54 Years Ago

Wow, didn’t realize it was that long ago, but on 22 January 1968, the USCGC Halfmoon (WHEC-378) returned home from that “other ocean”, on a patrol guarding what coast.

The traditional “Naval” Welcome Home was in order. What I didn’t realize at the time, what that tradition would mean to me, and I think others on the Halfmoon would feel years later.

Others who served in Vietnam didn’t have that welcome home.

As usual, about a day out from home port, I would call my folks and tell them when I would arrive back to Staten Island (SINY). They were there (I haven’t scanned those pictures yet, but I have them) waiting for the old ‘rust bucket’ to come under the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to arrive at Base St. George.

We had left there on April 1st 1967 on “an extended patrol”, that was announced about 17 days earlier. Being “at sea” for months, we didn’t realize what was going on, on the other side of the world. But, we knew something was going on, because a month or so earlier, we had returned from GITMO, where we had played our normal games with the U.S. Navy. We had a bunch of engineers come aboard and had Air Conditioning installed is several spaces on the Ship. That was weird, but in GITMO, we had issues keeping our electronic equipment running in the heat.

We departed SINY, caught up with 2 other Coast Guard Cutters and when to the Panama Canal and on to Hawaii arriving at Pearl Harbor on 24 April 1967 to meet 2 more Cutters, take on ammunition. The 5 Cutters would then proceed to the Philippines.

10 May 1967, the USCGC Barateria (WHEC-381), USCGC Bering Strait (WHEC-382), USCGC Gresham (WHEC-387), USCGC Halfmoon (WHEC-378), and USCGC Yakutat (WHEC-380), became the Coast Guard Squadron Three, to join the U.S. Navy in Operation Market Time. We had become part of the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet.

Two things we did frequently was to to UNREP, or “UNderway REPlenishment” or Replenishment at Sea, where we would take on Ammo, Food, Supplies, Movies, and Mail.

We would share our goodies with smaller Coast Guard Cutters, and Navy Swift Boats. We could go to “deeper” water to meet the Navy and closer to shore for the smaller boats. I recall the Movies were the almost as important as the mail.

So, 54 years ago today, we returned to SINY to our family and friends. Our “battle” records report:

During her tour, Half Moon conducted nine naval gunfire missions along the coast of South Vietnam in support of forces ashore. On 12 September 1967 she was ordered to fire on a Viet Cong (VC) build-up in An Xugen Province; her gunfire killed at least one VC soldier and destroyed three fortifications on that occasion. During her tour, she was credited with killing at least 13 VC soldiers, destroying 64 military emplacements and structures, and sinking four sampans. Half Moon also served as a home base for 50-foot (15.25 m) U.S. Navy Patrol Craft Fast and participated in search and rescue operations.

Half Moon concluded her Vietnam War tour on 29 December 1967.

As an aside note, My recruiter and his two brothers, were shipmates.

We would learn later that another of our shipmates would return to Vietnam and be killed there. I am sorry I didn’t get his full name in the photo, Morris S Beeson (I think on Panel W28)

Bravo Zulu to my Shipmates and “Fair Winds and Following Seas” to those who are no longer with us. Rest in Peace.

Welcome home, 54 years ago.

Are these numbers important?

I have been doing a bit of research on a non-relative, who is buried at a cemetery in the area of the Monocacy Battlefield. This cemetery is on my list of places to visit in the near future, hopefully in the spring.

The Question that I am trying to answer is: What is his military service ?

It starts with a World War I Draft Registration Card:

“World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918”, digital image, The National Archives (www.ancestry.com ; accessed 16 December 2019), registration card [a] for William Joseph Rogers, Form 1 1872 (stamped), no. 1032 (stamped)Washington, D.C.: citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, National Archives microfilm publication M1509, imaged from Family History Library film roll 1643517.

Searching in the “normal” records, the information on this card is consistent with those records. He lived his life in Washington, DC.

Two things about this card that caught my attentions. 1) the number of Stamped numbers, in the upper Left and Right, and the Back, and a stamped number in the lower Left. 2) the notation of 6 years in the Militia of Washington DC.

