Ian Watts

May 8, 2025May 8, 2025

Portuguese Civilian Maritime Rescues of Allied/Axis/Neutral Personnel in the Second World War

I have a pretty medal in my collection from Portugal – I have always considered it one of the more interesting ones I have. It has an Angel of Victory and the motto, “Reconhecimento da Nação” on the obverse. It is officially known as the “Medalha Comemorativa do Esforço dos Tripulantes da Marinha Mercante Durante a Guerra de 1939-1945” [Commemorative Medal for the Effort of Merchant Marine Crews During the War of 1939-1945] per the reverse.

Right after the Second World War, the Republic of Portugal promulgated Decree/Law 38515 of 19 November 1951 (in Government Gazette no. 241/1951, Series I of 1951-11-19) created a medal to commemorate the efforts of both crews of merchant ships of “high and distant sea” and fishing vessels during the 1939-1945 war. To be eligible for the medal, individuals must have been a crew member aboard a Portuguese vessel for at least one year, although the period of service was waived for those who were aboard when their vessel was attacked or sunk. The law stated that the medal was bronze and suspended from a green and red ribbon, and worn on the right breast. In 1970, the law was amended to provide a medal with the same obverse and a white and red moiré ribbon for (Decree 568/70 of 20 November 1970); on 9 August, the award of the medal ceased (Decree/Law 329/85 of 9 August 1985).

The perpetual joke among my children is that I am interested in sunk merchant marine Portuguese ships in Hawai’i. So, since I have a Portuguese Merchant Marine medal, and since the recipients of the medal could potentially have been involved in rescues of crew members of sinking ships, I thought that I’d do a little research on the topic. And I was quite surprised.

Portugal’s neutral merchant marine and fishing fleet conducted extensive rescues of Allied and Axis personnel during the Second World War, often under hazardous conditions. Below is a detailed account of key operations, vessels, and personnel involved.

Fishing and Auxiliary Vessels

White Fleet cod-fishing schooners: Assisted in rescues after U-boat attacks, though specific vessel names are rarely documented. These vessels had been painted white and marked as Portuguese to avoid attacks (although this neutrality was not always recognized).
Improvised naval flotilla (1941): Included merchant ships like Cubango (seaplane carrier) and trawlers mobilized for coastal defense and rescue operations. 1 5

Rescues by Civilian Portuguese Vessels 1939-1941

Portuguese Vessel	Date	Rescued Vessel (Nationality)	Survivors Rescued	Casualties (Rescued Vessel)
Carvalho Araújo (merchant)	7-Aug-1939	Manaar (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Ana I (merchant)	10-Jul-1940	Aghios Nicolaos (Greek)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Serpa Pinto (merchant)	8-Oct-1940	Antonios Chandris (Greek)	22	Not specified 2
Nyassa (merchant)	20-Mar-1941	Andaluzian (British)	23	Not specified 2
Gorgulho (merchant)	25-Apr-1941	Aurillac (unknown)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Angola (merchant)	4-May-1941	Wray Castle (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Mirandella (merchant)	7-May-1941	Queen Maud (unknown)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Ás de Paus & Pátria e Liberdade (merchant)	10-May-1941	Martin Pecheur (unknown)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Ganda (merchant)	23-May-1941	British Grenadier (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Tarrafal (merchant)	31-May-1941	Clan Macdougall (British)	85	Not specified 2
Malange (merchant)	15-Jun-1941	Djurjura (unknown)	Not specified	Not specified
Maria Terceiro (merchant)	19-Jun-1941	Empire Warrior (British)	Not specified	Not specified
Alferrarede (merchant)	14-Aug-1941	Lucrecia (unknown)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Labrador (fishing schooner)	?-?-1942	Delães (Portuguese)	Full crew	0 (Delães sank, crew saved)

Carvalho Araújo

Rescue of the British Cargo Ship Manaar (7 September 1939)

Event: On September 7, 1939, the Portuguese passenger/cargo liner Carvalho Araújo encountered a lifeboat carrying 16 Indian crewmen from the British cargo ship Manaar, which had been sunk hours earlier by German submarine U-38.

Rescue Details: The survivors were spotted adrift and picked up by Carvalho Araújo. Other survivors from Manaar were also rescued by the Italian ship Castelbianco and the Dutch ship Mars, with all survivors eventually landed in Lisbon.

Outcome: The rescued men were safely brought to Lisbon. The rescue was noted as the first by a Portuguese ship of the Second World War, occurring just days after the war began.

Casualties: Of Manaar’s crew, 7 of 63 died; the rest were rescued by the three ships.

Interesting Note: The rescue highlighted Portugal’s early humanitarian role, with Carvalho Araújo acting swiftly in the opening days of the Second World War to save lives regardless of nationality1.

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Alferrarede

Rescue of Lucrecia (7 July 1940)

Event: On July 7, 1940, the Portuguese merchant ship Alferrarede found survivors from the vessel Lucrecia, which had been sunk by belligerent action.

Rescue Details: The survivors, adrift in the Atlantic, were brought aboard Alferrarede and taken to safety. The event was reported in the Portuguese press as another example of the country’s maritime solidarity.

Outcome: Survivors were landed safely in Portugal.

Casualties: Not specified in available records.

Interesting Note: This rescue reinforced the pattern of Portuguese civilian ships providing aid to shipwrecked sailors, regardless of their flag1.

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Ana I

Rescue of Aghios Nicolaos (7 October 1940)

Event: On October 7, 1940, the Portuguese merchant ship Ana I rescued the crew of the Greek merchant vessel Aghios Nicolaos, which had been sunk by a German U-boat.

Rescue Details: The Greek sailors, exposed and adrift, were brought aboard Ana I and landed safely in Portugal.

Outcome: The entire crew was saved and returned to safety.

Casualties: Not specified.

Interesting Note: The rescue was acknowledged in Greek diplomatic channels, with thanks extended to the Portuguese for their humanitarian action1.

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Serpa Pinto

Rescue of Antonios Chandris (8 October 1940)

Event: On October 8, 1940, the Portuguese liner Serpa Pinto was en route to Brazil when it spotted distress signals from a lifeboat.

Rescue Details: Aboard were 22 Greek sailors from the Antonios Chandris, sunk by the German raider Widder. The survivors had drifted for weeks, some so weak they had to be carried aboard. Their rescue was widely reported, and the survivors later returned to Europe on the same ship, greeted in Lisbon by Greek officials.

Outcome: All 22 were rescued and eventually returned home.

Casualties: None among this group, though their ordeal was severe.

Interesting Note: The Serpa Pinto became a symbol of Portugal’s humanitarian neutrality, later also transporting refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe1.

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Nyassa

Rescue of Andaluzian (20 March 1941)

Event: On March 20, 1941, the passenger liner Nyassa picked up 23 survivors from the British ship Andaluzian, torpedoed in the Atlantic.

Rescue Details: The survivors were rescued from rough seas and landed at a Portuguese port.

Outcome: 23 men were brought to safety.

Casualties: Not specified.

Interesting Note: Nyassa was also known for transporting refugees from Europe to the Americas during the war1.

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Gorgulho

Rescue of Aurillac (25 April 1941)

Event: On April 25, 1941, the Gorgulho rescued survivors from the Aurillac, a vessel lost to wartime action.

