It started on a winter’s evening in late 1937, when Ed Maillard and his friend Blackie returned from Liberty to the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Campbell in Staten Island, New York. Quietly, the two men made their way down to the berthing area, trying not to attract any attention because the bag held a husky black and tan mutt with white eyebrows. The next morning barking alerted the other men as to what Blackie had brought aboard. Named “Sinbad” by Campbell’s salty crew, he quickly became one of them.
Life Magazine
In December 1943, Martin Sheridan of the Boston Daily Globe wrote: “rough tough and rowdy,” a combination of “liberty-rum-chow hound with a bit of bulldog, Doberman pinscher and whatnot – mostly whatnot.” Al Vetter recalls that Sinbad had a personality all his own and was a good luck charm during World War II. Sinbad was as important to the ship as its engines and guns. With this four-legged shipmate as a morale-builder, the crew never lacked for entertainment. He was court martialled twice (the first time for creating an International Incident in Greenland), and Life Magazine published an article about him.
U-606
When Campbell rammed the U-606, a German submarine, and had to be towed back to port most of the crew was transferred to another ship, but the commanding officer, Commander Jimmy Hirschfield, kept Sinbad on board as an “essential” member of the crew. The men believed nothing bad could happen as long as Sinbad was there. And, nothing bad did happen; they were all reunited a few days later in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
Mascot
Although the term “mascot” is used by the uninitiated, Sinbad was a full member of the Coast Guard with his own Service Number, medical history, bunk, uniforms, and Battle Station. Over the years thousands of crewmen served aboard Campbell and each man still carriers treasured memories of this unlikely shipmate. Sinbad was so much a part of the Campbell that the famous Naval Historian, Samuel Eliot Morison had a Coat of Arms designed for the ship was placed Sinbad on top as a crest. Sinbad was known and loved by sailors of all countries whose ships plied the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea and spread ashore to American cities far inland.
Honorable Discharge
Sinbad was honorably discharged (despite his two Courts Martials) and retired from the Coast Guard on September 21, 1948. He spent his remaining years at Barnegat Coast Guard Station in New Jersey until his death on December 30, 1951.
Legendary
Campbell was decommissioned on April 1, 1982, but Sinbad’s memory lives on. When the Coast Guard built a new cutter named Campbell, Norm Rabkin, George Fuerth, and others from the original Campbell crew offered the commanding officer a statue of Sinbad He accepted without hesitation and the crew built a special place built for it on the mess deck. There it sits to this day, a good luck symbol for the ship.
Salty Sailor
Eddie Lloyd, the editor of the old Coast Guard Magazine said: “Sinbad was a salty sailor but he’s not a good sailor. He’ll never rate gold hash marks nor good conduct medals. He’s been on report several times, and he’s raised hell in a number of ports. On a few occasions, he has embarrassed the United States government by creating disturbances in foreign zones. Perhaps that's why Coast Guardsmen love Sinbad – He’s as bad as the worst and as good as the best of us.”
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