He is currently working on "General Instructions for Commanding Officers of Naval Armed Guards on Merchant Ships" which should be completed shortly. Thanks, Rick!

Click picture below to find links to all Louie Cafiero documentaries

Military service for Robert Thomas Harrington

An outstanding presentation by Mackenzie Gregory!

Belgian Troopship SS Leopoldville, sunk by U-486 Christmas Eve 1944, 
and 783 US troops die.

Also see this story about the Leopoldville from the History Channel:

The Sinking of the SS Leopoldville

The story of SS Alice F Palmer - Lifeboat #2

Edward Francis Sullivan served on the SS FRANCIS SCOTT KEY, one of the ships of the 
"Forgotten Convoy" and was in North Russia eight months waiting for the ship to be 
unloaded and get a convoy back to the USA.

His widow, Anne, was kind enough to share a document you should see (below).

While there, members of the convoy put on a musical show:

The Molotovsk Minstrels present -- NE - PONIMAYO The greatest show of the year,
Bill Craven, Producer.

Great book! Action in the South Atlantic. Click the picture below and then print 
the form to get the book at a special price for Armed Guard and Merchant Marine 
Marine Veterans.

See the website for the Association of Veterans of the SS GABRIEL FRANCHERE, the 
SS GABRIEL FRANCHERE Project.

Korky Korker, who was the Chief Photographer at the Brooklyn Armed Guard Center 
during World War II, attended the 2006 Armed Guard Reunion and made 172 great
photographs. I have them posted in five files. Click for the first file below and 
you will be guided to the other four. Do not miss these pictures.

Charles H. DeLoach also attended the 2006 reunion with camera in hand and
snapped 57 great pictures. Click below to view them.

Kevin Smith, a 13 year old in 1945, recalls his love affair 
with the SS SORRENTO at that time. 

Take a look at the pictures by clicking below and see if you can identify
this gun - flare or signal or whatever. E-mail the Webmaster if you can.

Eyewitness Accounts of the Murmansk Run - 1941-1945
This is very close to a MUST HAVE Book. Please order your copy today.

Pictures by Steven Oge of May 2006 Armed Guard Veterans Reunion

The SS LANE VICTORY needs VOLUNTEERS! Follow the link for information.

Theo McConley of Mineville, NY, an Armed Guard World War II veteran, has received the
"Jubilee Medal" for support to Russia. Click the picture below for details.

Andy Bradley visited Cambridge Cemetery in England and laid a wreath in honor of our 
killed and missing Armed Guards buried there or with their names engraved on the Walls 
to the Missing. He provided a short brochure and 24 great pictures. Be sure to view 
them. You will be glad you did.

Battle Stars and Navy Awards. 
This book lists the merchant vessels that were awarded battle stars during World War II.
Check this out!

Military biography of Carl "Kak" Caccese, US Navy Armed Guard
Served 4 May 1943 to 10 January 1946

You must have Microsoft Word or viewer to view.
Caution - large file - will be slow downloading with dial-up modems. 

This booklet was provided to all going through Brooklyn Armed Guard Center.

The Navy Memorial is now free. Just log on to www.lonesailor.org and fill out 
the application with a picture and send it to them. It normally takes 
six to eight weeks.

Michigan Goes to War - Navy Armed Guard

There is a very nice web site for the SS ROBERT NEIGHBORS.

From: Felice Data
Email address: madeinmarin@sbcglobal.net

Seeking information on my Dad's ship, the SS PONCA CITY.

I have pictures of sailors to share.

I cannot find information on this ship, its history or location.

Dad was a Gunner's Mate, Bart J Data of Wausau, Wisconsin.

Email me if you have information.

Felice

Picture of the gun crew of the SS JOSHUA SENEY at Sydney, Australia, April 8, 1945. 
Starting from the left rear these are the names of the crew members. Last names only, 
couldn't remember their first names. Submitted by Mert Brodmann.

