Posted by Robert J. Sturman on November 13, 2010, 7:44 am
I would like to communicate with anyone who served on the Merchant ship the Francis S. Wilson from September 1944 to May 1946. We sailed from New Orleans, through the Panama Canal to the Pacific, where we crossed several times during the remainder of the war. I was a member of the Navy Armed Guard, on that ship, during that time. I was the Trainer on the aft 5 inch gun. I was 18 at the time. I am now 84, living in Pittsburgh Pa.
Re: U.S. Navy Armed Guard
Posted by Chris Zangara on February 27, 2011, 8:05 am, in reply to "U.S. Navy Armed Guard"
Hello Mr. Sturman,
My grandfater Frank T Sulfaro served in the US Navy aboard the Francis S Wilson during world war II. He is currently 92 years old.
I think that I remember your grandfather. I think he was from somewhere in Michigan, Monroe? I was born and raised in Detroit. I currently live in Pittsburgh Pa. I am now 84 years old. Give your grandfather my regards. I doubt if remembers me.
Posted by Ron Carlson on November 15, 2010, 3:35 pm, in reply to "U.S. Navy Armed Guard"
Mr. Sturman,
While I cannot put you in touch directly with your shipmates, here is a list of the Armed Guard crew from your ship that I found in a search of the subscription website Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com). The website has databases showing passengers and crew members of ships arriving in certain U.S. ports of entry from a foreign port. Maybe you will at least recognize some of the names.
This is the Armed Guard crew aboard SS FRANCIS WILSON, arriving February 28, 1945, from Manus Island, having sailed from New Orleans in October 1944, in addition to yourself:
Beyer, Leroy S. Brooks, Leroy S. Browder, J. F. Hamersley, Kenneth E. Holmes, Lester T. Houston, John R. Kavitz, Stephen A. Kisor, John R. Nave, William T. O’Donnell, Martin F. Ramsey, John G. Rasco, Harold D. Rasmussen, James P. Rathburn, James C. Rhodes, Charles H. Sanders, Gordon L. Schwartz, John B. Simpson, Richard M Sparks, Howard E. Stenzel, Clarence C. Stout, Burl O. Stover, Darwin L. Sulfaro, Frank T. Thomas, Everett E. Turner, Richard M. Wenger, W. L. ENS, Armed Guard commanding officer
Also:
Griffin, William O. LT, U.S. Army; Army security officer
The name of the master was Charles W. Harris.
I do not know whether any of these men are still living, nor do I have contact information for any who are. A few of the names I found in searches of the Social Security Death Index, http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/. Some of the names are much too common to make a useful search.
Searching an online telephone directory, I did find this listing:
Frank T. Sulfaro, Sr. 806 Reisig Street Monroe, MI 48161-1166 (734) 242-2557
Additionally, Darwin L. Stover is or was a member of the U.S. Naval Armed Guard World War II Veterans Association. Contact the Chairman of the Association to see whether he still has contact information for Mr. Stover. Contact:
C.A. Lloyd, Chairman U.S.N. Armed Guard World War II Veterans Association 115 Wall Creek Drive Rolesville, NC 27571 Telephone: 919-570-0909 E-mail: clloyd@nc.rr.com
SS FRANCIS WILSON was built by the Kaiser Permanente No. 2 Yard, Richmond, California, in 27 days in November-December 1943. Her keel was laid November 24, she was launched December 14, and she was completed for service on December 21. She was scrapped in Baltimore in 1962.
Good luck.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website www.armed-guard.com
Thank you, so much, for the response to my inquiry regardingthe S.S. Francis Wilson. I do recognize several of the names on the Armed Guard crew list, some became my very good friends during our service together. Thanks again. R. Jack Sturman