Rescue Details: Survivors were brought aboard and later landed safely.

Outcome: Survivors saved; details on numbers not specified.

Casualties: Not specified.

Interesting Note: The rescue was one of several by Portuguese ships during the dangerous spring of 19411.

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Angola

Rescue of Wray Castle (4 May 1941)

Event: On May 4, 1941, the Portuguese liner Angola found and rescued survivors from the British ship Wray Castle, sunk by a U-boat.

Rescue Details: The rescued sailors were taken to Lisbon.

Outcome: Allied seamen saved and landed in Portugal.

Casualties: Not specified.

Interesting Note: The Angola was a regular on colonial routes and played a key humanitarian role during the war1.

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Mirandella

Rescue of Queen Maud (7 May 1941)

Event: On May 7, 1941, Mirandella found and rescued the shipwrecked crew of the Queen Maud, another victim of submarine warfare.

Rescue Details: Survivors were given shelter and landed in Portugal.

Outcome: Crew saved.

Casualties: Not specified.

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Ás de Paus & Pátria e Liberdade

Rescue of Martin Pecheur (10 May 1941)

Event: On May 10, 1941, two Portuguese ships, Ás de Paus and Pátria e Liberdade, jointly rescued survivors from the Martin Pecheur.

Rescue Details: The survivors, adrift in the Atlantic, were brought to safety by the combined efforts of both crews.

Outcome: Survivors landed safely.

Casualties: Not specified.

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Ganda

Rescue of British Grenadier (23 May 1941)

Event: On May 23, 1941, Ganda found survivors from the British tanker British Grenadier, sunk by a U-boat.

Rescue Details: The rescued men were landed at Lisbon.

Outcome: Crew saved.

Casualties: Not specified.

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Tarrafal

Rescue of Clan Macdougall (31 May 1941)

Rescue of Trinidad (25 September 1941)

Event: On September 25, 1941, Gronelândia picked up castaways from the Trinidad, a ship lost to wartime action.

Rescue Details: Survivors were brought aboard and landed safely.

Outcome: Crew saved.

Casualties: Not specified.

Rescues by Civilian Portuguese Vessels 1942

Portuguese Vessel	Date	Rescued Vessel (Nationality)	Survivors Rescued	Casualties (if known)
João Corte Real	22-Jan-1942	Gandia (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Cunene	27-Mar-1942	Svenør (Norwegian)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Cunene & Lobito	06-Apr-1942	Koll (Norwegian)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Almirante Sousa e Faro	07-Jul-1942	Dago (unknown)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Maria Amélia & Mirandella	27-May-1942	Polyphemus (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Argus	10-Jun-1942	Empire Clough (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Nacala	11-Jun-1942	Mahronda, Hellenic Trader	Not specified	Not specified 2
Angoche II	12-Jun-1942	Cliftonhall (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Pedro Nunes	27-Aug-1942	Clan Macwhirter (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Cubango	12-Sep-1942	Trevilley (British)	15	Not specified 2
Cubango	14-Sep-1942	Breedijk (Dutch)	13	Not specified 2
Portuguese Fishing Boats	19-Sep-1942	HMT Alouette (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Mouzinho	19-Sep-1942	Baron Ogilvy (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Lourenço Marques	30-Nov-1942	Cleanthis (Greek)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Luso	10-Aug-1942	Medon (unknown)	Not specified	Not specified 2

João Corte Real

Rescue of Gandia (22 January 1942)

Event: On January 22, 1942, the Portuguese merchant ship João Corte Real encountered survivors from the British cargo ship Gandia, which had been torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat off the Azores.

Rescue Details: Survivors were found adrift in lifeboats, exhausted and suffering from exposure. The crew of João Corte Real brought them aboard, provided food and medical attention, and transported them to safety in the Azores.

Outcome: Survivors were landed safely and received by local authorities.

Casualties: Not specified.

Interesting Note: The Gandia sinking was one of several in the Azores area during the intense U-boat campaign of early 1942.

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Cunene

Rescue of Svenør (27 March 1942) and Koll (6 April 1942)

Event: On March 27, 1942, the Portuguese ship Cunene found survivors from the Norwegian cargo ship Svenør, and on April 6, 1942, Cunene and Lobito jointly rescued crew members from the Norwegian ship Koll, both sunk by U-boats.

Rescue Details: Survivors were picked up in the Atlantic and landed safely in Portuguese ports. The rescues were coordinated with other Portuguese ships, demonstrating the effectiveness of civilian maritime networks.

Outcome: Survivors from both vessels were saved.

Casualties: Not specified.

Interesting Note: These rescues highlighted Portugal’s role as a neutral safe haven for Allied and neutral sailors in the Atlantic.

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Almirante Sousa e Faro

Rescue of Medon (10 August 1942)

Event: On August 10, 1942, the Luso found survivors from the Medon, a ship sunk by belligerent action.

Rescue Details: Survivors were rescued and cared for on board.

Outcome: Crew saved.

Casualties: Not specified.

Key Allied Rescues by Civilian Portuguese Vessels 1943

Portuguese Vessel	Date	Rescued Vessel (Nationality)	Survivors Rescued	Casualties (if known)
Inhambane	22-07-1943	Harmonic (British)	46	1 (Harmonic) 2
Lourenço Marques	11-03-1943	Aelybryn (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Sines	11-03-1943	Keystone (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Foca	29-03-1943	Moanda (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Albufeira	11-04-1943	James W. Denver (American)	10	Not specified 2
(Unspecified)	11-05-1943	Tinhow (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Luabo	17-07-1943	City of Canton (British)	Not specified	Not specified 2
Faro Fishing Boat	Nov 1943	USAAF B-24 Liberator (USA)	6	5 (airmen) 2

Inhambane

Rescue of the British Steamer Harmonic (22 July 1943)

Event: On July 22, 1943, the Portuguese merchant steamer Inhambane was returning from Montevideo to Lisbon when, at 7 a.m., it encountered a lifeboat carrying 46 survivors from the British steamship Harmonic, which had been torpedoed by U-172 a week earlier.

Rescue Details: The survivors, led by Captain Roland Stott, had endured days at sea, suffering from thirst and injuries. The Inhambane’s crew provided water, tobacco, clothing, and medical treatment. Recognizing the difficulty of carrying so many extra people to Lisbon, Captain Lourenço Fernandes decided to head for Baía, Brazil. There, on July 24, the survivors were transferred to a British vessel at the port entrance, after arrangements with the British consul.

Outcome: All 46 survivors were safely transferred and cared for. Only one man from Harmonic had died in the initial torpedo explosion.

Interesting Note: The German U-boat commander reportedly offered help to an injured survivor and even apologized for sinking the ship before departing-a rare gesture in the brutal Battle of the Atlantic2.

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Lourenço Marques

Rescue of Aelybryn Survivors (11 March 1943)

Event: On March 11, 1943, the Portuguese merchant vessel Lourenço Marques encountered survivors from the British ship Aelybryn, which had been sunk by belligerent action.

Rescue Details: The survivors were found adrift and taken aboard, where they received food, water, and medical attention.

Outcome: Survivors were landed safely and received by local authorities.

