
the signalmen.
The ROGER WILLIAMS sailed from the East Coast through the
Panama Canal and on to Guadalcanal by way of New Caledonia.
It arrived at Guadalcanal November 5, 1942, at the same time
our Naval forces were engaged in a surface battle with the
Japanese Navy. The next morning, the crew was able to see the
devastating damage the Japanese inflicted on the fleet. The
encounter was called the battle of Salvo Strait.
Orville served on four other ships; the SS THEODORE
FOSTER, the SS DAVY CROCKETF, the SS JOE C.S. BLACKBURN, and
the SS FLAGSTAFF VICTORY. He served in the American, European
and Asiatic theaters and was at Okinawa when the atomic bomb
was dropped on Japan. He was discharged December 15, 1945.
Orville married Billie Schmucker June 5, 1945. They have
three children, Forrest, Sibyl and Charles.
Prior to his retirement December 30, 1979, he was an
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent in the U.S. Border Patrol and
now lives at 529 Briarwood Court, Livermore, California
94550.
CHARLES APRIL LLOYD
Charles April "C.A." Lloyd was born April 1, 1926, in
Wake County, 18 miles east of Raleigh, North Carolina,
to Maggie Pearce Lloyd and Leonidas D. Lloyd. He enlisted
in the U.S. Navy September 15, 1944, and was sent to
Bainbridge, Maryland for 14 weeks of "boots." After a 12-
day leave, he volunteered for the USN Armed Guard upon
the advice of his brother, Whitson, who served as an
Armed Guard from January of 1942 until May 5, 1945,
when he was killed in the torpedoing and sinking of the SS
BLACK POINT three miles off Port Judith, Rhode Island.
Charles attended gunnery school at Camp Shelton,
Virginia, and was sent to the Brooklyn, New York, Armed
Guard Center, 1st Avenue and 52nd Street. He went
aboard the SS MIAOULIS to England in convoy with food
provisions and over to Antwerp, Belgium in time for VE
Day. He returned to the States in June to learn of his
brother Whitson's death. After a 12-day emergency leave,
he was sent to Baltimore, Maryland, and joined the crew
of the USAT J.W. MCANDREWS. The MCANDREWS was
in drydock for a bow replacement for damage caused by
ramming the French Carrier BERNE off the Azores. After
repairs were complete, he sailed to Newport News, Virginia,
to pick up provisions and 2,800 troops waiting in Naples,
Italy, for the invasion of Japan. Thanks to President Truman's
orders, the atomic bombs were dropped, saving millions of
American and Allied lives, plus the enemy. The MCANDREW
was loaded with troops and ready to sail when the news
arrived. Orders for the troops on board were changed and they
returned to Newport News. C.A. stayed aboard and helped
bring back two more loads of troops before being removed
and assigned to the SS PHILLIP BARBOUR until guns were
removed from that ship.
C.A. returned to the States and married Hilda Juanita
Perry, who had written to him every day while he was in
service. They have two daughters, Kaye L. Gattis and
Carolyn L. Williams and three grandsons, Trent, Jason
and Brad. C.A. served as captain of the Raleigh Fire
Department for 23 years. He is a charter member of the
James B. Green Masonic Lodge #735 and also is a charter
member of the Amran Shrine Temple.
According to C.A., his greatest achievements in life
were to serve his country in time of need, marry a wonderful
person, and rear two wonderful daughters who gave life to
three grandsons. He also said it was an honor to serve the
City of Raleigh and its people for 23 years and to serve the
USN Armed Guard WWII Veterans Association as chairman
in an endless task of locating other shipmates. He records
names and ships in a computer in order to "match-up"
shipmates, puts together "The Pointer" and mails out
information to over 6,900 of the original 144,970 who served
in the Armed Guard.
C.A. now lives at 115 Wall Creek Dr., Rolesville, N.C.
27571, phone 919-570-0909.
LONNIE DAVID LLOYD, JR.
