This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/DFC.2ACE/1818.1 Message Board Post: Flora, You are going to have to elaborate on your request in order to get a satisfactory answer. Name of your father? Obituary?Place/County of residence? Any military discharge records? Names of Ship(s) he sailed on? Approximate dates of service? Was it possible that your father was in the U.S. Coast Guard? I don't believe there were any (individual) State "Merchant Marines". There were "Federal" Merchant Marines whom manned "armed" cargo ships in oceanic waters, and I suppose, on the Great Lakes. Once you have answered the basic questions, you can start by contacting the County (of residence) Veterans Service Office for info., the State Veterans Affairs office, or the Wisconsin Military History Archive, at Madison. Good luck!