Casualties: Not specified.

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Sines

Rescue of Keystone Survivors (11 March 1943)

Event: On the same day, March 11, 1943, the Portuguese merchant ship Sines rescued castaways from the Keystone, another vessel lost to wartime action.

Rescue Details: The Sines’s crew brought the survivors aboard and provided immediate care.

Outcome: Survivors were landed safely in Portugal.

Casualties: Not specified.

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Foca

Rescue of Moanda Crew (29 March 1943)

Event: On March 29, 1943, the Portuguese ship Foca found and rescued the crew of the Moanda, a vessel lost in the Atlantic.

Rescue Details: Survivors were picked up from lifeboats and cared for on board.

Outcome: Crew landed safely.

Casualties: Not specified.

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Albufeira

Rescue of James W. Denver Survivors (11 April 1943)

Event: On April 11, 1943, the Portuguese vessel Albufeira found ten survivors from the American ship James W. Denver.

Rescue Details: The survivors, adrift for days, were rescued and provided with food, water, and medical attention.

Outcome: All ten were landed safely.

Casualties: Not specified.

Unspecified Portuguese Vessels

Rescue of Tinhow Survivors (11 May 1943)

Event: On May 11, 1943, two Portuguese vessels jointly rescued survivors from the Tinhow.

Rescue Details: The survivors were picked up and cared for by the crews of both ships.

Outcome: Survivors landed safely.

Casualties: Not specified.

Luabo

Rescue of City of Canton Survivors (17 July 1943)

Event: On July 17, 1943, the Portuguese vessel Luabo found castaways from the City of Canton.

Rescue Details: Survivors were taken aboard, cared for, and landed safely.

Outcome: Crew saved.

Casualties: Not specified.

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Faro Fishing Boat

Rescue of USAAF B-24 Liberator Crew (November 1943)

Event: In late 1943, a USAAF B-24 Liberator crashed off the Algarve coast. Three Faro fishermen-Jaime Nunes, José Mascarenhas, and his teenage son Manuel-rowed through rough seas to rescue six American airmen.

Rescue Details: The fishermen brought the survivors ashore, hid them from authorities, and helped arrange their repatriation.

Outcome: Six airmen survived; five perished in the crash.

Interesting Note: This act of bravery was only publicly recognized decades later, with a memorial in Faro.

Rescues by Civilian Portuguese Vessels 1944

There are no documented rescues at sea by Portuguese merchant or fishing vessels in 1944 (i.e., picking up castaways from torpedoed Allied or Axis ships). The shift in the war meant far fewer sinkings near Portuguese waters, and the focus of Portuguese civilian shipping turned to refugee transport rather than open-sea rescues of shipwrecked sailors.

In 1944, Portuguese merchant ships-especially the liners SS Nyassa and SS Serpa Pinto-continued their vital humanitarian missions, primarily transporting refugees fleeing war-torn Europe. While there are no documented open-sea rescues of torpedoed merchantmen by Portuguese civilian ships in 1944, the year was marked by dramatic and historically significant refugee voyages, and at least one perilous encounter with a German U-boat.

SS Nyassa

Refugee Voyages and Humanitarian Action (1944)

January 25, 1944: Nyassa departed Lisbon carrying 172 Jewish refugees, some of whom had been in Portugal since 1933. She then called at Cádiz, Spain, where she embarked another 570 refugees. The voyage continued through the Suez Canal to Portuguese India and returned via Mozambique, repatriating Portuguese civil servants who had been stranded due to the war.
Significance: This voyage made Nyassa the first merchant ship to make a commercial passage through the Mediterranean and Suez Canal since Italy entered the war in June 1940.
June 1944: Nyassa left Lisbon with 75 refugees and 25 US citizens, reaching Philadelphia after a 17-day crossing on July 8.
September 18, 1944: She departed Lisbon with 118 passengers, including 95 refugees, reaching Philadelphia on October 1. Thirteen of these refugees were to join relatives in the US; the rest were bound for Canada.

Interesting Note:
Nyassa’s 1944 voyages reflect Portugal’s ongoing commitment to humanitarian neutrality. The ship’s ability to navigate war zones and deliver hundreds of refugees to safety-despite the risks of submarine warfare-was a remarkable achievement and a lifeline for many5.

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SS Serpa Pinto

Refugee Voyages and U-Boat Incident (May 26, 1944)

Humanitarian Voyages: Throughout 1944, Serpa Pinto continued to carry refugees from Lisbon and Spanish ports to the Americas, with the support of organizations like the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Passenger lists from 1941–1944 show thousands of refugees, including Jews fleeing the Holocaust, diplomats, and other civilians, found safety aboard her6.
Dramatic U-Boat Encounter: On May 26, 1944, Serpa Pinto was intercepted in the mid-Atlantic by a German U-boat. The submarine’s captain ordered the ship to stop and forced all passengers and crew into lifeboats, preparing to sink the vessel. After several tense hours, the U-boat commander received orders from Berlin to let Serpa Pinto go, and the refugees and crew were allowed to reboard. The ship continued its voyage, and all aboard survived7.

Interesting Note:
The Serpa Pinto incident became a symbol of the perils faced by neutral humanitarian vessels during the Second World War. Prime Minister Salazar reportedly considered a diplomatic embargo in response, underscoring the gravity of the situation and Portugal’s resolve to protect its ships and humanitarian missions.

Summary Table: Major Portuguese Civilian Ship Humanitarian Missions, 1944

Ship	Date(s)	Rescue/Mission Type	Refugees/Survivors Transported	Casualties
Nyassa	Jan, Jun, Sep 1944	Refugee transport (Lisbon–US/India/etc.)	172–570 per voyage	None
Serpa Pinto	26-May-1944	U-boat interception, refugee transport	Hundreds per voyage	None

Rescues by Civilian Portuguese Vessels 1945

By 1945, the Battle of the Atlantic had dramatically subsided, and the need for at-sea rescues by Portuguese civilian vessels was nearly nonexistent. The main focus of Portuguese maritime activity shifted toward the return to peacetime operations, with convoys and the “White Fleet” (cod-fishing schooners) continuing their traditional work, but without documented rescues of torpedoed or shipwrecked Allied, Axis, or neutral sailors that year. The last wartime cod-fishing convoy sailed in April 1945, and the threat from U-boats had ended with Germany’s surrender in May.

The SS Nova Scotia Rescue (1942)

Although the NRP Afonso de Albuquerque was a Portuguese Navy ship, I thought the story compelling in what happened during the rescue. The British troop transport Nova Scotia, carrying 1,052 people (including 766 Italian POWs and internees ), was sunk by U-177 off Natal, South Africa. The U-boat was advised not to pick up survivors and the Portuguese in neighboring Lourenço Marques (today’s Maputo, Mozambique) were alerted to the human catastrophe. The Portuguese sloop NRP Afonso de Albuquerque, commanded by Captain José de Brito, located survivors after a 27-hour search. Despite intense rivalry between Allied guards and Italian prisoners on life rafts, the crew rescued 194 people, including a woman who swam alone for 30 hours after losing her daughter. The operation, the largest by a Portuguese ship during the Second World War, highlights both humanitarian commitment and the grim realities of wartime enmity. 4

Portuguese Vessel	Date	Rescued Vessel (Nationality)	Survivors Rescued	Casualties (Rescued Vessel)
NRP Afonso de Albuquerque (Navy sloop)	29-Nov-1942	Nova Scotia (British troop transport)	194 (64 Allies, 130 Italians)	858 (212 Allies, 646 Italians)

Bibliography

Notes

Many rescues lack detailed survivor/vessel names due to incomplete records.
Portuguese civilian crews were rarely named in official reports.
The Serpa Pinto also transported Jewish refugees to safety, earning the nickname “Ship of Destiny.”

