A little further information has come to light - Dominic Michael was recruited into the USED in Trinidad in late 1942 by a man called Kenneth Simpson. I believe they met at a function held for survivors from torpedoed ships. He sailed on the Delamar for the dry dock in Barbados sometime in December 1942 (I think). I believe it was the Delamar that needed repair. Here he met and married (30 Jan 1943)his wife - a local girl called Evelyn Genevieve Agard at the Cathedral in Bridgetown. It would appear that over the next few months he made various trips to and from places such as British Guyana and Mobile.

Any thoughts on possibilities to follow up will be gratefully received.

Hazel

Yours is an interesting puzzle, Hazel. Coast Guard and Navy uniforms were virtually identical, distinguishable only by the cap device in the case of commissioned officers and chief petty officers and, in the case of lower ratings, by a small shield worn low on the right (I think) sleeve, blue on whites and white on blues. Officers of the Merchant Marine wore a similar uniform with a still different cap device.

The one reference to a vessel named Delamar I've been able to find concerns a tugboat that operated in the Atlantic, very possibly towing crippled ships into U.S. and Allied ports in the Caribbean, The manning of these vessels was not entirely consistent. Some carried Army personnel, others a mixture of Merchant Marine seamen and Army men. Adding to the confusion, I understand that a few were manned by USCG personnel.

Others here may know more. Also, you might e-mail Ramon Jackson (cinza@patriot.com), who is very knowledgeable about Army ships. Good luck.

Hazel,

To me it seems unlikely that your father, if he was in the Armed Guard, would have served on Coast Guard vessels. The Armed Guard was assigned to merchant ships.

Whatever the case, however, you should be able to obtain your father-in-law's military service record. (Or, better yet, your husband, as next of kin, should be able to obtain his father's service record.) Please see this page from the website I manage: http://armed-guard.com/searchmil.html, in particular section A.1. Records of Individuals - U.S. Military. You will have to contact the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO, providing as much identifying information as you have. His service record should indicate in what branch of the military he served, along with other information of interest to you.

Good luck.

Ron Carlson, Webmaster
Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website
www.armed-guard.com