Allow me a personal moment. My Armed Guard friends may be interested to know that as of the end of December, I retired from the federal government. I had more than 47 years of federal service, nearly 45 years of which was at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC. Most recently I served as a manager of part of the Agency’s web site. Political developments in the last year have increasingly made EPA an unpleasant place to work. For more than one reason, it was time to leave. While EPA’s reputation differs among our citizens, I have always respected the Agency’s mission of protecting human health and the environment, however imperfectly EPA may have achieved that mission. I take pride in the Agency and in my small part in it. Not everyone upon retirement can take pride in their employer or in their work and I’m glad that I can. It kept me going for 45 years.

As a totally unrelated matter, I am aware of two Facebook groups that may interest Armed Guard and merchant marine veterans and their families. One is the U.S. Merchant Marine of World War II (see https://www.facebook.com/groups/MerchantMarinesWWII/) and the other is LIBERTY SHIPS! US Merchant Marine in WWII 1939-45 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1416936411761154/). I am a member of both groups and have occasionally posted to the groups. I’m pleased to say that the Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website is frequently referenced by others in the groups, without any prompting from me. Both are public groups and anyone can join and participate, and both are very active.

There is also a WWII Navy Armed Guard and Merchant Marine Veterans Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pg/WWII-Navy-Armed-Guard-and-Merchant-Marine-Veterans-116056521746737) which does not appear to be a formal group. Unfortunately the page is not very active; there have not been regular posts to the page since 2012.

All for now.

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