- Born
- 1907
- Died
- 1937-01-01
- Work
- Mate of the Marold II
- Eras
- Modern era
- Concepts
- maritimecommunityheritage
- Within
- Saint James
Summary
Roland Hugh “Bruce” McDonough (1907–1937) was the mate aboard the Marold II when it exploded at Simmons Reef on New Year’s Day 1937. The primary report uses both “Bruce McDonough” and “Roland McDonald”; its memorial notice gives Ronald Bruce McDonough, and a 1992 obituary independently records Bruce McDonough’s death on that date.
Evidence and limits
The name variants are preserved because the primary issue’s passages do not spell them consistently. The Holy Cross Cemetery directory identifies the casualty as Roland Hugh “Bruce” McDonough, gives 1907–1937, and records his marriage to Sarah Gallagher and parents. It resolves the identity and birth year, but an original civil birth record and Coast Guard service record remain to be found.
Open questions
- Which civil or Coast Guard records document his exact birth date and service history?
See also
Sources
- Charlevoix County Herald, January 8, 1937, “Coast Guards Abandon Search for Three Men Missing in Marold II Explosion.”The initial crew list calls the mate Roland McDonald, while the casualty and memorial-service passages identify Bruce McDonough and Ronald Bruce McDonough; the report says his body was not recovered. No public copy of this file is known; the archive holds one and can provide it on request.
- Charlevoix Courier, January 1992, obituary for Sarah “Sadie” Peternard.Says Bruce McDonough of Beaver Island married Sarah Gallagher in 1934 and predeceased her on January 1, 1937, independently supporting the date and the Bruce identity. No public copy of this file is known; the archive holds one and can provide it on request.
- Charlevoix Courier, 2003, “Many ferries have served the island,” scrapbook section.Names Bruce McDonough as a Saint James resident among the five people lost in the Marold explosion. No public copy of this file is known; the archive holds one and can provide it on request.
- The directory’s stone-based entry lists “McDonough, Bruce aka Roland Hugh,” 1907–1937, married to Sarah “Sadie” Gallagher, son of Sylvester and Mary Connaghan McDonough. The spouse, year of death, nickname, and locality directly bridge the Marold II casualty and establish the 1907 birth year.
Added 1 August 2026 · revised 2 August 2026. Recent changes
Cite this article
Beaver Island Archive, “Roland Hugh “Bruce” McDonough”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/people/roland-hugh-bruce-mcdonough/, accessed [date], citing Charlevoix County Herald, January 8, 1937, “Coast Guards Abandon Search for Three Men Missing in Marold II Explosion.” (and 3 further sources listed on the page).
Last revised 2026-08-02. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.
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