Documented US Maritime Service Mariner's Medal grouping!

[Teamski]

It looks like I just got another grouping. This is a documented Mariner's Medal grouping to Mark Macdonald who was lost on 7 November 1942 when his ship, SS LaSalle was torpedoed by U-159 with the loss of all aboard. Group came with the original telegram, award letter, a small Maritime service gold star flag and letters from the shipping company. There may be more coming as the seller is looking for photos. I was really floored by the grouping when I saw it. Enjoy!

 

-Ski

 

[Teamski]

2

[Teamski]

3

[Teamski]

4

[Teamski]

5

[Teamski]

6

[Teamski]

And finally....

 

-Ski

[Robersabel]

No Purple Heart?

[67Rally]

Wow! That group just pulls at my heart. To read those letters from the various people...man...so telling of what the men on those merchant ships endured.

[impigpen1]

No Purple Heart?

 

The Merchant Marine aren't a branch of the military, so can't be awarded the Purple Heart. The Mariner's Medal was created to be awarded to Merchant Marines who were injured or killed as a result of enemy actions during a time of war.

 

Really moving grouping as well!

[Dave]

I've never seen a Merchant Marine gold star flag before...wow!

[JimD]

Lovely grouping and a nice tribute to a brave mariner. Thank you for posting.

I wonder, are these medals ever engraved or do you have to come across a medal with supporting paperwork like yours to identify the recipient?

Jim

[Teamski]

Lovely grouping and a nice tribute to a brave mariner. Thank you for posting.

I wonder, are these medals ever engraved or do you have to come across a medal with supporting paperwork like yours to identify the recipient?

Jim

 

 

They are all unnamed, unfortunately. Thanks for the comments!

 

-Ski

[Robersabel]

NAVY DEPARTMENT BULLETIN CUMULATIVE EDITION; 31 DEC. 1943
43-1391 --- Navy Awards to Merchant Marine Personnel

 

Op18 C-jc, Serial 202913, 9 September 1943

ACTION: ALL SHIPS AND STATIONS

1. Authority is hereby delegated to the Commander in Chief, United States Fleet, the Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet, the Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet, the Commander United States Naval Forces Europe, the Commander THIRD Fleet, the Commander FOURTH Fleet, the Commander SEVENTH Fleet, and the Commander EIGHTH Fleet to make awards of certain Navy decorations to officers and members of the crews of the United States Merchant Marine ships operating with the Navy. The following policy will govern such awards:

(a) Navy awards may be made to United States Merchant Marine personnel only when direct combat with the enemy is involved, or in case of especially meritorious service under combat conditions when members of a naval expedition. The latter is not to be construed as covering normal overseas convoys.
( In such cases, Navy awards will be limited to the Silver Star Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, as appropriate.
© Major naval commanders to whom this authority is delegated are authorized to award these naval decorations on the spot as is now done for naval personnel.
(d) All naval commanders, if not authorized to make awards themselves, will be meticulous in forwarding recommendations for awards to Merchant Marine personnel of such medals as may be considered appropriate. Such commanders, if serving directly under an officer authorized to make awards, will submit recommendations to that officer. Other naval commanders will submit such recommendations to the Secretary of the Navy.
(e) All naval commanders will be meticulous in forwarding recommendations for awards to Merchant Marine personnel of War Shipping Administration medals to the Navy Department for further transmission to the War Shipping Administration. ---

SecNav. Frank Knox

 

 

CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS
NORTH AFRICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
UNITED STATES ARMY

AG 2O1- P-Scruggs, John Howard (O)
SUBJECT: Award of the Purple Heart.

TO: Cadet Officer John Howard Scruggs.

Announcement is made of the award of the Purple Heart to the following named cadet officer of the United States Merchant Marine for wounds received in action: (Medal No. 83990)

JOHN HOWARD SCRUGGS, Cadet Officer, United States Merchant Marine, (S. S. Samuel Parker).

E.L. FORD
Brigadier, General, G.S.C.,
Chief of Staff.

 

By command of General EISENHOWER:

OFFICIAL

/s/H. V. ROBERTS
Colonel, A.G.D.
Adjutant General.

DISTRIBUTION:

3 - AGWAR
2 - Cadet Officer Scruggs
1 - Dist. Constructor, San Francisco, Cal.
1 - shy; 201

COPY

Army and Navy Medals Awarded to Mariners During World War II

 

 

Navy Cross
"Extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy."