Medalha Comemorativa do Esforço dos Tripulantes da Marinha Mercante Durante a Guerra de 1939-1945 [Commemorative Medal for the Effort of Merchant Marine Crews During the War of 1939-1945]

The Portuguese Merchant Marine commemorative medal from the Second World War employs rich symbolic language that draws from classical antiquity while honoring Portugal’s maritime heritage. The obverse features a striking winged female figure in the tradition of Victoria (Nike), the classical personification of victory. Clothed in flowing robes reminiscent of ancient Greek chiton garments, she stands proudly upon a stylized ship’s prow—a significant detail that anchors her firmly in maritime context while echoing classical victory monuments where Nike was often depicted on the prow of a vessel. This imagery deliberately evokes the Nike of Samothrace, one of the most famous ancient sculptures depicting victory at sea.

The figure holds what appears to be a laurel branch or palm frond extended outward, traditional symbols of triumph, honor, and peace dating back thousands of years. Her posture, with its subtle contrapposto stance, conveys dignity and classical grace, while her expansive wings create a protective embrace that symbolically shelters those who served at sea. These wings serve multiple symbolic functions: they emphasize the divine or elevated nature of national recognition, suggest protection over the sailors, and reference freedom and transcendence over earthly dangers—particularly meaningful for those who faced the perils of war at sea.

Encircling this central figure, the inscription “RECONHECIMENTO DA NAÇÃO” (Recognition from the Nation) employs a formal Roman-inspired typeface that lends governmental authority and connects the medal to traditional European commemorative design. The typography’s precision and placement follow classical medallion conventions, creating a sense of timeless honor rather than merely contemporary recognition.

The reverse side centers on a boldly rendered anchor, the universal symbol of maritime identity and hope. In Portuguese naval tradition, the anchor represents not only the practical tools of seafaring but also steadfastness in the face of adversity—a particularly resonant meaning for merchant sailors facing wartime dangers. This anchor is positioned between the years “1939-1945,” clearly defining the period of service being commemorated while creating visual balance in the composition.

The reverse’s encircling text, “MEDALHA COMEMORATIVA DO ESFORÇO DOS TRIPULANTES DA MARINHA MERCANTE DURANTE A GUERRA DE 1939-1945,” follows the tradition of explanatory text on medal reverses. The consistent typography connects visually to the obverse, creating design unity across both faces of the medal.

The medal’s suspension element features an intricately rendered nautical rope formed into a loop, incorporating maritime craft directly into the functional aspects of the medal rather than using a standard military attachment. This thoughtful detail reinforces Portugal’s deep historical connection to seafaring traditions dating back to the Age of Discovery, when Portuguese navigators first mapped much of the world’s oceans.

Taken as a whole, the medal represents a sophisticated blending of classical allegory with practical maritime symbolism. It effectively communicates that though Portugal maintained official neutrality during the Second World War, the nation recognized that its merchant sailors faced dangers comparable to military combatants. The design choices place this particular service within Portugal’s lengthy maritime heritage while using universal symbols recognized across Western cultural contexts, elevating what might have been a simple service medal into a meaningful artistic commemoration.

February 7, 2024August 15, 2024

liberty ship biographies

Beginning in 2009 and up until 2016, Clayton C. “Bud” Shortridge of New Haven, Indiana, churned out a number of informational texts regarding Liberty and Victory ships that were attacked by Axis forces. He passed away in July 2017, with his comcast site soon going offline; this left archive.org, blogspot, and several Google Docs links (mostly passworded and slated to disappear) as the holders of his work. In an effort to preserve his writing and to keep everything readily accessible for those interested, I have made available my archive of his articles.

A note: most of his information seems to come from The Liberty Ships from A (A. B. Hammond) to Z (Zona Gale) by Capt. Walter W. Jaffee, A Careless Word… A Needless Sinking: A History of the Staggering Losses Suffered By the U.S. Merchant Marine, Both in Ships and Personnel, During World War II by Capt. Arthur. Moore, and uboat.net.

September 9, 2022September 9, 2022

War Shipping Administration Field Service

In a scant year after its creation, the War Shipping Administration (WSA) thought it wise to create another uniformed civil service organization under its jurisdiction. At the time, the other uniformed divisions within the War Shipping Administration were the Merchant Marine Cadet Corps and the Maritime Service. The new uniformed service would comprise members of the Field Service Branch; when the case was set before Congress in 1943, the WSA engaged about 450 individuals involved in the Field Service – they were colloquially known as “Shipping Inspectors.” Their tasks revolved around repair and conversion activities at the 80 major repair yards and 117 repair contractors; at any given time there were 600 WSA-controlled vessels in drydock, repair, or conversion. Tasks performed by the Field Service involved:

The Field Service Branch also served as “eyes, ears, and legs for the resident auditor, enabling them to better approve charges made for time and material and to know that such time and material [was spent on vessels under question].” WSA recruited heavily among ex-Navy and Army men, who looked favorably upon donning a uniform. Such uniforms, it was argued, would give them an air of authority – and not be viewed as plainclothes spies as asserts a comment at the 1 October 1943 Hearing; the same hearing also mentions union rejection of uniforming agents of the WSA, as a uniform would create “certain attitudes” on the part of the Shipping Inspector, which would inevitably result in a shipyard riot. Instead it was floated that the Shipping Inspector wear a large badge – the WSA thought ill of this.

WSA did a trial of uniforming its Field Service with good review, as related by Mr. J. L. Murphy, Chairman of Price Adjustment Board, War Shipping Administration on a 1 October 1943 Hearing:

These uniforms, though, were purchased at the employee’s expense without reimbursement by the WSA – at the time the Comptroller General ruled no agency of the government could procure uniforms on the part of its employees. Further, in northern shipyards, a garrison cap was prescribed, and all men were to war puttees to protect them from getting their trouser cuffs in machinery while down in a ship’s holds. The Senate Hearing provided the following on additional articles to be worn:

The argument for a uniformed service – civilian and voluntary organized in a military fashion and following the model of the USMS – met with Congressional approval without much fanfare or debate on 5 June 1944:

Afterward, the subject was dropped, and a uniformed WSA Field Service did not reach fruition.

This did not stop members of the Field Service from wearing their khakis and placing insignia on combination caps and pith helmets. They also wore a repurposed Maritime Eagle with “Ships for Victory” inscribed upon it (it was once an award). Below find an example of their cap badge and Maritime Eagle.

References

United States Congress House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. Report of the War Shipping Administration on House Joint Resolution 182. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1943. N.B. Penned 15 November 1943 by E. S. Land.

