Posted by Kate Simpson on December 25, 2011, 8:30 am
Searching for any information on my Grandfather Robert Johnson, born Oakland California, who served aboard the Mariposa as a Merchant Marine in 1945/1946 and beyond those years. Visited Sydney and Brisbane Australia during those years.
I have been unable to find any information about a merchant seaman by the name of Robert Johnson serving aboard MARIPOSA in 1945-1946 and later. All that says is that the sources of information available to me do not contain a record for him, not that no record exists.
You may be able to obtain your father's official merchant marine service record, which would indicate the ships in which he served, applicable dates, training, shipboard positions held, etc. Please see this page from the Armed Guard website that I manage: http://armed-guard.com/searchmil.html. In particular see section A.2. Records of Individuals – Merchant Marine. You will have to contact the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Maritime Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The Coast Guard was and is responsible for issuing certain documents ("seaman's papers") to U.S. merchant mariners, so should have information about your father's merchant marine career. You will have to provide as much identifying information as possible about your father.
Good luck.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website www.armed-guard.com