Gainard, Joseph Aloysius, Commander USNR
Master
SS City Of Flint
Location: North Atlantic
As master of the steamer City Of Flint, at the time of its seizure upon the high seas and during its detention by armed forces of a belligerant European power. His skill, fine judgment and devotion to duty were of the highest order and in accordance with the best tradition of the Naval Service.

[On October 9, 1939 the pocket battleship Deutchland fired a shot across the bow of the SS City Of Flint in the North Atlantic. A Nazi boarding party determined the ship was carrying "contraband" and a prize crew sailed the ship to Norway, Soviet Union, and back to Norway, where Norwegian commandos freed the the ship. She returned to the U. S. unharmed.]

 

 

 

Distinguished Service Medal

"Exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility." Awards may be made to persons other than members of the Armed Forces of the United States for wartime services only, and then only under exceptional circumstances with the express approval of the President in each case.

Mattson, John A.
Master
SS Coast Farmer

He and his crew volunteered to carry vital war material to the beleaguered forces on Bataan. Loaded with high explosives and armed only with two light machine guns, they made a 1,000 mile voyage from Australia to the Philippines and were torpedoed and sunk after a successful delivery.

 

 

 

Silver Star
"Gallantry and intrepidity in action, such gallantry and service not being sufficient to justify the award of a Medal of Honor or a Navy Cross."

Hauffman, Percy H.
Master
SS Hilary A. Herbert
Location: Anzio

Prior to entering the merchant marine in 1942, Hauffman was captain of the Staten Island ferry. He received the silver Star for gallantry in action during the landing at Anzio. According to Admiral H. K. Hewitt, commander of naval forces in Europe,Hauffman showed "extraordinary ability and courageous action under fire and outstanding devotion to duty," in landing the SS Hilary A. Herbert at the beachhead and discharging her cargo of ammunition, gasoline and other vital supplies "during a terrific aerial and shore bombardment."

Bronze Star
"Heroic or meritorious achivement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military or naval operations against an enemy."

 

Last

First

Position

Ship

Location

Berg

Walter M.

Master

Sankaty Head, Tug

Normandy

Carlson

Gustaf E.

Master

Margaret Olsen, Tug

New York

Ericksen [Erickson]

Ole

Master

Ola G. Olsen, Tug

New York

Gully

John

Master

Beatrice Bush, Tug

New York

Halme

W. H.

Master

Bodie Island, Tug

Normandy

Hayman

Dan W.

Master

Trinidad Head, Tug

Normandy

Hughes

F. J.

Master

Gay Head, Tug

Normandy

Jessey

Percy A.

Master

Moose Peak, Tug

Normandy

Livingston

Stanley E.

Master

Black Rock, Tug

Normandy

Nowell

R. S.

Master

Hillsboro Inlet, Tug

Normandy

Parkin

C. I.

Master

Great Isaac, Tug

Normandy

Publicover

W. H.

Master

Farallon, Tug

Normandy

Striffolino

Anthony

Master

George R. Randolph, Tug

New York

 

 

 

Navy Marine Corps Medal
"Heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy."

Atkinson, William
Master
SS Mormacwren
Towing USS Pasig

Bordeaux, Richard J.
Commander USMS
Ship: Unknown
Location: Anzio

De Puey, James
Master
MV Watch Hill
Location: Formosa

Purple Heart
Awarded to any member of the U. S. Armed Forces killed or wounded in an armed conflict.

 

Last

First

Position

Ship

Location

Baist

George H.

Midshipman

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Baker

Earl C.

Oiler

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Cheson [Chason]

Robert L.

Fireman

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Clay

Robert Reese

Seaman

Unknown

New Guinea

Crock [Crook]

Jonas B.

Machinist

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Gilbert

Paul V.

Watertender

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Goff

Langdon J.

Messman

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Grice

Paul

Chief Cook

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Hanson [Hansen]

Carl W.

Wiper

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Hilton [Helton]

Coy E.

Messman

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Hodak

Peter D. Jr.

Unknown

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Hurst

Sidney

Messman

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Lishman

Gordon

Steward

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Lowry

Len O.

A. B.

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Maury

George W.

2nd Engineer

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Mitchell

William Thomas

Cadet

Capillo

Corregidor

Nicholls

Frank H.