United States Congress House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. War Shipping Field Service: hearings before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Seventy-Eighth Congress, first session, on Oct. 1, 5, 1943. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1943.

United States Congress House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. War Shipping Field Service: Hearings Before the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 78th Congress, 1st Session, on House Joint Resolution 182, a Joint Resolution to Create the War Shipping Field Service, November 18 and 19, 1943. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1943.

United States War Shipping Administration. U.S. Merchant Marine at War. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1944.

August 2, 2022September 9, 2022

Kings Point Bandsman

In searching through the National Archives, a friend forwarded me a curious set of images that originated from a file on United States Maritime Service uniforms. It brought up a couple of questions: Where are these from? And, who wore this uniform?

The first question has an easy answer. The moniker in the specifications – “Maritime Academy” strikes out the uniform as being at any of the other United States Maritime Service-run schools; they were called “training stations” or “schools” during the war. Before Kings Point became known as the Merchant Marine Academy, it was sometimes referred to as the United States Maritime Academy in internal publications through 1943 – this places the uniform’s wear at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.

The second question is a little harder to pin down, but all evidence points to a professional bandsman. Like the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and the United States Maritime Service training stations, the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point had a professional band; the years of its operation are unclear. There is evidence that the Academy had a professional band recruited from local New York City swing bands in 1942. Confusing matters, the Academy also had a band formed by cadet-midshipmen in 1944 – a Regimental “Dance Band.” This band was to alternate performances at Regimental dances with the Academy band. The Dance band eventually became today’s Regimental band.

Could this be a uniform for a bandsman in the professional United States Merchant Marine Academy’s professional band or the cadet-midshipman Dance band? I would suggest, a professional bandsman; perhaps a band leader.

The illustrated uniform does not follow the pattern worn by other United States Maritime Service bandsmen, they wore fairly drab six-button coats without loops and lace. Also, in looking at the notions, the uniform buttons are of Cadet Corps-type, or star-anchor-star – pointing to the uniform as belonging to Kings Point. It is worth mentioning that instructors and the United States Maritime Service Ship’s Service men at Kings Point did not wear these buttons with their uniforms – theirs were the USMS-type. The cap badge is also of the cadet-midshipman type worn until 1944. It follows that bandsmen were not members of the United States Maritime Service but contracted musicians – they are absent from Midships and period Kings Point faculty rosters, except Lt. (jg) James F. Nilan (USMS) as the director in 1942. If we ignore the organizational incongruities and taken together, the cap badge and deck gun date the uniform between 1942 and 1944, and the location definitively is Kings Point. In terms of whether or not the Regimental Dance band wore the uniform (comprised of solely cadet-midshipmen), in 1944 we see both the Dance and Jazz Band wearing a variation of the USNA short coat – which was later donned by the entire Regiment – in 1944. Thus, could this be a professional bandsman uniform from 1942 through whenever the Academy band was disbanded.

In a rare photograph from March 1943, as seen below, there is a complement of bandsmen leading a parade of cadet-midshipmen from the Pass Christian Merchant Marine Cader Corps Basic School on Red Cross Day in Louis, Mississippi. The bandsmen are wearing the uniform coat, replete with sleeve braid (albeit muted) and collar insignia as seen in the first photograph; however, differing from the cadet-midshipmen following them and the first photograph, is the fact that their caps have black patent-leather chinstraps. This difference in cap construction, suggests the first photograph details a band leader. It is worth mentioning that the course of study at the Basic School was only a few months in duration, which would mean forming a cadet band would be impractical; thus, the bandsmen are most probably professional musicians.

Bay Street, Louis, Mississippi, Red Cross Day Parade, 22 March 1943.

In taking a careful look at the collar devices of the bandsmen as well as the badge on the sleeve of the choir leader from the Kings Point, 1943 image (on right), it appears that all devices were adopted from the wartime United States Navy band. The image on the right alludes to another, not documented, uniform configuration which mirrors that of midshipmen, but without cadet-midshipman insignia; interestingly. these bandsmen do not wear caps with black chinstraps.

from United States Navy Uniform Regulations, 1941.

Whatever the uniform below represents, it is unlike any other seen at Kings Point. We would only see some form of fancy dress later at Academy when the Regimental band was under Captain Kenneth Force; he introduced pomp in the 1970s. I have not seen any photographs proving or disproving that this specific uniform was in use – perhaps this is the proof. Perhaps.

June 6, 2022June 8, 2022

congressional gold medal for merchant mariners of world war ii

Earlier this week the Congressional Gold Medal for World War II Merchant Mariners arrived in my mailbox. I was tapped to participate in the Design Committee in mid-2020; it was the greatest of honors to be involved in the committee to help guide the designers in crafting the medal – and even more an honor to assist in the celebration of America’s unsung heroes of the Second World War after all these years. Indeed, Merchant Mariners were belatedly given veteran’s status in 1988; however, their recognition took place at the Capitol, underlying the key role they played in winning the war.

In terms of the design itself, we on the Committee had been going back and forth over various designs without actually having any trial strikes or maquettes – holding the final result in my hand was pretty neat. I should mention, that the figures are a broad representation of a ship’s crew. I am really glad the Lundeberg Stetson was included – it is a nod to the unions; since, without their tacit cooperation, we would not have had anyone running the ships through the gauntlet. I had lots to say about the importance of the unions and officer’s cap and coat in our meetings – I am glad my suggestions were followed-up upon.

Apply for or purchase a Congressional Gold Medal Duplicate

A duplicate medal may be applied for or purchased; all medals available to veterans, their families, or the general public are struck in matte bronze. It is important to note Congressional Gold Medals awarded to groups are not an individual honor, group members do not receive their own gold medal – rather, a bronze medal. There is no limit to the number of medals an individual may purchase.

Application

The Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020 authorizes the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to award duplicates of the medal to individuals who, between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, were members of the United States Merchant Marine, or other related services – namely the Army Transport Service (ATS) or Navy Transport Service (NTS). If a qualified individual is no longer available to receive their medal, MARAD is authorized to issue a smaller duplicate of the medal to the next of kin.

To request a medal, MARAD asks that veterans or their family members or survivors submit (follow the bolded links for example documents – in the event you don’t know what you’re looking for):

Mariner’s Full Name
A copy of the Merchant Mariner’s DD Form 214, “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active duty” with continuation sheet if provided (the DD Form 214 is required to verify Merchant Marine service on vessels during World War II – see the information below on how to file the DD-214);
A summary, if available, of World War II sailing history to include the theater(s) of operation and ports of discharge; and
Department of Commerce Continuous Discharge Book number, United States Coast Guard “Z Number,” or United States Maritime Service (USMS) number if available.

Inquires, along with the required documents, can be emailed to Katrina McRae at the Office of Sealift Support: katrina.mcrae@dot.gov

N.B.: I suspect the “duplicate” as noted above to be the 3-inch medal, and the “smaller duplicate” to be the 1.5-inch medal. The image above is of the 3-inch medal.

Purchase

The medal may be purchased from the United States Mint. The orders are dispatched from the US Mint’s fulfillment center in Memphis, Tennessee; depending upon the destination address, medals may be received anywhere from four to fourteen days after processing if using standard shipping.

