THE MERCHANT MARINE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL IN WORLD WAR II WILLIAM M, Russo, OMSA #3558

The following merchant seamen were awarded the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal during World War II:

NAME RATE/RANK SHIP Adams, James B. Master SS Daniel Huger Allen, George B. Chief Mate SS American Alm, Gustav F. Carpenter SS Angelina Alther, George W., Jr.* Second Mate SS Timothy Picketing Anderson, Fred A. Able Seaman SS Samuel Parker Andrews, Clyde N. Second Mate SS Heffron Andrews, Harold T.* Ordinary Seaman SS West Nohno Archibald, Fred C. Chief Steward SS Admiral Halstead Austin, David C. Master SS President Fillmore Baird, Dale P. Second Mate SS Admiral Halstead Baker, George E. Ordinary Seaman SS Matt Ransom Bamforth, Charles N. Master SS Honolulan Baretich, Bruno B. Second Mate SS Saint Mihiel Birdsall, Charles Third Stewar~ SS President Fillmore Blaisdell, James Master SS Mary Kinney Blakefield, Robert E. Master SS Taku Blum, Murray M.* Radio Operator SS Leonidas S. Polk Boe, Albert M.* Chief Engineer USAT FS-214 Breen, Maurice Purser SS Sahale Brown, High P., Jr. Third Mate SS City of Alma Browne, Paul H. Master SS China Arrow Buck, Paul* Master SS Stephen Hopkins Cameron, James C.* Jr. Third Mate MS Brilliant Carpenter, Foster D. Chief Mate SS Daniel Huger Chappell, Oscar* Able Seaman SS Dixie Arrow Cheney, Edwin F., Jr. Able Seaman SS John D. Gill Cobb, Samuel L.* Master SS Alcoa Guide Collins, Allen G. Third Mate SS John Bascom Constantine, Robert A. Third Mate SS John Swett Craig, Cleon A. Second Engineer SS John Adams Crawford, Alvin Able Seaman SS Marcus Daly Crawford, Thomas* Able Seaman SS Maiden Creek I Cronk, George S. Second Engineer SS Stephen Hopkins Currie, Allan B. Third Mate SS Admiral Halstead Dahlstrom, Carl P. R. Master SS Lyman Abbott Dake, Charles M., Jr. Bosun SS Scottsburg/ SS George Davis Dales, Francis A. Deck Cadet SS Santa Elisa Dalton, William Chief Engineer MS Bidwell Darnell, Gus W. Master SS Cardonia Dodge, John M. Master SS Malay Donnelly, Elmer C. Deck Cadet SS Daniel Huger Drechsler, Arthur J. Jr. Third Engineer SS Richard Hovey Eklund, Ragnar F. Master SS Exmoor Ellison, John E. Master SS Domino Evenson, Even Master SS Benjamin Contee Fetherston, Edward M. Third Mate SS Heffron Finch, Louis G. Able Seaman SS Emido Frey, Samuel C. Master USAT David W. Branch Friberg, August Chief Engineer SS China Arrow Fudske, Hawkinse Chief Mate SS Esso Bolivar Fuertado, James M. Chief Mate SS City of Alma Galza, Alberto Bosun SS Delisle Gavin, Andrew W. Master SS Alcoa Pioneer Geddes, Edward D. Master SS Heffron Gianella, Lawrence H.e Radio Operator SS Prusa Haffard, John R. Able Seaman SS Admiral Halstead Harrell, James F.~ Master SS Gulfstate Hart, Robert W.~ Master SS San Jacinto Haviland, Donald F.e Chief Engineer SS Henry Bacon Hayford, Kenneth E. Chief Engineer SS Harper’s Ferry Heitmann, Otto Master SS John Bascom Henry, Alexander S. Master SS Deer Lodge Hocken, Richard E. Master SS William Moultrie Huett, James C. Radio Operator SS William T. Coleman Jaenicke, Karl W. Master SS West Hardaway Jamieson, Ralph E. Chief Engineer SS Saint Mihiel Jarvis, Charles A. Master SS Adoniram Judson Johanson, Ells R. Master SS Monterey Johnson, Arthur L.e Master SS Virginia Dare Johnson, Edward E. Master SS Admiral Halstead Johnson, Edwin E. Master SS Columbian Johnson, Kyle V.e Ordinary Seaman SS Lafayette Jones, Paul D.