Burden, Ezsso, Brown, Fumbkenberg, Mustafaga, Woods, Dylenkoski, Benjamen, Pearce, 
Evans, Fortin, Felsentriger, Broadman, Simson, Lovejoy, Davis, Belot, Davic, Lockman, 
Bosch, Bragg, Bailey, Falco, Zona, Babcock, Brazette, Bruno, Quin, Fenelli, Dimock, 
Neubling, Widler, McDaniels, Dinan, Beirnie, Haber, Nagel, McDermott, Brandis, 
Altshuler 

Below is a copy of a portrait by Patty Joyce of her Armed Guard father, William I. 
Joyce, of Cleveland, Ohio.

Patty does the portraits as an 10 by 14 graphite and pastel, matted and framed
with a black frame. Her regular fee is higher but for Armed Guard veterans or
family members of an Armed Guard veteran she will charge only $250.00.

Click the portrait below to visit her web site and make contact there.

{Note: website address (www.patjoyceportraits.com) invalid as of June 2007.]

Read this interesting letter written by the son of Armed Guard veteran John Edgar.

A Russian lady who made good friends with four Armed Guard or merchant marine sailors
when they came to Russia in the 1940s desires to renew the friendship. Read her story.

New York Armed Guard tag is now available. Click tag for more information.
Also see the New York Department of Motor Vehicles

See this picture of the Newport, RI, Oct 9, 1943 gunners mate class.

WAVES Newsletter October 1944 - Includes articles on Navy Armed Guard

Chairman C.A. Lloyd has prepared a document of 
local and regional meetings and reunions.

The Russian Convoy Club and the Memorial Stone

Log of the SS JOHN LYKES - very interesting

Pictures of the SS GEORGE M BIBB, SS MANDAN VICTORY and the
SS STEEL ENGINEER. Pictures courtesy of Chris Kozel.

The RED OAK VICTORY is located in the old Kaiser No. 3 Richmond Shipyards. (She was 
built in Kaiser 2.) Officially she is in Berth 6A, foot of Canal Blvd., Richmond, 
California. Ship's phone is 510-237-2933 and the web site is www.ssredoakvictory.org. 
All inquiries should be addressed to the ship via phone or our web site. The RED 
OAK VICTORY still needs help from the Armed Guard.

Erle Brown
Executive Committee, SS RED OAK VICTORY 

Merchant Marine Memorial Dedicated June 11, 2005

Honors 'Forgotten Heroes' of World War II

Sixty years after the last shots were fired, some of World War II's unsung heros
finally got their full measure of honor on Saturday, June 11, 2005, with the 
dedication of the World War II Merchant Marine Memorial at Camden Waterfront Park
in Camden, NJ. The memorial commemorates the sacrifices of the volunteer seamen who
transported virtually all of the troops, arms, supplies and provisions needed to
keep the war effort alive in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.

Thousands of merchant marine veterans, their families and survivors convened for a
day of remembrance and discovery, highlighted by the 10 AM dedication of the
memorial on the Delaware riverfront at Wiggins Park, just north of the battleship 
USS NEW JERSEY. They were joined by state and local political leaders, prominent 
members of the maritime industry, and naval brass.

A parade of tugboats and a visit by the SS JOHN W. BROWN, a historic restored
Liberty ship used to help win World War II, highlighted the dedication ceremony. 
The public was invited to join the celebration at 10:00 AM, and to tour the BROWN, 
which was docked at Penn's Landing, across the river in Philadelphia.

Port of Philadelphia Was Central to War Effort

The Delaware Valley's first memorial to Merchant Marine veterans is appropriately 
sited: shipyards in Camden, Philadelphia and elsewhere in the tri-state area 
produced 335 of the merchant ships used during World War II. Among nearly a 
quarter-million merchant mariners who served in the Second World War, about 9,500 
died aboard the 865 merchant ships sunk by enemy fire. Yet it was more than forty 
years after the war that members of the merchant marine were finally recognized 
as World War II veterans.

Completion of the Memorial was the fulfillment of years of effort by the Merchant
Marine Veterans of America, founded and headed by Charles Mardigian of Mt. Laurel, 
NJ. Along with a committee of merchant marine veterans and leaders in the
Philadelphia region's maritime industry, Mardigian raised funds, secured a location,
and arranged design and construction of the memorial.   