The 1872, in the upper left, is a Serial Number, assigned at registration and a Registration Number, 1032, in the upper right. Those were expected. The number of the back of the card, 8-1-6 A, is also expected.

There is a stamped #9 to the right of the word Card, and I think that is the Precinct Number from the back of the card.

But, in the Name Field (1), there are two numbers. IF I understand correctly, that 258 that is not crossed out, was the First Number drawn in this Registration. Is that important ? And there is 2594 crossed out under the word Registration. Is that Important?

Also, in the lower Left is 2596, which is 2 off from the crossed out number at the top, and it is also a Stamped Number. Is that important?

The question is about #11, What military service have you had?

Rank: Corporal
Branch: Militia
Years: 6
Nation or State: Wash D.C.

Looking Wikipedia, The “Militia” for the District of Columbia was established in 1776, and remained “as Militia” until 1903. It continues to be the District of Columbia National Guard, as a reserve to this day.

What I learned from that article is that the President is the commander-in-chief of this National Guard Unit.

So, in 1917, the “militia” should have been the “National Guard”. Serving for 6 years, it would have called the National Guard in 1911. Now, the D.C. National Guard was mobilized for 12 days in 1917, but was made up of an all-black 1st Separate Infantry.

The Find A Grave website, has a Death Notice from the Washington Post, March 11, 1932

On Thursday, March 10, 1932, at his residence, 2717 Kansas Avenue, NW, William J., beloved husband of Mary R. Rogers. Funeral services at the above address on Saturday, March 12, at 10 a.m. Interment at Monocacy Cemetery, Beallsville, Md.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 17 December 2019), memorial page for William Joseph Rogers, Jr (9 Sep 1888–10 Mar 1932), Find A Grave Memorial no. 64015522, citing Monocacy Cemetery, Beallsville, Montgomery County, Maryland, USA ; Maintained by Glenn Wallace (contributor 46802463) .

No help here yet in the question. But, I always have a questions in situations like this, like Why Monocacy ? It’s not that far from Washington, “just up the street”, but why that specific cemetery. I was able to find the answer to that question, but looking around Find A Grave, and that is Mary, his wife’s family is also buried in this Cemetery. In fact, from what I can tell, the same plot.

Researching the “in laws” does not raise any flags as to why they shouldn’t be buried there.

I have not been able to find any “Militia” / National Guard records, online. I also know that a trip to NARA (2) in College Park, Maryland is probably where I would find those records.

Newspaper searching came up with a number of articles:

From the 7 Jan 1912, Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia), Page 25, Newspapers.com by Ancestry

What is the Canton Washington, No.1 ? In this article, in mentions William J Rogers, Captain.

Captain in 1912, Corporal in 1917 ? Hmmm

A search for “Canton Washington, No.1” found that to be part of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF).

In the Find-A-Grave Memorial text, there is mention that William was installed as Captain, in January 12, 1912, in the IOOF, in Washington, D.C.

Bottom Line:

Are those extra, unexpected numbers on that Draft Card important ?

Might there be a reason when the Draft Card uses the term Militia, when it might have been National Guard, or Reserve” ?

Does the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) play any part in Militia vs National Guard ?

Captain or Corporal is also, in my mind, conflicting information to resolve.

Is this one of the “ancestors” who have a story to tell, looking for someone to tell the story ?

Comments are Welcome.

Ships Log Book–On This Day

Some time ago, actually 24 October 2018, I wrote a Blog on this topic

Ships Log Book – Online

I was reminded that on this day, 29 July 1967 the Navy had a very serious event on the USS Forrestal (CV-59) had a disaster, her flight deck had a fire that killed 134 sailors and 161 were injured.

There is a YouTube video about that event. As I watched it, it reminded me of the “other side of the story”.  Trial by Fire: A Carrier Fights For Life (1973)

Because I know that the USCGC Halfmoon’s log book was online, I went back to look to see if July 1967 was there yet. Sorry to say, it was not. BUT a number of other Month’s of Log Books are. I’ll go back later to read them.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/83869328

I remember this day, and was hoping to confirm or disprove my memory, with the log book but, maybe later.

