Group to MM1 Thomas E. Hulmes, US Coast Guard

Group of 8 to MM1c Thomas E. Hulmes, US Coast Guard: Coast Guard Guard Good Conduct Medal, with 3 bronze stars, hand-engraved “Thomas E. Hulmes/C.G. Base Sand Island/2-15-51″; American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; China Service Medal, Navy; National Defense Service Medal. Mounted on two clutch-back bars with four medals each. With some research.

Thomas E. Hulmes enlisted in April 1941. In June 1942, he joined USS Wakefield (AP-21), a troop transport with a Coast Guard crew, in convoy to New Zealand. Returning to New York, the ship began transporting troops to Europe until an internal fire caused serious damage. After lengthy repairs, the ship again took troops to Europe, making 23 round trips. Late in the war, she carried wounded troops back to the United States. Hulmes retired from the Coast Guard in 1962 and died in 2007. He is buried in Cape May, New Jersey. While an obituary refers to him as a chief petty officer, his grave marker indicates that he was a Machinist’s Mate First Class and notes Korean War service.

Coast Guard Base Sand Island is in Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii.