Fellow Researchers, My cousin was a merchant seaman during World War II. His ship was torpedoed in the North Atlantic and he was lost at sea. I wrote to and received more information than I ever expected from the U.S. Coast Guard dealing with my cousin's service. I started by downloading Standard Form 180 - Request Pertaining To Military Records at website: www.nara.gov/regional/mprsf180.html Addresses for the different branches of service are listed as to where the completed form should be sent. In a round-about way my request ended up at the National Maritime Center, 4200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 510, Arlington, Virginia, 22203-1804. (Not one of the addresses listed on the form). I received 14 pages of photo copies from my cousin's file (some double-sided). I learned that he had a middle name, a social security number and held the rank/title of Deck Cadet. There was also a copy of his father's handwritten approval for him to join the service (he was only 16 3/4 at the time), notarized by another member of the family. A copy of the actual telegram sent to his father informing him of his son's loss at sea. A photograph of the young man attached to his enlistment application. And other papers documenting his short career. He was only 18 3/4 years old when his ship was torpedoed on February 5, 1943 with the loss of all hands. I hope this information is helpful in your searching your family roots. Best wishes, Robert Silverstein Aurora, Colorado Searching: BROCKMAN, FASSLER, FLAMENDORF/FLOMENDORF, FRIEDLANDER, HOFFNUNG, JALOSHINSKY, KAUFMAN, KLONSKY, MERVES, NUSBAUM, PITZELE/PITZELY, PRSYSTANCSYK, SALINGER, SCHONCITE, SILVERSTADT, SILVERSTEIN, ZDALEKA/ZDALEKIER/ZDYXALSKI