Mardigian said: "These veterans worked in obscurity, and nearly 10,000 of them died
in the war effort. No battlefield site commemorates their sacrifice; no military 
graveyard displays their headstones. That's why this memorial is so important to 
the families of merchant mariners who died, and so gratifying to those of us who 
survive them."

The June 11 dedication unveiled a truly monumental memorial. As its centerpiece 
is a twelve-ton, thirteen foot-tall bronze propeller, donated by John Bantivoglio 
of Camden Iron and Metal and refurbished by volunteers with the assistance of Joe 
Balzano, Executive Director of South Jersey Port Corp. It sits in a site adjacent 
to Wiggins Marina, surrounded by benches, flagpoles and a brick promenade. The 
memorial was designed by the engineering firm of Taylor Wiseman & Taylor of Mount 
Laurel, and constructed by A.P. Construction Co.

On the dais at the dedication were keynote speaker John Pickavance, Rear Admiral, 
U.S. Navy (retired), Vice Admiral Joseph Stewart, Superintendent of the U.S. Merchant
Marine Academy, U.S. Congressmen James Saxton and Rob Andrews, Camden County Clerk 
James Beech and the Freeholders of Camden County.

Public Toured Liberty Ship All Weekend

The Liberty ship JOHN W. BROWN was available for public visit at Penn's Landing for
several days before and after the dedication, from June 8 through June 12. Project
Liberty Ship of Baltimore has worked since 1988 to restore and operate the BROWN as 
a museum ship and living memorial. The organization is chaired by Captain Michael 
J. Schneider. The voyage of the JOHN W. BROWN to the Port of Philadelphia was 
supported by a generous donation of fuel oil by Sunoco.

Contacts:

Chris Reynolds, Reynolds Ink, 610-566-1960 / chris@reynoldsink.com

Charles Mardigian, Merchant Marine Veterans of America,
856-722-1546 / chasbright@msn.com

Mon, 21 Mar 2005 
 
I am writing you regarding a book I am in the process of completing, which will be
titled Russia Bound:  Eyewitness Accounts of the Murmansk Run, 1941-1945. 
 
I am very interested in getting some good photos of various phases of the Murmansk 
Run, and suspect that the best of these may be held in private collections. I am 
interested in convoy scenes, scenes of Halifax/Glasgow/LochEwe/Reykjavik, but 
especially of the northern Russian cities of Murmansk, Arkhangel and Molotovsk.
 
Could you make some sort of announcement that I am interested in these Murmansk
photos? It is very interesting that the United States Merchant Marine Academy has
none on file. The U. S. Army Signal Corps took no pictures of the northern Russian
ports. I do have several but they were in the possession of Joseph Richardson, the 
U. S. Navy representative in Molotovsk.
 
Email me at marekscot@msn.com

With many thanks for any assistance, I am
 
Sincerely yours,
 
Mark Scott
Ojai, California

Pictures of the ex SS TEXARKANA VICTORY

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Robert M. Cusick. I have spent most of my working career, starting in
the summer of 1941, in the United States Merchant Marine, until the summer of 1987,
at which time I retired from this service.

I had achieved a license from the United States Coast Guard, (which agency of the
United States Government is in charge of the U.S. Merchant Marine) as Master of
Oceangoing Ships, and First Class Pilot's licenses for Boston Harbor and New York
Harbor. During World War II I served for three years in the United States Merchant 
Marine, and for one year in the United States Army Transport Service.

During these four years of service I was classified as a civilian, under the United 
States Government War Shipping Administration or the United States Army. I was under 
the Unified System of Military Justice, as applicable to all United States Armed 
Forces, courts martial, and wartime regulations. This was the system adapted by the 
Government of the United States of America, at the beginning of our involvement in 
World War II, as being the most expeditious for the sealift capacity of the thousands 
of ships and trained seamen contemplated to be built and manned.