The US Mint offers the medal in two sizes: 1.5-inches or 3-inches in diameter. Although the mintage of either medal has not been published, using numbers from previous years (2017-2020), the US Mint struck an average of 3,780 3-inch medals, and 2,560 1.5-inch medals. Once all stocks are depleted, medals are not re-struck. The price (as of this writing) for each is $20.00 and $160.00, respectively.

Please find the US Mint’s catalog page below:
https://catalog.usmint.gov/merchant-mariners-of-world-war-ii-bronze-medal-MASTER_MLMMW.html

Veteran Status & DD-214

Merchant Mariners of the Second World War may gain veteran’s status if they both prove their wartime service and if they hold an Honorable Discharge. Just like their uniformed peers, a discharge other than honorable invalidates a mariner from receiving veteran’s benefits – including receiving a duplicate of the Congressional Gold Medal. The key to this status is having a DD-214.

The DD-214 holds all pertinent information regarding a Merchant Mariner’s wartime service, including their positions aboard ships, vessels sailed, training stations attended, any decorations awarded, as well as the type of discharge they may hold. Unless they were kicked out of the industry or banned from War Shipping Administration ships – or did not skip out of training – most mariners served honorably.

The DD-214 may be obtained by filling out the “DD Form 2168, Application for Discharge of Member or Survivor of Member, April 2010;” requisite paperwork is available from the United States Coast Guard:
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/records_request/dd_2168.pdf

As a note, for families of deceased veterans, the DD-214 allows for them to petition the United States Maritime Administration for replacement or missing wartime decorations awarded to their kin as well as a duplicate Congressional Gold Medal.

☆ ☆ ☆

The American Merchant Marine Veterans (AMMV) has also provided a comprehensive guide – this should be consulted first:
https://ianewatts.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/ammv-mm-wwii-dd214-apply.pdf

The US Coast Guard published a short Frequently Asked Questions document regarding the application process as well as information on what to provide in applying for a deceased relative. The document is here:
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/NMC/pdfs/faq/WWII_veteran_faq.pdf

Many thanks are due to Sheila Sova of AMMV regarding the DD-214 application process.

April 14, 2022April 15, 2022

Two garrison caps

At its outset, the United States Merchant Marine Academy’s predecessor, the United States Maritime Commission Cadet Corps bucked the prevalent sartorial trend and uniformed its members in the garb of a ship’s officer, eschewing the popular eight-button coat of the maritime cadet or midshipman. This ethos of non-conformity continued through the Second World War – culminating in the Kings Point cadet-midshipman jazz band taking the round coat of their Annapolis peers and eventually extending its wear to the Regiment. Headwear was no exception.

Garrison caps were first called “aviation caps” in Cadet Corps regulations; for good reason, they were the primary headgear worn by aviators; for some reason, Naval aviators did not have the tradition of wearing “crushers” like their Army Air Corps contemporaries (although sub sailors did). These caps first appeared in Cadet Corps sea bags in Summer 1941 and came in khaki with blue piping – piping was a notably a U.S. Army innovation; the color of the cord translated to the Corps a soldier belonged. Thus in a maritime setting, the Cadet Corps adopted this novel headgear before midshipmen at Annapolis or New London, or cadets at Fort Schuyler.

In terms of insignia on Cadet Corps garrison caps, the United States Maritime Commission (USMC) pin was worn on the left side from 1939 to 1942 with a blank blouse; at some point in 1942 it was replaced with Cadet Corps Shield and the piping was deleted from the cap. The anchor appeared on the blank curtain (triangle of folded cloth at the front) in June 1943. The shield remained until November 1943; after this date, the Merchant Marine service emblem replaced both the anchor and shield. It should be noted that the reason why there was no anchor device on the blouse between some point in 1942 and mid-1943, was because no anchor device existed at the time – only in 1943 did U.S. Navy officers begin wearing miniature devices on garrison caps.

White garrison caps first appeared in January 1941 in U.S. Navy sea bags; at the time, they were only worn with tropical uniforms (short sleeve shirts and shorts). As the Navy began building up shore installations in the Pacific, officers found their usual visor cap and sometimes pith helmets impractical (if not visually silly). The Navy looked to the U.S. Army for inspiration where garrison caps were the rule for “informal formal” wear. Clotheshorses that they were, since Naval officers needed something to wear with their tropical uniforms as they did with their service uniforms Stateside, voila: white garrison cap.

Maritime Commission Cadets on parade, Summer 1943

In Summer 1943, the recently-formed Merchant Marine Academy and its Basic Schools issued white service uniforms to its cadet-midshipmen along with a white garrison cap. The cap appears to have been first issued to members of the Cadet Corps at Cadet Basic School in Pass Christian, Mississippi; and curiously, it was seen on the parade ground in combination with the white service uniform – the military discipline of day (to which the Cadet Corps subscribed) forebade the public to ever see a service member in a garrison cap since it was considered undress; it was a gaffe on the order of a gentleman being seen in shirt sleeves in public. By Spring 1944, the white garrison cap was a memory.

In 1974, the United States Merchant Marine Academy removed a unique piece of headwear from midshipman seabags after twenty-eight years of use: a denim garrison cap. This cap was a unique uniform item only used at Kings Point and not at anywhere else among the sea services; the other state maritime or federal academies issued their inmates in white hats (Plebes wore a blue-rimmed hat at USNA) and eventually command ball caps.

This garrison hat was issued from November 1946 through at most Spring 1974. The denim garrison cap supplanted khaki garrison caps that were previously worn with dungarees and chambray work shirts; its first appearance is noted in a photograph of a new thermodynamics laboratory. The change from khaki to denim makes sense as grease strains are extremely difficult to clean from khaki; and khaki garrison caps were worn for inspection and for “official, unofficial functions” and as such stains would reflect poorly on the wearer. Luckily, dungarees were work clothes and not subject to the rigors of inspection, except shirts were expected to be bloused. It was worn by Engineer midshipmen in shop and laboratory spaces, and by midshipmen assigned to maintenance activities in the dormitories (e.g. swabbing the deck). As for insignia, extant photographs show it featured both the midshipman anchor and Merchant Marine Service emblem, and without the anchor (like this example); this is due to the fact that cadets in their preliminary phase of training – their first couple of weeks at the Basic Schools – were not full members of Cadet Corps, and were in a preliminary state. Once they survived the first two weeks, they rated an anchor pin on their caps and hats. The disappearance of the Service Emblem occurred in the late 1950s, with the anchor remaining its only adornment.

In later years, the dungaree uniform, which came in both long and short-sleeve versions, was supplanted by the boiler suit. This uniform was an integral pair of trousers and a shirt in dark blue. It was a popular article of wear in civilian machine shops and was de rigueur in U.S. Navy hull repair and engineering spaces. From 1973-1975, there were two years of un-uniformity in Kings Point’s working uniforms and allied headwear.

