How interesting! Thank you for letting us know. I'm sorry it's taking them such a long time to respond to you, it must be really frustrating.
So one has to apply for it then?
This triggers more questions:
Did GB have one/did he ever apply for one?
If he did, what name was it in (if GB wasn't actually his name)?
I must look into the whole SS number business in the US in general.
The only public records we have found on GB were his name (with that of his companion MK) in city directories listing addresses in San Francisco and Oakland. He did have a bank account in Oakland and left rather a large amount of money in a savings deposit box. He had no SS number or passport that we could locate. Research on GB has included scrutiny of genealogy sites, newspapers, telephone books, city directories, and many other sources.