Further to Rick's message, BELLE OF THE WEST was built by Moore Dry Dock Company, Oakland, California, completed on July 8, 1944. In 1947 she was sold and renamed AGWIQUEEN, renamed again in 1949 to SEABORNE, to SANTA MARIANA in 1957, to SANTA CLARA in 1962, to THUNDERHEAD in 1963, and was finally scrapped in 1969. See http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/inactive/moore.htm and scroll down to hull number 274.

As Rick suggests, the Armed Guard website lists several men who served in BELLE OF THE WEST: Roger B. Gookim, who served from April 1944 to March 1946, Leonard A. Keim, who served from July 1944 to April 1945, Sherman Laister and Jerome Simon who were aboard the ship in 1945, and Omar T. Smith, onboard February – September 1945. Do any of these names appear on the back of the photograph in question? Of course there would have been many other crew members, including the names you have. But tracing any of these men at this late date would be very difficult, even if any are still living.

Ron Carlson, Webmaster