Last sighting of denim garrison cap, Midships 1973 & 1975

In Fall 1974, the denim cap was removed as an item of wear for the class of ’76 and replaced with a command ball cap after nearly thirty years of official wear. Kings Pointers afterward wore caps like those worn at Annapolis – and no longer was a distinctive visual emblem of the Cadet Corps. Prior to full abolishment of the denim cap, degrading Kings Point’s distinctive look was the retirement of dungarees; apparently, the Superintendent’s wife thought midshipmen wearing the dungaree uniform made them look like “hippies” (it must have been the flared pant legs of their Seafarer dungaree trousers). Their uniforms were summarily replaced with polyester boiler suits in 1973. The switch over was not complete across all classes as upperclassmen still wore their dungarees (see the image above). By the end of the 1970s, Kings Point willfully shed most of its idiosyncratic uniform components and adopted a marked Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps appearance – the denim garrison cap was the third uniform item, after the Zombo shoulder boards and hippie dungarees in a long line of abandonments.

Command ball caps at Annapolis and Kings Point, Fall 974

Special thanks are due to Thomas F. McCaffery, USMMA ’76.

April 11, 2022August 16, 2022

Mementos and trauma

Unlike today’s freighters where a crew can be aboard for several soul-crushing months at a time without seeing a port, freighters in the 1940s and 1950s made frequent port calls – either for replenishment of stores or cargo transfers. Port calls for a ship’s crew meant a jaunt around the port district or visits to places further afield. Sometimes, a merchant seaman might go to a seedy bookshop and purchase a racy postcard and magazine or two, or maybe see a show. Despite popular conceptions of them having libertine sensibilities, most seamen did not have a penchant for hard liquor and frequenting jiggle joints. For the most part, merchant seamen operated under the mores of their era and their appetites by today’s standards would be considered tame – yet context is important. And so, from time to time, when families sift through mementos of their merchant mariner relatives, strange risque photocards and the odd cheesecake snapshot may appear. These may be of friends or lovers of the moment. And other times, a photograph may appear and instantly becomes the site of trauma.

The photograph below was produced by an ex-Merchant Marine man by the name of David C. Tucker. He snapped photographs for local media in Baltimore, Maryland primarily of the waterfront; with his output being of ships and shipping. However, he apparently also traded in fetish images – a trio have surfaced of a semi-nude without context from 1947; this series, in particular, features a young woman holding the props of a majorette. During the mid-1940s through the 1950s, majorettes were a theme of pin-up artists with images gracing calendars and invariably a trope of burlesque performers. From a composition standpoint, Mr. Tucker has the majorette character not engaging the gaze of the viewer, which would imply licentiousness. As opposed to a demure look to the side which would convey that the majorette is a coquette, and thus inviting the male gaze, Mr. Tucker’s majorette is posed looking away from the viewer; this gives the image an almost voyeuristic quality. Albeit, the sheer fabric of the costume suggests the voyeur’s imagination has penetrated the layers of clothing and rambles freely over the almost naked form of the object of their gaze. This photograph could have been a promotional copy for a burlesque dancer, however, the envelope suggests it was sold for fetish purposes since it lacks the performer’s name.

This specific image was once in the collection of an ex-Merchant Mariner whose adult child discovered it while cleaning out her father’s belongings after his death. The other two images in the series were destroyed due to water damage. The destroyed images comprised one image of the majorette character with the baton pressed against her breasts, and another without a baton; both in the same pose as the one presented.

The discovery of the photographs was disturbing for the daughter as she was a majorette in junior and senior high school – the period when this photograph was procured by her father. Although I did not press the finder of the image, she stated that after finding it, many questions she had about her father fell into place and the unease she felt growing up – that she, in her youth banished as the markers of paranoid thought – came rushing back. Along with these photographs were others of her and her friends as majorettes. She mentioned how he looked at her when she was a young woman and made passes at her teenage friends.

She told me her father was a war veteran and he was quiet about what he experienced out at sea; he once and only once spoke of a buddy whose body was ripped apart by shrapnel and how others who were washed off deck and burned alive in flaming oil slicks while his convoy was attacked. He must have been traumatized, I said. “He took it out on ma and me.” She told me she could not tell me what he did, but it was all very wrong in retrospect, “A father does not do what he did to his daughter.”

The photograph and the narrative that accompany it affected me deeply for several years – especially since the daughter passed away and her surviving family knows nothing of their grandfather, his war service, or much of who he was. The story and the revelation brought to the fore the veritable code of silence that has pervaded the lives of those who lived through the trauma of the war and domestic abuse; the daughter linked what her mother said about how her father changed from an optimistic man to a sullen one when he returned. If he had treatment, if he talked, perhaps things that had happened would not have, I posited. The photograph, easily overlooked as a racy pin-up, when put in the context of the abuse it represented to the daughter, had me look at it as a perverse memento by a damaged man.

In no way do I wish to besmirch the good deeds and sacrifices done by the few for the many by presenting this story; I am, though, left asking how we have so quickly forgotten the horrors merchant seamen underwent and how some “cracked” by the weight of their pain. Some lost themselves in drink, others by womanizing, and others to abusing those who loved and trusted them. If this fellow had access to psychiatric care as offered to service members who returned from the war, would his pain have manifested itself in abuse? This is a question that may never have an answer.

April 10, 2022April 14, 2022

Samizdat

In 1972 the Soviet Union and Europe suffered a drought that resulted in catastrophic crop failures. Although the Soviet Union was perenially plagued with periodic droughts and crop failure, 1972 was significant since the main crop affected was wheat – a dietary mainstay for both people and livestock. This failure brought about talks between the United States and the Soviet Union that culminated in the grain agreement of 1975 between the two countries; the United States pledged to send 8 million tons of wheat a year to the Soviet Union. This agreement was significant for the Unites States shipping industry as it came on the heels of the United States-Soviet Maritime Agreement of 1972. The earlier deal called for one-third of the U.S.-Soviet trade to be carried in U.S.-flag vessels, one-third in Soviet-flag vessels, and one-third in third flag vessels – the latter enabled United States’ allies to benefit from the trade agreement. In addition, part of the 1972 agreement was the opening of 40 United States and the reciprocal opening of 40 Soviet ports to trade. As a result, the Soviet grain trade offered a steep increase in American ships visiting Soviet ports.

“The [1972] accord, described by the Administration as “an indispensable first step” toward a contemplated vast increase in Soviet-American commercial relations, also provides for the unloading and loading of Soviet merchant vessels in East Coast and Gulf Coast ports for the first time since 1963. New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore are among the United States ports in which American union leaders have agreed to handle Soviet vessels under the over-all accord.”

Of those ports opened to the West was Petrograd, today’s St. Petersburg. Due to both accords, Petrograd saw both the import of grain and a collateral clandestine trade in foreign media grow. Soviet merchant sailor sea bags increasingly contained magazines, newspapers, records, and pornography; they imported these materials at their peril: the Soviet state followed a stringent policy of censorship and ban on materials deemed subversive to the Communist Party, the State, and society. In spite (or despite) the threat of imprisonment or worse, the trade of forbidden items flourished in Petrograd and other large urban areas. Media was often translated and copied via various means and entered the underground economy in forbidden texts; these materials had the blanket term samizdat (самиздат). This was a coy play on the word Gosizdat (Госиздат):

“[Which] is a telescoping of Gosudarstvennoye Izdatelstvo, the name of the monopoly‐wielding State Publishing House. The same part of the new word means “self.” The whole samizdat—translates as: “We publish ourselves”—that is, not the state, but we, the people.”