Underway Replenishment at Sea (UNREP) was “normal” operation, where the Halfmoon would pull along side some very large Navy Ship and take on “stores”, food, fuel, ammunition, Movies and Mail, and some times people. Then we would move in, closer to shore, and to an UNREP with smaller Navy and Coast Guard vessels and give them what they needed.

On the night of 29 July 1967, we were involved with an UNREP but by helicopter. They would drop “stores” on our deck and move back and return with another load of “stores”. BUT, they stopped. We would learn that these helicopters would be needed to the North of us (as I recall), then we would learn of this accident.

This picture is the Halfmoon (with our Commanding Officer, Commander E.G. McCarthy on the left) as we wait our turn to pull along side of the ship with the goodies.

Taking on Stores

And we replenish the USCGC Point Cypress in this photo..

The things you remember, based on other events. That YouTube video was from a Coast Guard Email List.

LESSON LEARNED: Go Back and look at those Sources you already have in your Database. There are 5 or 6 new Ship Log Books that were not on line earlier

USCGC Halfmoon (WHEC-378) and the Lobster Wars

This is one of my Coast Guard pictures that I took, while aboard the USCGC Halfmoon. We were on patrol in the Florida Straits this January 1967 as we would be on our way to GITMO to play games with the Navy.

I had just come “on watch”, 12 Jan 1967, when I heard “May-Day, May-Day” with words we would hear today, “shots fired”.

The photo I took that morning as one of our Life Boards, with a “boarding party” escorted the Bahama Mama to our port side for further investigation. Later in the day, the FBI and others would be arrive and we all would head into Miami.

I bring this up today, as I just found the Newspaper article that talks about this event.

Star-Gazette, 12 Jan 1967, Thu, Other Editions, Page 3 — Newspaper.com.

I remember the when we got home, my mother had a newspaper article, from her local newspaper, pinned to the Map she had with my adventures on the Halfmoon. She also mentioned that we were on the Philadelphia TV Station news for that day.

Have found several other articles while searching through the Newspaper.com website about the family.

Ships Log Book – Online

Today, October 24, 2018, the Nation Archives is holding a National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair.

On 15 August 2018 DearMYRTLE and a Wacky Wednesday featuring Jennifer Holik who discussed US MILITARY: MORNING REPORTS. Here a link to that webinar.

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0aBwuPvhT1imR3lv8e0OTA

During the show, I looked to see if the US Coast Guard Cutter Halfmoon was listed anywhere or had any Ships Log books. I did not find any.

I thought that I would look, again, to see if there were any. This time I searched differently, after browsing for a few minutes, and realized that the Archives used USCG (Coast Guard) and I think I used USCGC (Coast Guard Cutter) in my earlier search. And I found the ship’s log books for 05/1967 and 06/1967, while we were in Vietnam.

My name is on two pages, where I spent the night on a swift boat going up one of the rivers, and the previous month one of my bosses was listed as well. Another boss, was listed several times doing Shore Patrol. — I have written proof that I was in Vietnam.

I know when this picture was taken, because I was returning from that night on a swift boat, like the one in the picture.

The log entry for leaving

and returning

What was interesting and may be important to others, our ship has been on and off of the “Agent Orange” list several times. I had a ship mate ask me several years ago if I had pictures, which I did. But this Log Book has names, ranks, and serial numbers and that we were in Vietnam

In a Facebook posting, That ship mate responded to my post there, letting me know that he in fact was drawing 100% Permanent & Total due to Agent Orange and that another ship mate was in the same position as he, and that we lost another ship mate due to complications of diabetes.

The ship is back on the Agent Orange List, but if one had to prove that they were on the ship at the time, this Log Book would help document that they were on board.

I read both month’s log books, all very interesting, and have sent FB Messages to several of my ship mates to let them know that they are ONLINE.

Thank you National Archives for making these Ships Logs available to us.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/83869328

— Happy Family History Month