Photos

Photographs, including reproductions and scans of drawings, illustrations, and images, depicting the U.S. Coast Guard and its five predecessor agencies: the Revenue Cutter Service, the Life-Saving Service, the Lighthouse Service, the Bureau of Navigation, and the Steamboat Inspection Service from the Coast Guard Archives and Special Collections, Coast Guard, Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, and other sources (including private individuals and research organizations).

NOTE: Images provided are in the public domain (unless otherwise indicated).

Images & Photographs
The telegram no parent wanted to receive -- an official telegram from VADM Russell R. Waesche, Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard to the parents of BM1 Albert Kelsch who was reported as "missing in the performance of his duty and in the service of his Country." He was later declared KIA. He served on board USS MUSKEGET that was sunk in combat with all hands.
240705-G-G0000-004.JPG Photo By: USCG Historian's Office

USCG HQ - The telegram every family feared receiving. Sadly, the families of all of the crewmen on board MUSKEGET received such a telegram from the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Russell Waesche. In it he noted that the USCG would notify her "promptly" when more information received. Unfortunately, no such further notification was with BM1 Kelsch's mother's papers, which were donated to the Coast Guard Historian's Office. It is apparent that it was quite some time before she learned of the official declaration, from the Coast Guard, of her son's death. In an official reply to a request for information that Mrs. Kelsch sent to Coast Guard Headquarters in 1948, the chief of the Military Morale Division of the Coast Guard noted that the "Secretary of the Navy found that his death was presumed to have occurred on 10 September 1943 [sic]. His death was in the line of duty and was not the result of his own misconduct." The officer who wrote the letter enclosed a certified copy of a "Finding of Death in lieu of a death certificate."


DOWNLOAD PHOTO (0.05 MB)


This photograph is considered public domain and has been cleared for release. If you would like to republish please give the photographer appropriate credit. Further, any commercial or non-commercial use of this photograph or any other DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at http://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations.html , which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and trademark, including the use of official emblems, insignia, names and slogans), warnings regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters.



Back to Gallery