1. Lieutenant Junior Grade Clarence Samuels, was the first Hispanic American of African descent photographer in the United States Coast Guard, to command a cutter, as well as the first one to be a commanding officer of a Coast Guard vessel during wartime.
Clarence Samuels was classified as Black by the US Coast Guard and like so many Black Coast Guardsmen before and after him, he was initiated into mess-man duty.
Clarence Samuels became a naturalized citizen of the United States on July 21,1923.
On September 8,1930, Clarence Samuels was assigned to Pea Island Life-Saving Station, a lifeboat station manned totally by African-Americans, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Clarence Samuels reported to the Coast Guard Depot at Curtis Bay, Maryland, on July 14,1935, and served as the personal driver of Rear Admiral Russell R Waesche, the Coast Guard Commandant.
On May 12,1939, Clarence Samuels was appointed a chief photographer's mate, becoming not only the first Hispanic of African descent photographer in the Coast Guard, but the second photographer in the entire history of the service.
Clarence Samuels was then reassigned to the Coast Guard Training Station at Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, New York and served as the Director of Visual Signaling for Recruits.
Clarence Samuels's position was one of great responsibility because it was part of a major innovation in the Coast Guard's manpower policy.
Clarence Samuels was appointed temporarily to chief boatswain's mate.
Clarence Samuels served aboard the buoy tender Tulip at Manila, Luzon Island, Philippines Islands in his last year in the military retiring on September 1,1947, after 27 years of active service.
Clarence Samuels resided in the Philippines for some time until he decided to return to the United States and make his home in California.