Lonnie David "L.D." Lloyd, Jr. was one of five brothers
serving in World War II. L.D., C.A., and Whitson Lloyd
were in the USN Armed Guard, Jack in the Merchant Marine,
and Codee in the U.S. Marines. Codee was an MP at Treasure
Island before and after World War II. He had mostly gate
duty so he probably checked a lot of servicemen in and out
during the war. A brother-in-law, Frank Palma, from the
Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, was on the battleship USS
WISCONSIN for over four years. His sister, Vera Palma,
during this time was a nurse at Carson C. Peck Memorial
Hospital as well as hostess to her brothers L.D., C.A.,
Whitson and Jack. Jack passed away before being declared a
military veteran of World War II, so he did not receive any
benefits or flag. He was thankful to be free and lived a
full, enjoyable life. He was mess cook for the AG on the
SS WILLIAM D. HOARD.
After playing high school and sandlot baseball together,
L.D. and C.A. took boots together at Bainbridge, Maryland,
gunnery school at Camp Shelton, Virginia, and went
together to the Brooklyn Armed Guard Center. They asked for
the Armed Guard at boot camp at their brother Whitson's
request. They were assigned to the SS MIAOULIS, a Greek
Liberty Ship. While waiting for the ship to finish loading,
they took in the sights and sounds of New York City. They
also visited with their sister and dated some Brooklyn
beauties nearby. C.A., Whitson, Jack and L.D. met at Vera's
home, not knowing that this would be their last get-together,
as Whitson was to become the last Armed Guard killed by a
German sub in World War II on May 5, 1945, in the sinking
of his ship SS BLACK POINT. The brothers learned of his
death in 1983 from Captain Art Moore's book "A CARELESS
WORD -- A NEEDLESS SINKING" and verified by ship Captain
Chas Prior of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, now 82 years of age.
Captain Prior told Mary and L.D. that Whitson was required
to keep more records for the Armed Guard Center than his
ship company required. Whitson, BM 2/C, was in charge of
a five-man gun crew.
L.D. and C.A. sailed out of New York in a large convoy
to Cardiff, Wales, through the cold North Atlantic. Depth
charges were dropped throughout the trip, keeping L.D.
awake while C.A. slept, a case of big brother trying to look
after little brother.
Brothers Lawrence and Clyde Camp of Shelby, North
Carolina, also were in the aft focsle. The brothers drew a
Mason-Dixon line on the deck in their corner and told the
"Yankees" to keep out. The ship reloaded in Liverpool and
sailed up the English Channel among the hundreds of
masts, sterns and bows of sunken ships of the D-Day era
protruding above the waves. During the day, the sky was
darkened by thousands of Allied planes going to and from
missions over Germany. The MIAOULIS was rammed while at
anchor in a heavy fog, waiting to go by canal to Ghent,
Belgium. At first the crew thought they had been hit by a
buzz bomb. After Ghent, the ship sailed to Antwerp for
repairs. Then VE day was announced and later the MIAOULIS
sailed back to New York and past the beautiful Statue of
Liberty. The brothers then learned that Whitson was missing
in action.
After a short leave in North Carolina, the brothers were
assigned aboard the USAT JW MCANDREW in dry dock in Baltimore,
Maryland. Baltimore Street will always remain in L.D.'s memory
as unforgettable liberty. They then sailed south to grit
country, Newport News, Virginia, since the MCANDREW was a
troop ship. Enough supplies were taken to last to France and
Italy to pick up troops for the hot Pacific. L.D. was taken
off the ship with a kidney stone attack and sent to the hospital
for 30 days. The ship's orders were changed in the mid-Atlantic
from the Pacific to Newport News. L.D. reboarded the ship later
and went back to France with troops. He and C.A. worked out of
nob unloading Navy gear and ammo off a large number of merchant
ships for three months and got home often. C.A. and L.D. then
signed on different ships.
C.A.'s ship went to Baltimore where the guns were
removed and he was sent on to South Carolina for discharge.
Meanwhile, L.D.'s ship, a tanker, the SS BLACK HILLS, was
making four round trips from South America to Europe before
anchoring near the Statue of Liberty for 30 days. If it
wasn't for his sister in Brooklyn, L.D. said he sure would
have become tired of the ever-present sight of the Statue
of Liberty. He was sent by first class pullman to Camp
Shelton for his separation, duck, check and ticket to North
Carolina.