3rd Engineer

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Noto

Lorenzo

O.S.

V2 bomb ashore

Antwerp

Roth

Morris

A.B.

Robert L. Vann

Antwerp March 1945

Salkay

Zoltan

Radio Officer

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Scruggs

John Howard

Cadet

Samuel Parker

North Africa

Shepperd

Douglas C.

Unknown

V2 bomb ashore

Antwerp

Tischauer

Gene

Messman

Lyman Abbott

Bari

Townsley

Everett

Fireman

Lyman Abbott

Lyman Abbott

Walker

Robert G.

2nd Cook

Lyman Abbott

Bari

White

James C.

Steward

Lyman Abbott

Bari

We appreciate your additions and corrections to these lists. usmm.org @ comcast.net

Navy Plans Award for Merchant Marine

Following closely on the adoption of four new medals by Congress for United States Merchant Marine personnel, the Navy has now authorized awarding of the Navy's Silver Star Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to merchant seamen and officers.

Navy Department Bulletin R-1391 provides for the following:

(a) Navy awards may be made to U.S. Merchant Marine personnel only when direct combat with the enemy is involved, or in case of especially meritorious service under combat conditions when members of a naval expedition. The latter is not to be construed as covering normal overseas convoys.

( In such cases, Navy awards will be limited to the Silver Star Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, as appropriate.

© Major naval commanders to whom this authority is delegated are authorized to award these naval decorations on the spot as is now done for naval personnel.

(d) All naval commanders, if not authorized to make awards themselves, will be meticulous in forwarding recommendations for awards to Merchant Marine personnel of such medals as may be considered appropriate. Such commanders, if serving directly under an officer authorized to make awards, will submit recommendations to that officer. Other naval commanders will submit such recommendations to the Secretary of the Navy.

(e) All naval commanders wil be meticulous in forwarding recommendations for awards to Merchant Marine personnel of War Shipping Administration medals to the Navy Department for further transmission to the War Shipping Administration.

The bulletin carries the signature of Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox.

Source: Neptune, publication of Alameda U.S. Maritime Service Officer Training School, November 1943

Merchant Seamen Eligible for Army Decorations

U.S. Merchant seamen are eligible to receive certain Army decorations according to a recent letter sent to the President by Secretary of War Stimson which stated that merchant seamen serving with the Army are eligible to receive the Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart. Navy decorations which can also be awarded to merchant seamen are the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, and the Air Medal. In order to be eligible for these latter, the seamen must have served in a definite capacity with the Navy since December 6, 1941.

City Merchant Sailor Given Purple Heart
Purple hearts are rarely awarded to merchant seamen, but Douglas C. Shepperd, 22, 3433 Garfield Avenue [Minneapolis], home Thursday from a hospital in Chicago, was able to tell friends how he was presented the armed forces' oldest medal.

One of the few Northwest merchant mariners entitled to wear the purple heart, possibly the only one, Shepperd was wounded by a V2 bomb while ashore in Antwerp last December from the first American convoy to enter the Belgian port.

Part of his foot was cut off by shrapnel. He has not fully recovered from the injury after treatment in hospitals in Antwerp, Paris, England, Boston and Chicago.

He also wears three ribbons for service in every war theater and a combat bar with a star for being aboard a ship torpedoed and sunk off India in December, 1943.

Discharged from the merchant marine this summer, Shepperd is attempting to qualify for trade schooling under provisions of the merchant marine rehabilitation program. He is a graduate of Howard Lake, Minn., high school. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Shepperd.

"QUIT KIDDING!" was the only thing ordinary seaman Lorenzo Noto could say when an Army captain told him, he was going to receive the Purple Heart for wounds received in a bombed theater in Antwerp.

But the captain wasn't kidding and Noto, a Sheepshead Bay graduate, received the decoration. He was on shore liberty with four other Merchant Seamen and two gun crew members the day the Germans made their break-through around Belgium, December 16, 1944.

It was a gray, foggy, bleak day. Rockets and buzz bombs could be heard exploding in the vicinity while the twenty-two- year-old seaman watched and listened to the gunfire around Gary Cooper in "The Plainsman."

Suddenly a bomb hit the theater and brought the beams and walls tumbling down. "The roof," said Noto, "seemed to be torn off and the theater was momentarily lighted by daylight."

