Posted by Patrick J. Higgins on March 12, 2011, 10:59 pm
I am writing for Raymond Erno, who served on the SS Newton D. Baker, S.S. Kokomo and apparently the U.S.S. Bogue. He is the father of my brother in law's wife, and is not in good health. I visit him every few weeks and he greatly enjoys talking about his service years. I have pulled down all information about him and the ships he sailed on from this website with thanks, and I am sending that to him. If anyone has any photographs or other information on these ships, or his shipmates, I would like to share that with him. I think that would mean a lot to him. Thank you. Patrick J. Higgins Albany New York
I recently aquired a sextant belonging to Louie Ramey who served on the SS Kokomo, Victory ship. Did you brother-in-law's wife's father know him? Can you relate any informaiton about him?
Tony: Thank you for helping. I went on the conveyweb web site and downloaded convoy schedules for two ships, and mailed them out this morning. This will help and make the illness more bearable. Thank you again. It is most appreciated.
SS NEWTON D. BAKER was a Liberty ship built by the Jones Construction Company, Panama City, FL; keel laid 3 September 1942; launched 25 February 1943; completed 6 April 1943; scrapped 1968
SS KOKOMO VICTORY was a Victory ship built by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards, Baltimore, MD; keel laid 28 October 1944; launched 18 December 1944; completed 20 January 1945; built for U.S. War Shipping Administration, operated by Luckenbach Steamship Company during World War II; sold 1947 to N.V. Konink. Java-China Paketvaart Lijnen, Amsterdam, renamed TJIBODAS; scrapped Taiwan 1969.
USS BOGUE (CVE-9) was an escort aircraft carrier, built on a merchant ship hull (originally to be named SS STEEL AVENGER) but converted to carrier configuration. Built by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, WA; keel laid 1 October 1941; launched 15 January 1942; commissioned 26 September 1942; decommissioned 30 November 1946; scrapped 1960
In a search of the subscription website Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com) I found one record for Raymond J Erno arriving in New York aboard SS KOMOMO VICTORY. (Ancestry.com is more commonly used for genealogical research but I have discovered that it contains the names of crewmen aboard merchant ships who arrived in certain U.S. ports of entry following a foreign voyage. Information is very extensive for New York City but less so for other ports.) On this voyage KOKOMO VICTORY departed New York 5 February 1945; arrived Rouen, France, unknown date; departed Swansea, Wales, 10 March 1945; arrived New York 21 March 1945.
The eastbound voyage was in convoy CU-57 from New York to Liverpool (47 merchant ships, nine escorts; two ships in collision, one went aground, no other losses or damage). KOKOMO VICTORY continued to Rouen, France.
The westbound voyage was in convoy UC-59B to New York (25 merchant ships, four escorts, no losses or damage).
The members of the Armed Guard unit on this voyage were as follows:
Albert A Bailey Harding M Bailey Carl A Birago Bennie G Boatwright Herbert V Caldwell ?Francis H Chelli Frank H Cummings Raymond J Erno William G Fowler Chester R Genslicki Robert L Golden Bruce I Hall James C Harris Donald M Heverly Willard J Houghton Ernest W Ibaon O. Bard Judy, LT(jg), Armed Guard communications officer Harry G Larkin Charles L Neese Henry N Pekrul Edmund P Perkins Joseph J Perfido John A Posluszny Howard N Rider James E Shirley H E Trask Robert G White, LT, Armed Guard commanding officer Donald B Will Joseph A Witkowsky
I do not know whether any of these men, other than Raymond Erno, are still living, nor do I have contact information for any who are.