Our Government made a study of putting these ships under the U.S. Navy, but with so
many ships having to be built for the Navy, and the thousands of crews needing to
man them, our Government opted to the system which was put into place, with a coterie
of 55,000 trained seamen, expanded to 250,000 by war's end, and experienced steamship 
companies, oil tanker companies, and public utilities to operate the ships, under a 
General Agency Agreement for the United States Army, and Government War Shipping 
Administration. As many seamen expected to be classified as veterans of the foreign 
waters, under fire with U-boats, enemy airplane bombardments, enemy warships, enemy 
surface raiders, various type mines, enemy patrol torpedo and schnell boats, and 
enemy shore artillery during countless invasions, and although President Franklin 
D. Roosevelt indicated that, had he lived until the final resolution of the conflict, 
he had planned to have the merchant seamen classified as the other Armed Forces, this 
action was only taken place in a belated manner, in January 1988, when our Government 
issued to merchant seamen who had served  fighting the Axis enemies in foreign waters, 
honorable discharges, Forms 214s, and medals to accompany the foreign war campaign 
badges and bars, which had, during World War II, been issued to those who were in 
these areas of combat by the Government of the United States of America service, the 
War Shipping Administration.

Those seamen who had served on merchant ships were issued by the Armed Force that was 
in charge of the merchant service during World War II, the United States Coast Guard, 
and those seamen who had served on ships of the Army, or Navy, transport services, 
were issued honorable discharges from these respective services. These seamen are now 
qualified to be accepted by all American veterans organizations. In addition to having 
been issued an honorable discharge, as a testimonial of honest and faithful service 
from the Armed Forces of the United States of America, one veterans' organization, the
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, by the nature of its criterion of 
requiring foreign service, requires of the veteran to have been issued a campaign badge 
by the Government of the United States of America, as proof of service in foreign wars.

In my case, having met these two criteria, I was accepted into membership, in 2001, in 
the proud organization of the V.F.W. It was an auspicious occasion for me, as I can 
continue, along with such a fine organization, of men and women standing for our 
country, helping our present-day service men and women, and fighting so hard, as they 
did on enemy land, and sea, and air, to assure that our fellow veterans get the care 
and benefits that they so richly deserve. I hope and entrust that these few lines will 
help to clarify for those, and they are many, these aspects of the facts that were 
extant during the four year conflict of World War II, and how they have all played out. 
If my report could clarify, for anyone, or cause anyone who may have not understand 
these facts, in their entirety, to view them in the light of the merchant seamen's 
service to our beloved country, I shall be eternally grateful, and have the feeling 
that I've done a service to my country, and its service people.

In my particular case, it began 63 years ago, in the summer of 1941, when with my
friend, Paul Keaveney,went to the Navy Yard in Boston, to join the Reserve. Paul was 
accepted but I was I was turned down, not having 20/20 eyesight without glasses, the 
Navy being very particular in this regard, pre-war. In July, I shipped out on oil 
tankers, on a run between Texas and Bayonne, NJ, carrying crude oil. In April 1942, 
having seen many ships torpedoed, and not having guns, Naval Armed Guards aboard, or 
convoy escorts, I quit the merchant marine in NJ and went to the Brooklyn Army base 
to join the regular Army, feeling that I'd have a better chance to live through the 
war. I was on Army transports for a year, was discharged to attend the OCS, and upon 
graduating on 10 Dec. 1943, was assigned to a Liberty ship, the first of three until 
the war ended. A ship that I was on, the SS WILLIAM D. PENDER, was on 14 Aug. 1944
in the invasion of southern France (Provence), and was next to the command ship, USS 
CATOCTIN, as part of a ring to protect against German bombers.

Later, on the SS LUNSFORD RICHARDSON, I was in Antwerp on Christmas 1944, and came 
back for another trip. ... I have not gone into myriad facts and figures about the war 
at sea, and the part that was played in  World War II by the seamen and the USN Armed 
Guard gunners who sailed, fought and, in too many cases, laid down their lives, in 
that terrible conflict.

God knows, the facts are all out there for anyone who would care to look at them in an 
objective manner. I would like to close this treatise with the words of memorial to so 
many who died, in service to our country, on the same ships, in freezing water, or 
broiling sun on life rafts, or storm-tossed lifeboats, as they struggled to reach 
far-away land, or the hopes of a rescue, the crews on merchant ships, the seamen and 
Navy Armed Guard gunners.

There are no roses on a sailor's grave
No Lilies on an ocean wave.
The only tribute is the seagull's sweeps
And the teardrops that a sweetheart weeps.