For six hours Noto lay pinned under the wreckage, lapsing into unconsciousness several times, until rescuers were able to tunnel under the debris and drag him to safety.

Noto, whose home is in Brooklyn, N. Y. thought it a strange coincidence that he, a 4F, should receive the Purple Heart.

Regulations and Executive Orders re medals; Purple Heart Award to Cadet Scruggs

Sources:
Official list of Purple Heart medals awarded by Army on January 14, 1944
Battle Report (The Atlantic War), Cdr. Walter Karig, New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1946
Decorations, Medals and Insignia of the United States Navy: World War II to Present, James G. Thompson, fountain Inn, SC: Medals of America Press, 2000
Mast Magazine: February 1945, March 1946
Maritime Murmurs [Avalon USMSTS Newsletter], September 9, 1944
Minneapolis Tribune, September 8, 1945
The Official Chronology of the U. S. Navy in World War II, Robert J. Cressman, Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 2000
We'll Deliver: Early History of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, 1938-1956, C. Bradford Mitchell, Kings Point, New York: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association, 1977
War Shipping Administration Press Releases 2112, 2133, 2134
Martin P. Skrocki. "More than 30 Years Later... Academy POW is Decorated," Kings Pointer. Winter 1978
Gibson, Charles Dana and Gibson, E. Kay. Over Seas: U.S. Army Maritime Operations, 1989 through the Fall of the Philippines. Camden, Maine: Ensign Press, 2002
"Capt. Hauffman is Cited," New York Times, Jan. 25, 1946

Merchant Marine Medals
Home

[Wharfmaster]

Oiler, probably in the engine room with no chance of escape.

 

 

We remember them all.

 

 

 

 

W

[katieony]

A very poignant and complete group. Thank you for posting.

 

Mike

[KurtA]

Outstanding grouping!

[KASTAUFFER]

Nicest Mariners Medal grouping I have seen.

 

Kurt

[DakotaDave]

Absolutely the most complete Mariners Medal grouping I've ever seen, incredible!!

 

DakotaDave

[Teamski]

Thanks guys! I found this on the Find a Grave site. It gives a bit more information on the sinking.

 

Description: Mobile, Alabama was homeport for SS La Salle, a steam powered merchant ship owned by Waterman Steamship Co. On Nov. 7, 1942 the ship was carrying a cargo of trucks, steel and ammunition and was on her way to Capetown, South Africa via Cape Horn. German submarine U-159 had begun following the ship in early afternoon and had fired a torpedo, which had missed. Later that evening, another torpedo was fired and this time the ammunition was ignited, creating a fireball and the ship exploded. In the words of the commander of the u-boat,"Ship atomized. Pillar of flame hundreds of meters high. For minutes splinters rained down on my deck wounding 3 men on bridge watch." The explosion was heard 300 miles away. There were no survivors

 

 

I can't find a photo of the ship unfortunately.

 

-Ski

[DakotaDave]

Here's irony for you..... the U-159 was bombed and sunk south of Haiti on July 15, 1943 by aircraft from the USS Santee (CVE-29). There were no survivors.

 

Also, the former name of the SS La Salle was the USS George F. Pierce, perhaps you can find a photo of it.

 

DakotaDave

[Teamski]

Here's irony for you..... the U-159 was bombed and sunk south of Haiti on July 15, 1943 by aircraft from the USS Santee (CVE-29). There were no survivors.

 

Also, the former name of the SS La Salle was the USS George F. Pierce, perhaps you can find a photo of it.

 

DakotaDave

 

 

I tried searching with no luck so far. I believe U-159 was actually sunk by a Mariner. I appreciate the help, though!

 

-Ski

[Kadet]

Great group! The documentation is key on these, and this set has it all....

[Dave]

 

 

I tried searching with no luck so far. I believe U-159 was actually sunk by a Mariner. I appreciate the help, though!

 

-Ski

 

U-159 had one heck of a record: http://uboat.net/boats/u159.htm

 

http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-159.htm

 

http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?58098

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=irxXv_alHiIC&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=U-159&source=bl&ots=M3GIpEUkLc&sig=UxoJ8qsoigt8uzw9LyEboB4xihM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pDCGUs-rK4aJjALVjIHgBQ&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAjgo#v=onepage&q=U-159&f=false

[Terry K.]

Fantastic grouping!!

 

I too have never seen a MM Gold Star flag.

 

Thanks for sharing.