above: a 1943 South African Shilling fashioned into a ring; a souvenir from Mr. Rogers’ travels as a Mate during the Second World War.
henry charles rogers, jr. collection
After Henry Charles Rogers, Jr. passed away, his family offered the American Merchant Marine Museum a trove of striking documents. The collection spans Mr. Roger’s tenure at the Academy from 1942 until his graduation in 1943 and through his career as an officer in the United States Merchant Marine, ending in 1946. The collection’s wartime highlights include the rarely-seen 1942 Uniform Regulations of the Cadet Corps, the form he submitted as his application with endorsements, and his U.S. Department of Commerce Continuous Discharge Book; the latter details all the ships on which he sailed and positions he held. The post-war documents are no less compelling; of particular interest are the newsletters from the newly-formed United States Naval Reserve (Merchant Marine Reserve), and SS Norway Victory broadsheets published by soldiers homeward bound for demobilization. Included among the documents are poignant letters sent to Mr. Rogers from past shipmates and Academy colleagues detailing memories and current affairs.
Henry C. Rogers, Jr. was born in Detroit and raised in Dearborn, Michigan in a house his father built. This home – figuring largely in the film “1940 HCR home from Kings Point visiting Mother” – was one of the first his father built in the boom days of the community; Dearborn was a Ford Motor Company town and the demand for housing for local worker outstripped supply. In 1938, Mr. Rogers graduated from Fordson High School as Class President and Eagle Scout; he later enrolled at Wayne State University as a Drama Major. None of this his father saw, as he died on the job when Mr. Rogers was five years of age. Having completed a year of college, and while he was into his second, the Second World War broke out.
Instead of heading directly for the U.S. Navy or U.S. Army like his peers, when his draft number came up, Mr. Rogers decided to join the Merchant Marine. Informed about the marine profession by his experience as a Sea Scout, officer’s training to serve on the newly-constructed fleet of Liberty Ships piqued his interest. He filled out an application at the end of January 1942, was interviewed by a retired Naval officer – who recommended him for an appointment in March of the same year – and off he went to Basic School at Kings Point. After an abbreviated training period for about a month, he shipped out on the SS Francis Marion from 15 May 1942 through January 1943; he then returned to Kings Point. In a scant nine months – after a crash course in the Deck Program and seeing the Academy’s Dedication – he graduated from Kings Point in September 1943 and went to sea. His career as a licensed Merchant Marine officer saw him rise from Third Mate to Chief Mate in the space of two years. When Mr. Rogers left the industry, he held the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the United States Maritime Service.
Below please find documents and films at the American Merchant Marine Museum donated by Mr. Rogers’ family. Clicking on the images to the left will take you to the document itself; a brief description of the document and (approximate) date of its creation is to the right.
documents
| content (click to access document) | description |
 | 1942-01-09 Uniform Regulations for US Maritime Commission Cadet Corps |
 | 1942-01-22 Application for Appointment as Cadet, Merchant Marine Reserve Of note are the endorsements; the men who interviewed Mr. Rogers were not mere functionaries. The first endorsement came from the interviewing officer, Lieutenant Edmond DeLavy; he was awarded the Navy Cross for his work mine-sweeping. The second endorsement is by Schuyler F. Cumings; he is known for being the last staff commander aboard the once jewel of the U.S. Merchant Marine, SS Leviathan. |