Robert M. Cusick

George X. Hurley wrote a fantastic poem about the Murmansk Run.

AMERICAN FLAG RETIREMENT
 
You can retire your tattered, worn out and frayed American flags without cost to you.
Send your flags to the Kitchen Table Gang Trust, 42922 Avenue 12, Madera, California
93638-8866 and we will dispose of your flags in a proper and dignified manner with
full dignity pursuant to the United States Flag Code Section 8K.

We have been doing this for he past seven years. Our flag retirement ceremonies are 
held on Flag Day, June 14th each year, and are conducted by an all-volunteer U.S. Marine 
Corps Honor Guard led by GySgt. Dan Kelley USMC (Ret.).  
 
Charles Taliaferro                  
THE KITCHEN TABLE GANG TRUST

Remember the story of the Four Chaplains, who gave up their lives when the USAT
DORCHESTER was sunk, by giving their life jackets to four soldiers so they might
be saved.

They were:

Rabbi Alexander Goode
Rev. George L. Fox
Rev. Clark V. Poling
Father John P. Washington

Read the biography of James C. Marshall, US Army Transportation Service 

Robert S Castle wrote two poems while serving in the 
World War II US Navy Armed Guard.

I have a friend in Oklahoma named Boyd Fallwell and I feel very honored that he is my
friend. Boyd runs a terrific web site to honor veterans of all services and all wars 
and he performs Honor Guard services to all who ask and are close enough for him to 
get to. What Boyd seldom mentions is that he has a serious heart problem and 
periodically has to go to a Veterans' Hospital and let them stop his heart and 
restart it.

I asked Boyd for some information on what he does and his problems in getting it done 
and you will see what he wrote, just below.

It occurred to me that someone visiting the Navy Armed Guard web site might have a
van they have just parked and not being used, or willing and able to buy him a new
computer for the work he does for all veterans. Comments below were written by Boyd.


God Bless America

Veterans of America Honor Guard has given 1115 military honor burial ceremonies 
since 1991 and Chaplain Boyd Fallwell has officiated the funeral service of many of 
these. Never have we charged a fee for a service and never will. We jump and run 
two or three times a week rendering military honors in the state of Oklahoma and 
surrounding states. We are funded by contributions and our own expense with a few 
sponsors that help out at times. Most funding comes from Chaplain Boyd Fallwell and 
he lives on disability Social Security income so it is quite difficult to honor our
departed American Heroes but we continue to serve with help from our friends.

Funds are desperatley needed to continue to serve the families of the departed. 
Some families help out a bit as they love the way we render honors but we never ask 
them for a fee.

Right now our 1985 Chevy van is down with the transmission broken and engine 
problems. Over 200,000 miles have been placed on the van since 1997. We have no 
funds to repair the van so we use my 1982 Lincoln and some members cars to travel 
across and out of the state to render honors. We are affiliated with the "American 
Volunteer Reserve" but they have no funds to help us.

We get by with the help of God... If God places on your heart to help us... Please 
do so, it will be deeply appreciated as we continue to serve our departed American 
Heros and their families.

If you have a good used van you would like to donate please do so. Hey we would 
even take a new van which we have been praying for.

Also it is very difficult to maintain this huge much needed website as my antique 
computer keeps crashing. If you have a good late model computer you would like to 
donate we would gladly accept it.

Thank You and God Bless You... Contact info is below. Send any contributions to...

Chaplain Boyd Fallwell Ministries or Veterans of America Honor Guard
2828 S.W. 53rd St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73119

Office Phone - 405-681-4263 Cell Phone - 405-590-2680

Send email to me at Chaplain@honorguard.org

Chaplain Lt. Col. Boyd Fallwell Ministries - Veterans of America Honor Guard
http://honorguard.org

You can now buy a kit and build a model of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien for $38.96

Internet Hobbies, Inc.
504 Scranton-Carbondale Highway
Mayfield, PA 18433
Tel  570-876-6070
Fax  570-876-6077

A man has been located who will assemble the models if you do not want to do it.
 