The means of samizdat production could be by the author of the media or by a reader – and thus not sanctioned, and being forbidden, it circulated outside of official distribution channels. All media in the Soviet Union was censored and sold under license by the State; samizdat, not so – it circulated under the noses of the authorities. In early periods, samizdat came in typewritten, photographic, or longhand forms; by the end of the Soviet era, some were produced via primitive computer word processing applications. Examples of samizdat comprise of smuggled books may be found where their pages were photographed and cut to size and stapled or sewn together and glued into a cover of another book; still, others were created with photostats placed between plain cardboard wrappers, or simply stapled-together manuscripts. An underlying ethos of samizdat was that the production of these materials meant resistance to state repression, and to resist was a means to live.

In the late-1970s, when the Soviet Union opened itself ever so carefully to the West in a time of need, did an American merchant seaman acquire the small collection of photographs below for a carton of cigarettes and smuggle them out of Petrograd to the United States. The collection features a series of four photographs and a single photograph. I am unsure if the four and the one are connected; the latter is a single photograph of a woman posing like a Greek statue; the remaining four photographs offer some sort of erotic social satire – as explained to me, they employ universal characters of the Soviet period used in dirty or satirical stories: a militiaman, a market trader from the Caucasus, a street tough, and a bodybuilder. Each hunts for a woman’s body and attempts to possess her; in the end, she chooses the bodybuilder, to the chagrin of all.

Samizdat often seen by Westerners involves forbidden literature such as the political tract “Memoirs of a Bolshevik-Leninist” or hand-made books; photographs such as this collection are rarely commented upon. Nevertheless, despite the harsh cultural repression at play in the Soviet Union, the images represent resistance and the need to poke fun at authority.

This was quite the trade for a carton of cigarettes. My lingering question is what was the context that led to the trade.

References

“Moscow Accepts Sea Freight Rise; Signs U.S. Accord.” New York Times, October 15, 1972, Page 1

Jean S. Gerard. “The U.S.-Soviet Maritime Agreement: A New Plan for Bilateral Cooperation.” Fordham International Law Journal, Volume 1, Issue 1, 1977.

George Saunders (Editor), Marilyn Vogt (Translator). Samizdat: Voices of the Soviet Opposition. Pathfinder, 1974.

January 17, 2022January 17, 2022

U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Officer

War Shipping Administration, U.S. Maritime Service training cadre CPO/trainee. 1942.

U.S. Maritime Service Chief Petty Office cap badge (Type 2a – Variant 1)
One-piece construction. Seal, 25mm diameter; Anchor, 50mm length.
A. E. Co. (American Emblem Company, Utica, New York) hallmark.
Anchor and device stamped nickel; red enamel band and shield.
Circa 1942.

This is the first example of the second design of the USMS CPO hat badge; the first design was worn briefly from 1941, up until WSA control of the USMS in July 1942 with the illustrated badge appearing in August 1942. The former badge may be found in plain brass as well as in nickel – as is the case of this badge. This badge, appearing in nickel is a bridge between the more common second design manufactured by Coro in silver plate.

It is unknown at this time whether or not American Emblem Company manufactured a miniature of this device. It is also unknown if there are collar dogs made by American Emblem Company; thus far, only Coro hallmarked examples are known.

USMS CPO Hat badge, obverse.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 1942-usms-cpo-type2a-obv-1024x1008.jpg

USMS CPO Hat badge, reverse.
A close-up of the reverse details the A. E. Co (American Emblem Company) hallmark as well as the relative thinness of the badge. This variant, most likely due to the preponderance of Coro badges may be of a short, limited run. Coro, it is noted, did not produce the first variant of the CPO badge. Either A. E. Co. nor Coro produced the USMS commissioned officer cap badge patterns from 1942 onward.

November 23, 2021November 23, 2021

RRS Shackleton plaque

From the Collection: RRS Shackleton plaque

Current ship wardroom plaques, otherwise known as ship’s plaques or ship’s emblems, or formally as ship’s badges came from an old tradition that reaches back to the age of sail. As a means of identification, sailing ships used carved figureheads as a distinguishing feature; however, with the move from sail to steam, there was no place on the prow or the bow to place ornate carvings. Utilitarianism eventually won out over embellishment and on haze-gray hulls became painted dull numbers and names. Yet, sailors wished to hold on to tradition and over time developed a system of naval heraldry; similar to, but distinct from that of landsmen.

Ships’ badges first appeared on United Kingdom Royal Navy vessels in the 1850s. Originally, they were found on ship’s stationery, and this innovation came to mark the small boats assigned to a ship and also the ship itself, on the bridge. The Admiralty decided to reign in the rather haphazard means of creating badges and appointed its first advisor on naval heraldry in the person of Charles ffoulkes, then curator of the Imperial War Museum, in 1918. He picked up the mantle of the Ships’ Badge Committee. Their main innovation was the use of a visual means to determine the class of ship or establishment by shape of badge: circular (battleships and battle cruisers), pentagonal (cruisers), U-shaped shield (destroyers), and diamond (shore establishments, depot ships, small war vessels, and aircraft carriers).

By 1940, the designs for all ships were standardized to a circular design. This was due to the bureaucratic nightmare of re-use of names on newly commissioned ships requiring re-configuration of badges to match ship type. Post-war, After the war, the pentagonal badge shape was assigned to Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels and the diamond to commissioned shore establishments. RRS ship also used a circular configuration badge was noted in the example of the RRS Shackleton.

The RRS Shackleton was in service with the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS)/British Antarctic Survey (BAS) from 1955/56 until 1968/69. Her role was primarily that of a survey and science vessel, supporting marine geophysics programs. Originally named the Arendal, she was built in 1954 at Sölvesborg in Sweden for Arendals Dampskibsselskab, Norway. In August 1955, she was bought by FIDS for £230,000, and further strengthened for work in sea ice. She was renamed RRS Shackleton by Mrs. Arthur, wife of the then Governor of the Falkland Islands and Dependencies, in a ceremony at Southampton on 19 December 1955.

Her namesake is Sir Ernest Shackleton, 1874-1922, one of the most famous figures from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Sir Shackleton served on Scott’s Discovery Expedition (British National Antarctic Expedition) 1901-04, he led the Nimrod Expedition (British Antarctic Expedition) 1907-09 but is most well-known for the Endurance Expedition (Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition) 1914–17 – a remarkable story of survival against the odds. Sir Shackleton died during the Quest Expedition (Shackleton-Rowett Antarctic Expedition) 1921-1922, and is buried in the whalers’ graveyard at Grytviken, South Georgia.

From 1969, the RRS Shackleton was operated by BAS’s parent body, NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) as an oceanographic research vessel. Under NERC ownership she carried out geophysical and marine geology cruises in Antarctic waters until being withdrawn from service in May 1983 and sold.

Technical specification
Lloyds classification: 2-3 for ice
Dimensions: length 200 ft 6 ins; breadth 36 ft 1 ins
Loaded displacement: 1658 tons
Gross tonnage: 1102 tons
Propulsion: diesel engine, 785 SHP
Speed: service speed 12 knots
Port of registry
Stanley, Falkland Islands

A second ship was also named after Ernest Shackleton in 1999 – the current RRS Ernest Shackleton.