~ Oiler SS Bostonian Karlsson, G. O.e Master SS Stanvac Calcutta Kuzma, Mike Ordinary Seaman SS Virginia Lapoint, John J. Master SS Potlatch Larsen, Frederick A. Jr. Jr. Third Mate SS Santa Elisa Lauman, Arthur Fireman MS Esso Bolivar Layman, Joseph E.e Second Mate SS Stephen Hopkins Lemons, Loy Ordinary Seaman SS Dixiano Lia, Bjarne A.e Master SS Bostonian Lund, John Master SS Pan Maryland McCarthy, Van Rutherford Chief Mate SS Jeremiah Wadsworth McDowell, Bertram E.e Wiper SS Virginia McKenzie, Daniel J. Master SS Independence Hall McTaggart, Thomas J. Chief Engineer SS Esso Bolivar Matthiesen, Richard G.~ Ordinary Seaman SS Marcus Daly Mattson, John A. Master SS Coast Farmer Maxey, Morgan A. Master SS Cedar Mills Maynard, Kenneth W. Radio Operator SS China Arrow Milbourne, Albert Chief Mate SS Admiral Halstead Mills, Frederick J. Chief Engineer SS Examelia/ MS Zaandam Moczkowski, Richard~ Chief Mate SS Stephen Hopkins Mortensen, Soren Master SS Bellingham Murphy, Maximo Able Seaman SS Barbara Neal, Stanley Lee Messman SS Tennessee Nordh, Sten Chief Mate SS E1 Coston O’Hara, Edwin J.e Engine Cadet SS Stephen Hopkins Olsen, Samuel Master SS Samuel J. Kirkwood Olsen, Patrick C. Chief Mate SS President Coolidge Opheim, Alvin W. Master SS Marcus Daly Paton, John L. First Engineer SS President Coolidge Pinnell, Royall E. Purser SS Antelope Hills Quinn, Howard Chief Engineer SS President Coolidge Racine, Edward F. Bosun SS James B. Stephens Rack, Francis E. Second Engineer SS Francis Asbury Reed, Walter E. Master SS Joseph Cudahy Richardson, Charles Able Seaman SS Esso Bolivar Robbins, Charles S. Master SS Juan De Fuca Rudolph, William R. Second Mate SS John Bascom Ryan, John P. Bosun SS West Nohno Santina, Frank A. Second Mate SS Carrabulle Shera, Philip C.* Third Engineer SS Java Arrow Signona, Peter J. Master SS Gulfprince Sittmann, Walter G. Engine Cadet SS William T. Coleman Sorensen, Holger E. Master MS Cape Decision Spaulding, Albert P. Master SS Uruguay Squires, James Go* Second Cook SS Malantic Squires, Joseph* Able Seaman SS Maiden Creek I Stark, Harry E. Master SS Cape Neddick Stevens, Michael Chief Engineer SS Pat Harrison Stilson, Ford Chief Steward SS Stephen Hopkins Storkersen, Nikolai K. Chief Mate SS Samuel Parker Stull, Elmer J. Master SS Samuel Parker Switzer, Hugh L. Master SS Exceller Thomas, William M., Jr. Engine Cadet SS Edgar Allen Poe Thornwaite, George Second Engineer SS Samuel Q. Brown Townsend, Frank F. Chief Engineer SS Deer Lodge Tryg, John Master SS Schoharie Valentine, Leonard W. Chief Engineer SS Francis C. Harrington Valentine, Paul I. Second Cook SS Daniel Huger Vannais, Phil Cox Engine Cadet SS Daniel Huger Vickers, George A. Master SS Nathaniel Greene Waigandt, Alexander Purser SS Daniel Huger Wainwright, Jonathan M. Master SS Bushrod Washington Williams, Frederick O. Third Engineer SS Francis Asbury Williams, Jesse A. First Engineer SS Elizabeth Kellogg Williams, Owen J. Able Seaman MS Baltic Wilson, Elbert C. Master SS Exhibitor Wirtz, Russell O. Purser SS Esso Baton Rouge Zito, Frederick R. Engine Cadet SS Fitz John Porter *Awarded posthumously. AUTHOR’S NOTE: Official records, from which these names were taken, appeared to be incomplete. Therefore, some names may be missing from this list.

Reference: A Careless Word ... A Needless Sinking, by Captain Arthur