He is:  John Impenna
        56 Gordon Road
        Valley Stream, NY 11581
        516-887-6794
 
email thebatta@optonline.net
 
Also, in visiting with my local shop I have a name that is probably here in 
the general Iowa area. It is:   

BCMModels@HOMESTEAD.com

One of our own, Spud Campbell, has written a really good book. I urge you to get your
own copy, available in paper back or hard back. You can get it from Authorhouse. See 
the information below and take action today. You will not regret this purchase.

AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive
Suite 200
Bloomington, IN 47403
812-339-6000, extension 5335
1-888-280-7715 Book Orders Hotline
1-812-961-3134 Fax # for Book Orders

mknight@authorhouse.com

Read the story of SS DELMUNDO and Captain Henry Peter Smith

The Navy's Armed Guard

You've heard about men of the Army,
The Marines, and Coast Guard as well;
But there's one branch that's seldom acknowledged,
And believe me it goes through hell.

What is this service unclaimed?
The men who take it so hard?
Well my friends, I will tell you,
They're the men of the mighty Armed Guard.

They have no fine, fancy ships.
Their deck's are not full of guns.
Their fleet is made up of tankers,
And merchants that scarcely will run.

They dodge mines, bombs, and hot lead;
Torpedoes that miss by a hair.
All this for just one purpose
To see that the cargo gets there.

They are wonderful bait for the wolf packs,
And aircraft that attack them by night.
But the gunners of this valiant service,
Can give those raiders a fight.

No you never hear much about them,
But the boys out there will agree.
That they always get their cargo
Where it helps to make the world free.

That's why I toast the Armed Guard,
And proud I'm one of its group.
And know that all in this service,
Deserve a well earned salute.

Otis Leach, G.M. 3/C

SS LOUIS HENNEPIN

"Ode To the WEST TEXAS"
Submitted by Jon Arend

The old WEST TEXAS is a sight to behold 
With her crew of men so dauntless and bold 
Don't take it from me but I've often been told 
There's a lot goes on in the number four hold. 
She's known as a "reefer" throughout the Pacific 
She's noted for speed, which is something terrific 
Her lines and designs are really quite keen 
I could say more but let's keep it clean. 
She's well known in most every port 
And why not at ten pounds a quart 
And that's not the only racket we're startin' 
Cigarettes sell for one pound a carton. 
Life's never dull, we've all got our job 
From the top ranking officer down to the gob 
Bitchin' and gripin' 24 hours a day 
If it isn't the food it's the over-time pay. 
Someday we'll think of the fun that we had 
And probably admit that she wasn't so bad 
Though she was slow and made out of tin 
She was a damn fine ship for the shape she was in. 

Walter E. Boyce

Read greetings from these World War II Russian Allied friends.

From: "Inna Dubinsky" (idubinsk@VOANews.com)

Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 9:59 AM
Subject: From VOA

Happy Veterans' Day and salute to all men and women of honor who risked and sacrificed 
their lives for world freedom, happiness and prosperity.

Ahoy!

Inna Dubinsky
Voice of America
Russian Service
(202) 260-9098
(202) 401-4062 fax

Sampson Naval Training Station Booklet

If you want to relive the days at sea with the Armed Guard, buy the book below.

Book of the century for Armed Guard Vets

How to get this great book

Comments on the following letters should be sent to:
James W Biscardi
1 Clover Lane
Quakertown, PA 18951-3920

Page 1

Page 2

New Letter

Reflections on his maritime days by Louie Cafieron, First Mate

Our friend Bill Hultgren has all Liberty ship pictures except those listed below.
If you have any of these, please send a copy to Ron Carlson, c/o Project Liberty 
Ship, PO Box 25846, Highlandtown Station, Baltimore, MD 21224-0546 , and he will 
see that Bill gets them.

We need these ship pictures badly!

I have entered some memories from my boot camp days, and if it is found interesting 
I may add memories from my gunnery school and maybe each of my five ships. Follow 
the links below. Tom Bowerman.

Chuck Durand has furnished some ship pictures for the enjoyment of all.

The Torpedoing of the SS BENJAMIN SMITH - by Joseph F Nolen

Visit a terrific site for the USS GEORGE E DAVIS (DE-357). MUCH to explore and enjoy!