L.D. farmed during the summer of 1946 and met his future
wife, Mary Freeman, at Hardbarget Business College in the
fall classes. On December 22, 1946, L.D. and Mary started
"World War Three" and after 43 years, their powder is still
good.
After business school, L.D. worked with Liggett Myers as
a sales representative and then was a Greyhound bus driver
for seven years. His last business venture is being a State
Farm Insurance agent. He is still going strong after over 32
years, with many more to go, God willing. Mary and L.D. were
blessed with a daughter, Dale Thigpen, and a granddaughter,
Kimberly Lloyd Thigpen. Dale's husband, Bill, was killed in
the Vietnam conflict. Dale is working at Northern Telcom in
Raleigh and Kim is a third year student at Georgetown
University in Washington, D.C. The family does not discuss
basketball as Dale and Bill graduated from NCSU and Mary and
L.D. are Wake Forest fans. Enough said.
Mary and L.D. have attended all the national reunions
and were co-hosts of the 2nd reunion in Wilmington,
North Carolina in 1983 and the 4th reunion in Norfolk,
Virginia, in 1985. They have missed only one NJ mini-
reunion in eight years and have attended mini-reunions in
San Diego and two Canadian reunions. They hope to be in
Reno, Chicago, then aboard the SS JOHN W BROWN on
September 2, 1990. 1990 will be a busy year for Mary and
L.D. with a company millionaires trip to Rome as an added
attraction. They live at 4832 North Hills Drive, Raleigh, North
Carolina 27612. Their phone number is (919) 787-1527 and
they have an "open house the year around, so y'all come."
LONNIE WHITSON LLOYD
Lonnie Whitson Lloyd, 656 20 68, BM 2/C, was born
in Franklin County, North Carolina, to Leonidas David
and Maggie Pearce Lloyd on November 26, 1918.
Whitson volunteered for the U.S. Navy December 17,
1941, and was sworn in at Raleigh, North Carolina,
December 30, 1941. He was sent to the Naval Training
Center, Naval Operation Base, Norfolk, Virginia, and on
to Armed Guard School, Section Base, Little Creek,
Virginia.
Upon completion of three weeks training he was
assigned on January 22, 1942, to gun crew No. 131E
and the SS MORMACDALE to ports unknown until
July 18, 1942.
Whitson was appointed coxswain, October I, 1942,
while aboard the SS EXPOSITOR and this voyage took
them to Murmansk and Archangel, Russia. On the return
trip in Convoy ON-!66 from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to
New York, the SS EXPOSITOR was sunk February 22,
1943, in the North Atlantic when a torpedo struck the #3
hold, causing the boilers to explode at 2131 GCT. The
ship was abandoned at 2140 GCT. The ship had a crew of
38 merchant seamen and 17 Armed Guard. Six merchant
seamen and three Armed Guard were killed. The 48 survi-
vors were rescued from three life rafts and one lifeboat; the
other lifeboats were destroyed by the explosion. Two of
the survivors died later, one aboard the corvette, HMCS
TRILLUM, the other at St. Johns, Newfoundland. Whitson
was knocked unconscious and was pulled into the lifeboat
by some of the crew. The HMCS TRILLUM was the rescue
ship and put them off in St. Johns on February 27, 1943.
They transferred to the States on the USS PONTIAC.
After returning from rest camp at Pocono Manor Inn,
Pennsylvania, Whitson was assigned to the SS JOSEPH P.
BRADLEY on April 26, 1943. This was an ammo ship on
which he spent five months and three days at sea out of
seven and a half months, and 33,000 miles according to
Whitson's diary. They returned home December 12, 1943,
at New Orleans, Louisiana, and delayed orders and leave,
and was assigned to the SS EUGENE HALE from
February 11, 1944, until November 9, 1944.
On December 15, 1944, Whitson was assigned to the
SS BLACK POINT and was BM 2/C in charge of a five-
man gun crew. The SS BLACK POINT was a coal collier
on a coastal run from Boston to Galveston, Texas. On
May 5, 1945, off Point Judith, Rhode Island, and only three
days before VE Day, a torpedo hit the stern. The SS
BLACK POINT carried a crew of 41 merchant seamen
and five Armed Guard. Eleven merchant seamen and one
Armed Guard, Whitson, were casualties.
