Let me raise some picky reactions to the names of the ships in which your brother in law served.
As to the SEA MARLIN and MONTEZUMA CASTLE, I believe they should properly be referred to as "SS SEA MARLIN" and "SS MONTEZUMA CASTLE" rather than "USS" in both cases. As you probably know, "USS" refers to a commissioned ship of the U.S. Navy and means "US Ship." From what I can find, SEA MARLIN and MONTEZUMA CASTLE were both merchant ships rather than commissioned naval vessels and should properly be referred to as "SS" meaning "steam ship."
A Google search for SS SEA MARTIN turns up 147 hits, most of which are referencing to an oil painting of the ship offered on eBay (hurry, bidding closes December 3, just $149.99!). SEA MARTIN was a class C3 cargo ship built for the U.S. Maritime Commission by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, completed in January 1944. She was sold to a private shipping company in 1947 and renamed STEEL DIRECTOR, scrapped in 1971. See http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/1major/active/ingalls.htm and scroll down to hull number 401. A photograph of the ship as STEEL DIRECTOR can be seen at http://www.isthmianlines.com/shipx.htm and a detailed history of the ship (primarily post-war) is at http://www.isthmianlines.com/sm_steel_director.html.
A Google search for SS MONTEZUMA CASTLE produces just seven hits. MONTEZUMA CASTLE was a class T2 oil tanker built by the Kaiser Company’s Swan Island Shipyard in Portland Oregon. Her keel was laid July 11, 1944, she was launched August 22, and she was completed on September 18, 1944, 69 days after keel-laying. She was sold to a private shipping company in 1948, renamed ESSO BRETAGNE, converted to a bulk carrier (cargo ship) in 1961 and renamed FAROS, renamed PYRAMID VIKING in 1974 and scrapped in 1977. See http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergency/wwtwo/kswanisland.htm and scroll to hull number 87. Also see http://www.aukevisser.nl/t2tanker/id287.htm#faros_ex__esso_bretagne_ex__montezuma_castle for a detailed history of the ship, again primarily post-war, and post-war photographs.
I cannot find any references to a ship named either USS SURBINE or SS SURBINE. I do find a ship named USS SABINE, a World War II tanker and commissioned naval vessel, which may be the ship in which your brother in law served. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sabine_(AO-25) for a photograph and detailed history. Also see http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/AO/AO-25_Sabine.html and http://www.navy.mil/midway/usssabine.html.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster
Armed Guard website www.armed-guard.com
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