Fred Quaggin was born on December 2, 1899 on Nanaimo Island, British Columbia, Canada to a Welsh father and an English mother. American ship arrival records indicate that he first entered the United States from Victoria, British Columbia at age 7. The October 1941 Torrance City and Phone Directory lists the following: Quaggin, Fred (Emma M.) foreman, Hydril Corporation 1609 Amapola Ave 406J.

Fred joined the United States Merchant Marine, and became the Chief Engineer on the Liberty ship, Theodore Dwight Weld. Her home port was Los Angeles, but on September 20, 1943 U-238 sunk the ship with torpedoes 500 miles southwest of Iceland. Of the 70 men on board 33 died and 37 survived. Chief Engineer Fred Quaggin was among the missing and declared dead. He was survived by his wife and three children.