This grouping was once owned by William E. Montgomery. He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on March 27, 1918. He graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point in 1943. There, he studied as a cadet, and later cadet-midshipman for a period of 104 weeks – two years. He was in section 84 – Engineering. Immediately after graduation, he did not sail on his license but joined the U.S. Navy.
William E. Montgomery’s professional career in the service is as follows:
- 4/7/1943 – Commissioned U.S. Naval Reserve – Class EM (Engineer Officer of Merchant Marine Reserve)
- 9-5-1946 – Separated from service.
He left the Navy as a Lieutenant, having been an Assistant Engineering Officer in the “Tin Can Navy.”
Ships served on:
- USS McDougal DD-358
- USS Leary DD-879
Decorations:
- American Theater ribbon
- European–African–Middle Eastern Theater ribbon
- Asiatic-Pacific Theater ribbon
- Victory ribbon
u.s. maritime commission cadet corps, 1939-41
The above illustrates the full complement of insignia he wore as a Cadet in the U.S. Maritime Commission Cadet Corps, and later as a Cadet-Midshipman under the jurisdiction of the War Shipping Administration.
william e. montgomery u.s. navy insignia & ribbons
Do note the absence of Merchant Marine ribbons. At the time of Mr. Montgomery’s graduation, the Merchant Marine war zone ribbons and Victory Medal is absent from his complement of decorations – often cadets sailing during the early years of the war would wear U.S. Navy ribbons and forego Merchant Marine ribbons; and the Merchant Marine Victory medal required individual purchase, and by 1946, merchant seamen and ex-merchant seamen did not see the point of adding Merchant Marine decorations to their Navy uniforms since Merchant Marine decorations were of less prestige than those of the Navy.
