The U.S.N. Armed Guard of World War II came into existence on April 15, 1941, as U.S.N. Naval Reserves began special gunnery training on September 25, 1941, under orders to train 200 officers and 1000 men. Armed Guard crews consisted of officers, gunners, signalmen, radiomen, medics, waves, and ship’s company, and a total of 144,970 personnel served on 5236 ships. Of these ships, 710 were sunk and many were damaged, with 1810 killed in action and unknown injuries. The Armed Guard had 27 prisoners of war, with 14 survivors. Its motto was “We Aim - To Deliver.”