Visit World War II Troop Ships. If you have a troop ship experience you can provide,
please tell them about it.

Charles A Lloyd, Chairman of World War II Navy Armed Guard Veterans writes:

The late Ralph Lucas and Robert Floyd (Armed Guard) and E.J. Heins (MM) have been
great in getting recognition for both crews in South Carolina over the years.
Thanks E.J. and Eva. calloyd 

 
The pictures below were taken March 6, 2005, of the 8th Annual Massing of the Colors
at the Citadel Military College in Charleston.  As you can see we had two cadets 
carry our flags: the U.S. Merchant Marine flag and the U.S. Navy Armed Guard flag. 
It was a very impressive ceremony with many military and other patriotic organizations 
participating.

Support your World War II Merchant Marine comrades.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is JJ of the Online Oral History site. I am writing to request that if you
would be so kind, could you please share this letter with all of your veteran or 
war industry contacts and ask them to pass it along as well? I'm looking to get 
the word out to anyone with a veteran connection. If you have a newsletter or 
other group mailing you could use the following blurb too as follows:

The Justin Online Military Oral History Collection is seeking the stories for
online publication to this history resource of Military Veterans of all eras
wartime or peacetime. Also of interest are home front, war industry and CCC
stories.  If you would like to participate please send your stories to James F.
Justin Museum, PO Box 5, Woodbury NJ 08096 or email JFJMuseum@aol.com.

As you know when a Veteran shares his information, it brings to the Museum
insight and information from new  veterans for study by students and scholars
and giving the veterans recognition and pride and sometimes contact with old
comrades! So if you can share this with someone they may well appreciate it.
Thank you.

                           Very Truly Yours,

                           John Justin (JJ)
                           Justin Oral History Center
                           PO Box 5
                           Woodbury NJ 08096
                           members.aol.com/famjustin/oral.html

Honor Page for Armed Guard George W Updegraff

From a friend and supporter in Russia, Igor Kozyr, followed by the Murmansk Memorial

Dear shipmates,

Love, peace and many happy returns to you on Victory Day. Some vodka to your health
and our mutual pray in memory of those who are on the eternal watch. God blessing
and peoples gratitude and recognition to you forever.

Yury Alexandrov,
Vyacheslav Solodov,
Igor Kozyr and your friends from Arctic Allied Convoys in Saint Petersburg

Read Maritime Day Proclamations - 2004 and 2005
We honor Bud Schmidt for his dedication to the cause of the merchant marine veterans.

ATTENTION - NOW HEAR THIS

Your Armed Guard and Merchant Marine website needs more information on the New Orleans
Armed Guard Center and the Treasure Island Armed Guard Center. Information on the 
Brooklyn Armed Guard Center also is welcome.

Pictures, newsletters, documents or any other items of interest to our group will be 
appreciated. Mail to:

Ron Carlson
c/o Project Liberty Ship
PO Box 25846
Highlandtown Station
Baltimore, MD 21224-0546 

Be sure to include a note stating whether you want the items returned to you.

Connecticut Armed Guard and Merchant Marine killed in action in World War II

Rhode Island & Eastern Massachusetts Chapter
US Navy Armed Guard Veterans

If you want to furnish your information or update it directly to the Chairman, click
on the links below and print front and back of his forms and fill in and mail to:

Charles A Lloyd
115 Wall Creek Drive
Rolesville, NC 27571

The photograph below shows gunnery officer LT Hirsch Nathan Schwartz on the left
and Gunners Mate Grover Cleveland Redding on the right with LT Schwartz holding a
5"38 powder charge and GM Redding holding the projectile. Both LT Schwartz and 
GM Redding were from Schulenburg, Texas, and were good friends in civilian life. 
They are shown on the SS PEROTE. Both are now deceased but if you knew LT Schwartz 
contact his daughter, Phyllis Hengst, at gthumbb@msn.com. I went through boot camp 
and my first ship with Grover Redding.

Be sure to read the booklet by Fran Kent on the Armed Guard.
It is well worth the time it takes to read!

Visit the Norwegian Merchant Fleet site, 1939-1945.