Hartley was a U.S. Naval armed guard aboard the Panama-class tanker J. H. Senior.

The Armed Guard was created by the Navy during World War I, and it was reactivated during World War II.  Its members served on more than 6,000 merchant ships, and nearly 2,000 members were killed.

The Navy reported few survivors from either ship.

Ships involved in the North Atlantic incident:

 J. H. Senior Tanker (Panama) Collision/fire Damaged, Crew
41; AG 28

J. Pinckney Henderson, Liberty, Collision/fire Total loss,
Crew 38; AG 25

Theodore Dwight Weld, Liberty, Collision

Hartley, who was graduated from Belleville high school in 1941,  enlisted in the Navy in November 1942.

He received his boot training at Sampson, N.Y.; his radio and signaling training at Bedford, Pa., and his Special Signals Corps training at Noroton, Conn.

Seaman Hartley was reported missing in action to his family in September 1943.

Seaman, 1/c Donald B. Hartley, U.S. Navy
07094773
United States Naval Reserve
Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Died: August 19, 1944 (Aug. 1943)

Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at East Coast Memorial

Parents: Mr. & Mrs. Alonzo Albert Hartley, Mertz Avenue, Belleville.

Sources

American Battle Monuments Commission

Belleville Times, Sept. 9, 1943; Oct. 12, 1944

The Philadelphia Enquirer July 8, 1998: Armed Guard Veterans Finally Get Their Thanks, by Lacy McCrary

U.S. Merchant Marine Navy Armed Guard Casualties

U.S. Merchant Marine Casualties during World War II

World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing,
State of New Jersey, War Dept. June 1946

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