 | 1942-04-10 USCG Informative Letter 3-42 Death of Lt. Cmdr. J.P. Hillyard USNR at New Orleans |
 | 1942-05 U.S. Department of Commerce Continious Discharge Book (#027731) |
 | 1942-05-15 Certificate of Service, Deck Cadet |
 | 1942-05-16 Sketch of Cadet Room and Location – SS Francis Marion Voyage I |
 | 1942-05-16 to 1943-01-11 Log Book of Cadet Henry C. Rogers, SS Francis Marion Voyage 1 Pursuant to the letter that follows this entry, Cadet Rogers’ Log Book details his days from waking to sleeping and all the tasks, travels, and activities aboard ship. Henry Rogers had a trial by fire in terms of mediating shipboard life – he was often forced, out of necessity, to take on riles outside of the purview of a cadet. And at others, experienced trying circumstances: “Aug.16, 42 0400 Rudely awakened by drunken officers. One brandished fire ax[e], didn’t like the idea so I told him.” |
 | 1943-01-12 Cadet Rogers letter to Lt. King re first sea voyage and failure to complete Seaman’s test |
 | 1943-06-03 Shipyard Report – Ship Name Unknown |
 | 1943-07-15 Certificate of Efficiency to Lifeboat Man |
 | 1943-09-07 Naval Procurement letter Re: Officer’s Commission, Merchant Marine license |
 | 1943-09-15 Sperry Gyroscope Certificate of Graduation |
 | 1943-09-16 First Aid to the Injured Certificate |
 | 1943-09-18 Seaman’s Passport (#130908) |
 | 1943-09-28 US Maritime Service, Designation of Grade – Ensign-Deck |
 | 1943-10-27 Designation of Beneficiary Form to Mrs. L. Rogers (mother) |
 | 1944-12 Dr. Clair Wilcox, “Merchant Marine I” in Fortune Magazine |
 | 1944 US Maritime Service, Officers’ Handbook re: Beyond a few pages in MAST magazine, USMS did not have any published uniform regulations; this pamphlet is the only official publication from USMS detailing its uniforms and insignia |
 | 1944-07-06 US Maritime Service, Designation of Grade – Lieutenant (Junior Grade) |
 | 1945-02-23 US Maritime Service, Designation of Grade – Lieutenant |
 | 1945-03-03 Certificate of Proficiency Wartime Communications |
 | 1945-03-22 Chief Mate of “Any Ocean” License Certificate |
 | 1945-07-16 H.E. Harris letter to fellow Academy graduates Re: War Shipping Administration posting |
 | 1945-08-15 Honorable Discharge |
 | 1945-11-01 to 11-09 SS Norway Victory News |
 | 1945-11-08 The Demobilizer No. 23, SS Norway Victory |
 | 1945-11-26 to 12-01 The Crow’s Nest, SS Norway Victory |
 | 1945-12-20 to 12-26 The Crow’s Nest, SS Norway Victory |
 | 1945-12-24 The Crow’s Nest, SS Norway Victory Duplicate from within above series. |
 | 1945-12-25 The Crow’s Nest, SS Norway Victory Duplicate from within above series. |
 | 1945-12-25 Mackay Radio Radiogram Re: Harry Truman Christmas Message |
 | 1945-12-25 SS Norway Victory Crew Menu Christmas Dinner Menu and Fun Show Program |
 | 1946 Date Unknown SS Norway Victory Protestant Worship Pamphlet |
 | 1946-01-31 to 02-15 SS Norway Victory Victory News |
 | 1946-02-05 Capt. Arnold H. Beeken letter to Henry Rogers Captain Beeken sends warm wishes having received Mr. Rogers’ wedding announcement and Christmas card. Captain Beeken was the Master of the SS Norway Victory under whom Henry Rogers served as a Chief Mate. A year prior to taking command of the SS Norway Victory in October 1945, Captain Beeken survived of the torpedoing of the SS John A. Johnson on 30 October 1944 by the Japanese submarine, I-12 about 400 miles northeast of Hawaii. The submarine later rammed and machine-gunned the lifeboats – killing 10 of the crew. |
 | 1946-03-21 to 03-29 Home Run SS Norway Victory |
 | 1946-04-14 to 04-21 SS Norway Victory News |
 | 1946-04-15 USNR Memoranda on Availability of Naval Reserve Insigne for Naval Officers in Inactive Reserve status (USNR-MMR, Inactive); Regulations for wear; Application for Active duty. |
 | 1946-04-26 to 05-06 SS Norway Victory Welcome Foam News |
