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A rare photo of Platoon R-1/A-1 relaxing beween training sessions.

Kenneth W. Maynard (age 19) is playing the clarinet.

Boston Globe June 1940 June, 1940

(Clipping courtesy of Kathleen Maynard)

 

Chet Klingensmith, young cadet, with USO hostess

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Circa Dec, 1944

(Clipping courtesy of Chet Klingensmith)

In March, 1945, a few months after the photo was taken, I went to the hiring halls in New York City. They gave me my choice of Atlantic or Pacific, and it being a cold March and rumors of Murmansk were filtering back, I chose Pacific.

They put me on a train to Miami, flew me in a Navy PBY to Panama where I boarded the SS Fort Fetterman, T-2 Tanker, and went to the Philippines.

Chet Klingensmith, seasoned veteran

(Photo courtesy of Chet Klingensmith)

This picture was taken on my return to Galveston, TX.
Loading up at Texas City, TX, we set out for the Canal again, but before arriving there, the Atom Bomb was dropped. We took our oil to Hawaii, and returned to Panama. Enroute I got appendicitis and left the ship to have the operation at Gorgas Hospital, CZ.

Six months later I was required to join the Army, as my Merchant Marine service was not recognized. I spent 18 months in the Army Signal Corp.

Joe Wagner R37, young cadet, wearing his "streetcar conductor" uniform.

(Collection of Don Wagner)

Joe Wagner R37, seasoned veteran, wearing his leather jacket. He is posing on a ship that ran aground off the coast of Madagascar.

(Collection of Don Wagner)

Charles "Jack" Jackson at a recent reunion

(Photo courtesy of Jack Jackson)

Charles "Jack" Jackson at a recent reunion

(Photo courtesy of Jack Jackson)

Al Hadad R13

(Photo courtesy of Al Hadad)

Lee Buzzell R60

(Photo courtesy of Lee Buzzell)

Lee Buzzell R60 (Then)

(Photo courtesy of Penny Rhomberg)

Leland Buzzell R60
Silent Key January 22, 2014

He graduated from West Bend High School in Iowa in 1943 and enlisted in the Merchant Marines where he served as Chief Radio Operator aboard ship. He married Eileen Johnson of Emmetsburg, IA, in 1946. The couple had ten children. Mr. Buzzell opened Valley Beverage Distributing Company in Bettendorf, IA, in 1955, later moving the business to Davenport. He created the consortium for Eastern Iowa Recyclers, retiring from there in 1990.

(Photo courtesy of Penny Rhomberg)

Rosario S. Puleo Lt. USNR
Chief Radio Officer S.S. Philip Livingston
October 1943-April 1944

(Photo courtesy of Jane Rivera)

In November of 1943 the merchant ship S.S. Philip Livingston sailed out of New York harbor under the command of captain D.L. Bennett. Deck officers included First Mate McLoughlin and Second Mate Charles Franklin.

The fact that a gyrocompass was installed prior to sailing indicated that the destination was to be Murmansk.

After about twenty days at sea, the convoy arrived at the Firth of Clyde in Scotland where convoys were usually made up. Because sailings for Murmansk had been halted for some time due to the slaughter of previous convoys ( in one convoy, 23 out of 33 merchant ships were sunk) the Clyde was overcrowded with merchant ships, all low in the water, loaded with war material.

After some time of waiting, the S.S. Philip Livingston and a small number of other merchant ships were ordered to sail out of the Clyde and head north (they were to be used to lure the Sharnhorst out to the open sea). The British Naval escort was most extraordinary in terms of the large number of warships escorting such a small convoy.

After a few day at sea, the British warships sailed out of sight of the merchant ships. Shortly thereafter a Nazi spotter-reconnaissance plane flew over the convoy and continued to track it.

What later ensued is told in the narrative by Lieutenant Thaddeus V. Tuleja, USNR and which has been characterized as one of Germany's major naval defeats in World War II.

Read More ...

Carpenter's Mate Norman Foster (far left) worked building the Gallups Island base and later maintaining it

(Photo courtesy of Richard Foster)

Norman Foster (under sign) outside Carpenter's Shop

(Photo courtesy of Richard Foster)

Gallups Island base officers

(Photo courtesy of Richard Foster)

Photo believed to be taken in 1945. The names of all of the men in the picture is also listed.

Easter at Gallups Island

(Photo courtesy of Don Smith)

I was in R87 and there wasn't a group picture ever taken that I know of - so maybe some of the guys that were there at about the same time that I was might recognize themselves in this picture.

USMS Awards Ceremony (Caption is on the back of the photo - I have to dig it out)

(Collection of Don Wagner)

R92 (Ralph Kelley's platoon) at Sunday Dress Parade.
That's Ray Maurstad at far left.

(Photo courtesy of Ray Maurstad)

A group of R-013 clowning around - taken in the barracks in mid - 1942.

(Photo courtesy of Al Hadad)

Top row: McGill (KIA), Theneman (Silent Key), Holster, Hadad

Middle row: Palmer, Petersen, Tocco (KIA)

Bottom row: Szkil, Whitehouse (Silent Key)

(Right) Andy Petrick R-A-3 (Silent Key)

Identified from the photo on this website!

 I believe the picture of the unidentified radio operator to be my father, Andy Petrick. He arrived on Gallup"s Island in July of 1941. He joined up after a recruiter visited his CCC camp in Minadoka, Idaho. His 2 years in the CCC were up and this was a great way to get an education and a job. He served aboard the TEXAS SUN and rose to the rank of 2nd LT. (jg). some of their voyages took them to Liverpool and also to the Mediterranean. I have a picture of him in Tunisia on Shore Leave. He also spoke of Bari, Italy and being under attack. I could not find any mention of his ship in the accounts of the disaster involving the liberty ship at Bari that sank with a cargo of mustard gas during an attack I believe it was in 1942. So I don't know if this was another battle. Sadly, my dad passed away in 1993. - Susan Petrick Sulzer
 

Gordon D Jorgensen R14 (Silent Key)

(Photo courtesy of David Jorgensen)

 Gordon D Jorgensen R14 (right) pinning some kind of "Big Shot" award on a friend.

(Photo courtesy of David Jorgensen)
My late father Gordon D Jorgensen was a Radio operator in the Merchant Marine during WW2. He attended radio school at Gallups Island from April 27, 1942 to Dec 7, 1942.

He was on three ships during the war.

SS Lindley M Garrison from Jan 14, 1943 to Sep 20 1943
SS William B Ayer from Oct 8, 1943 to Oct 4, 1944
SS Pulpit Rock from Oct 30, 1944 to Oct 25, 1945
 

Jackson "Jack" McManus R79

He is posing in front of the same radio as Chet Klingensmith (above).

(Photo courtesy of daughter Janice Gregorek)

Jack McManus R79

He was the Third Radio Operator on the S.S. William Tyler

(Photo courtesy of daughter Janice Gregorek)

Jack McManus R79

(Photo courtesy of daughter Janice Gregorek)

Jack McManus R79

Postwar Merchant Marine Service

(Photo courtesy of daughter Janice Gregorek)

This Army photo is marked on the back "Tom Moore - Korean War". He is wearing three Merchant Marine ribbons:
1) Combat Ribbon
2) Atlantic War Zone Ribbon
3) Pacific War Zone Ribbon

(Collection of Don Wagner)

Unidentified

 

Bernhard Falk R-70 (Silent Key)

(Photo courtesy of granddaughter Heather Levin)

Don Dewing R-71 (Silent Key)

(Photo courtesy of daughter Donna Dewing Maier


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