I am aware of an Alamo Township northwest of Kalamazoo. I graduated from Western Michigan University, so I am familiar with the area.
I urge you not to depend on information about such an important matter as medical care for a veteran obtained from the vast and anonymous Internet, including the Armed Guard website, since too many people think they know something when they may not. Instead you would be better off visiting the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs website at https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/ to identify the benefits or care to which Mr. Rainey may be entitled.
Alternatively, you could contact the nearest Department of Veterans Affairs facility, which is in Battle Creek:
Battle Creek VA Medical Center
5500 Armstrong Road
Battle Creek, MI 49037-7314
Telephone: 269-966-5600
Website: https://www.battlecreek.va.gov/
It is likely that Mr. Rainey has family members, who may or may not welcome the involvement of a stranger in arranging care for Mr. Rainey. I found the obituary for whom I believe is Mr. Rainey’s late wife, Maynell, who died in 2007, which lists the names and locations of their three children; see https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34286414/maynell-rainey.
In addition, the nursing home where Mr. Rainey currently resides probably has a social worker or other administrator who could advise you on how best to proceed concerning care for Mr. Rainey through the Veterans Administration.
I have found records showing that Julius Grant Rainey, Jr. (serial number 668-34-89) served as a seaman first class (S1/c) in the U.S. Navy Armed Guard aboard at least five merchant ships during World War II. The ships and his approximate dates of service in each were, in chronological order:
EL ORIENTE
12/29/42 – 04/23/43
NY to Liverpool to Loch Ewe, Scotland, to Murmansk, Russia, to Liverpool to NY
ANDREW MOORE
09/10/43 – 12/05/43
Norfolk, VA, to Naples, Italy, and return
BULL RUN
01/17/44 – 04/22/44
NY to Caripito, Venezuela, and return
BRAZIL
06/19/44 – 07/27/44
NY to Glasgow, Scotland, and return
J WILLARD GIBBS
08/28/44 – 12/22/44
NY to Cardiff, Wales, and return
There may have been other ships to which he was assigned; note the nearly five-month gap in time between his assignments to EL ORIENTE and ANDREW MOORE.
EL ORIENTE was attacked in or near Murmansk, Russia, on 01/27/43, with the death of at least one Armed Guard sailor.
Best wishes.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster
Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website
www.armed-guard.com
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