 | 1946-05 Merchant Marine Naval Reserve Bulletin, May 1946, No. 1. Merchant Marine officers are resigning their commissions in droves, and the Navy gives a mealy-mouthed plea to remain on the (unpaid) rolls. |
 | 1946-05-17 Merchant Officers Protective Syndicate Insurance Premium |
 | 1946-05-20 Sporl letter to Henry Rogers Re: prospective employment after the war Mr. Rogers is passed over for employment with an insurance company as men who left for the war have since returned; hence no vacancies were available for Mr. Rogers. |
 | 1946-05-23 to 05-30 SS Norway Victory News |
 | 1946-07 Merchant Marine Naval Reserve Bulletin, July 1946, No. 2 |
 | 1946-07-03 Pinky letter to Henry Rogers |
 | 1946-07-11 US Maritime Service, Appointment (provisional) as Lieutenant Commander (Deck) |
 | 1946-07-23 USNR Inactive Merchant Marine Change of Residence Registration letter |
 | 1946-10-23 Notice to Candidate of Failure in Exam |
 | 1946-11 Merchant Marine Naval Reserve Bulletin, November 1946, No. 4 |
 | 1946-11 The Reservist, November-December 1946 |
 | 1946-11-22 Liedts letter to Henry Rogers Liedts, a past shipmate from the SS Francis Marion, congratulates Henry Rogers on his recent marriage (5 October 1946), appointment as a Lieutenant Commander, and urges him to call on him and his wife in Antwerp, Belgium. |
 | 1946-12-16 Capt. Dudley Q. Boyd letter to Henry Rogers |
 | 1947-01 Merchant Marine Naval Reserve Bulletin, January 1947, No. 5. Essay on “The Need for a Navy and a Merchant Marine” in the Atomic Age. |
 | 1947-01-03 Pinkie letter to Henry Rogers Pinkie sends thanks for correspondence and a humorous letter announcing the birth of his daughter. |
 | 1948-02-12 Harry Truman Letter of Gratitude of Service |
 | 1948-10-30 Virginia Polytechnical Institute Magazine cover |
 | 1949-01-31 Capt. Arnold H. Beeken letter to Henry Rogers Mr. Rogers’ friend relates to him the trials of working in the merchant service and responsibilities of being a ship’s master – the impossibility of pleasing the owners and the difficulty of working with unionized crew. He writes the American Merchant Marine is in the doldrums, meaning: the shipping industry is doing poorly. |
 | 1958-05-26 “The Crack, World War II – 1941, Ammunition Ship 342-B” Henry “Buck” Rogers “story of Henry Rogers’ “Cracked Ammo Ship” |
 | 1965-06-25 Report of Reaffirmation of Accreditation – Cover Only |
 | 1978 Henry Rogers’ Kings Point Fund Appreciation plague |
 | 1994-06-05 François Mitterand Letter of Gratitude Request |
 | 1994-06-27 François Mitterand Letter of Gratitude |
 | 2013-01-23 “My World War II Experiences as a Merchant Marine: A Memoir by Lt. Comm., USMS Henry C. Rogers, Ret.” Henry Rogers Memoir of WWII Service at Sea. |
 | Date Unknown Building of Liberty Ships |
 | Date Unknown Henry Rogers Induction to Kings Point Scratch Note |
 | Ephemera Henry Rogers Identification Cards |
 | Award Cards Henry Rogers War Zone Bars (top to bottom): Pacific, Mediterranean-Middle East, Atlantic |
 | Ephemera Identification of Uniforms and Insignia of USM Service This most probably came from an issue of Esquire, October 1944, p 133. |
 | Award Certificate Henry Rogers Merchant Maritime Certificate of Service WWII |
films
| content | description |
 | 1942 Home from Kings Point visiting Mother (4m28s 112MB) |
 | 1960s New York City Trip (4m23s 77.2MB) |
 | ND Kings Point Homecoming 1 (4m23s 64.6MB) |
 | ND Kings Point Game 2 (4m23s 68MB) |
Biographical notes
Hershelman, Sandy (1996). “1996 Port Hadlock Citizen of the Year: Henry Rogers: A man for all seasons,” Port Townsend Jefferson County Leader, January 1997.
The Leader Staff (2016). “Henry Rogers: Community builder of first form,” The Leader, Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Many thanks are due to Dr. Joshua Smith – the Director of the American Merchant Marine Museum – and the family of Mr. Henry C. Rogers for making this outstanding collection available.