Lionel J. Auclair Collection

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These items were compiled by Lionel J. Auclair while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard as a member of the Mounted Beach Patrol in Indian River, Florida and as a crew member of the U.S.S. Davenport commencing in 1945. At its height, the Beach Patrol employed about 24,000 men who protected 3,700 miles of coastline using radios, compasses, whistles, pistols, and rifles. It existed from 1942 until the preparations for the Normandy Invasion reassigned most of these men to active sea duty in 1944 for the Normandy invasion. The U.S.S. Davenport frigate (PF-69) had a short commission from February 1945 to February 1946. Initially, it was involved in an anti-submarine patrol off Casco Bay and subsequently it escorted a convoy to Mers El Kébir, Algeria. Mr. Auclair received a North Africa campaign medal for his service during the escort.