This is a tribute to Lonnie Whitson Lloyd, BM 2/C,
Armed Guard, and the eleven merchant seamen, by
Armed Guard brothers, C.A. Lloyd and L.D. Lloyd,
Raleigh, North Carolina.
JOE LOCKER, JR.
Joe Locker, Jr., was born in Trego County, Kansas, July 2,
1924. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserve December 17,
1942, starting active duty January 14, 1943. He attended
boot camp at Great Lakes and gunnery school at Gulfport,
Mississippi. His homebase was New Orleans, Louisiana.
Joe's first ship assignment was the SS CRAWFORD
W. LONG, which sailed the North Atlantic in April and was
almost always under alert or attack by submarine wolf
packs. He arrived in Liverpool, England, May 5, 1943. The
ship also sailed to Barry, South Wales, to load cargo, and
to Casablanca, North Africa.
He returned to the States and was assigned to his next
ship, the SS FINELY P. DUNNE. The ship left Galveston,
Texas, in November 1943, loaded with sulphur and 55-gallon
drums of aircraft fuel. The ship went through the Panama
Canal and later arrived in Melbourne, Australia. During this
trip, Locker contracted malaria. The ship continued on from
Melbourne to Adelaide, Australia, to load wheat.
The next trek was to Port Said through the Suez Canal,
then to Alexandria, Egypt, and Messina, Sicily, finally
arriving in Brindisa, Italy, May 26, 1944. Then the ship was
off to Oran, North Africa, and then to Newport News,
Virginia, where it was loaded with bombs. While in the
Mediterranean Sea, the crew was warned that German
planes were coming. The convoy prepared for the attack by
pulling smudge pots and making smoke by shutting down
the air on the ship's engines. It was dark when the planes
arrived and the ships were under heavy smoke. Little
damage was done. The DUNNE was unloaded at Beri,
Italy. The next stop was Benisaf, North Africa, to take on
iron ore for ballast.
Joe Locker's next ship was the USAT FLORIDA, on
which he served 11 months. Ports visited were San Juan,
Puerto Rico, Port of Spain, Trinidad, Jamaica, Havana,
Cuba, Recife, Brazil, and Natal, Brazil.
His next duty was at Santa Barbara, California, to put
out forest fires started by incendiary bombs sent in on bal-
loons by the Japanese.
Locker next served as Master at Arms of Shore Patrol at
Long Beach, California. He was honorably discharged at
Norman, Oklahoma, January 25, 1946. He subsequently
went into farming and gas and diesel mechanics. He mar-
ried Lillian Weber May 7, 1946, and has two children,
Patricia and Pamela. Currently, he is transportation super-
visor and a mechanic at School District 388, Ellis, Kansas.
Joe's current address is 1900 Maple Street, Ellis, Kansas
67637.
ALEX P. LOMBARDI
Alex P. Lombardi was born to Pellergrino and Josephine
Lombardi June 4, 1925, in Montclair, New Jersey. He
entered the U.S. Navy August 9, 1943, and received boot
training at Newport, Rhode Island. He was sent to Camp
Shelton, Little Creek, Virginia, for gunnery school.
He was sent to the Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn,
New York, and sailed aboard the tankers SS ESSO CON-
CORD, SS ESSO BALTIMORE, and the Liberty Ship
JAMES BARBOUR. He was in the European Theater for
24 months. He was discharged May 11, 1946.
He married Edith Watts in 1947, and has been blessed
with two sons, Thomas and Peter, and a daughter, Joanne.
He was employed by the Montclair Fire Department for 32
years and retired March 1, 1988. He has three grand-
daughters, Kelley and Lauren Rafter and Melissa Lombardi,
with another due in May 1990.
Alex has had the honor and pleasure.of being Chairman
of the Northeast Area Armed Guard World War II Veterans
since 1984, which has held seven reunions to date with
another planned for 1990. Alex will be hosting the 1991
National Reunion in Baltimore, Maryland. The Association
started with a list of about 150 men from the New Jersey
area and has grown to 2,000 men from 12 northeastern states.
According to Alex, one of the greatest accomplishments
of his life has been being Chairman of the Northeast Area
Armed Guard World War II Veterans. The feelings that
exist among the Armed Guard buddies and their mates is
outstanding. He also said the affection and friendship that
has been shown to his wife Edith and himself through many
letters, phone calls and reunions is one of the greatest
rewards anyone can receive in life.
Alex is a member of the Firemans Mutual Benevolent
Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion,
Columbian Association, Project Liberty Ship and Past
President of the Air Force Association.
Alex now lives at 14 Brookfield Road, Upper Montclair,
New Jersey 07043.
ALBERT LOWE
Albert Lowe was born April 18, 1922, in Brooklyn,
New York, to Dora and Jack Lowe. He enlisted in the U.S.
Navy July 16, 1942, and went to boot camp in Newport,
Rhode Island.
After boot camp, he reported to the Armed Guard base
in Little Creek, Virginia, for gunnery school. He then
reported to the Armed Guard Center in Brooklyn.
On August 9, 1943, he made his first trip, on the SS
STEEL ENGINEER to the Persian Gulf. On this trip, the
ship docked in Capetown, Africa. The next night, a torpedo
missed as Albert's ship made a fast turn to avoid being hit.
From the Persian Gulf, he went on to India, New Zealand,
Australia, and back to the United States.
On August 28, 1943, Albert reported for duty on the
SS WILLIAM PATTERSON, sailing for Oran, Africa. His
convoy was attacked by German aircraft. The convoy lost
six ships, one a British vessel with a cargo of ammunition.
She blew up with no survivors. The PATTERSON shot
down one German aircraft.
On April 15, 1944, he reported for duty on the SS
EDMOND FANNING, leaving with a cargo for Southampton,
England.
While in Southampton on May 23, Lowe went to see his
brother, whom he had not seen for years. His brother was
a parachute rigger at a U.S. Navy airbase. After seeing his
brother, he got back to his ship three hours late. Because
he returned past his leave time, the Armed Guard officer
-- a 90-day wonder -- reported him to the U.S. Naval Port
officer Bristol Channel area, Cardiff, Wales.
On May 25, he reported for duty on the SS CLARA
BARTON which went into the invasion of Normandy
June 6, 1944. On May 11, 1945, he reported for duty on
the SS KNOX VICTORY, sailing to England. When the
war ended in Europe, he was attached to the U.S. Naval
Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
He was discharged December 12, 1945, and married
his wife, Sarah, December 21, 1946. They have two daugh-
ters, both married, and two grandchildren. Lowe worked
for the City of New York in the Department of Parks for
29 years. He retired December 31, 1988, as a park
supervisor.
His current address is 2132 E. 13th Street, Brooklyn,
New York 11229.
RALPH W. LUCAS, JR.
Ralph W. Lucas, Jr., at the age of 17, was sworn into the
United States Naval Reserve on February 21, 1942. After
boot camp in Norfolk, Virginia, there were three weeks of
gunnery school in Little Creek.
He was then assigned to the Naval Armed Guard. Ralph
served on the SS WEST MAXIMUS June 5, 1942-
October 21, 1942; the SS MARKAY November 11, 1942-
May 18, 1943; the SS HENRY MIDDLETON June 9, 1943-
June 14, 1944; the SS JOHN BARRY July 3, 1944-
August 28, 1944; the SS SANTA BARBARA September 7,
1944-October 16, 1944; and the SS WARREN DELANO
November 15, 1944-June 12, 1945.
He was in three operations for which Battle Stars were
awarded: Convoy ON-166, the invasion of Sicily, and the
invasion of Anzio.
Ralph was a member of the Armed Guard crew of the
SS JOHN BARRY that was sunk with $27 million in silver.
The ship was sunk by the German sub U-859, which three
weeks later was sunk by a British sub. He made a run to
Murmansk, Russia, and returned in Convoy RE-64, which
survived sub attacks, air raids, and force 12 winds.
Ralph was discharged November 27, 1945, as a Gunner's
Mate 2/class. Ralph passed away May 5, 1998.
Mrs. Lucas still resides at 1220 Hawthorne Rd, Hanahan,
SC 29406-2613 Her email address is MyrtleLucas@worldnet.att.net