Posted on 09/05/2015 10:48:46 AM PDT by nickcarraway
“I wrote a story about it.”
It is a phrase Jack Beritzhoff says a lot. And when you consider the San Rafael resident, and former Merchant Mariner, is about to celebrate his 97th birthday, that adds up to a lot of stories.
In fact, Beritzhoff compiled many of his favorite one into a book he published in 2012: Sail Away, Journeys Of A Merchant Seaman.
Still, there is one story he is most eager to share these days, about an oversight of history he would like to see corrected.
“I think it’s an injustice,” said Beritzhoff.
Beritzhoff is referring to the fact members of the Merchant Marine were never included in the GI Bill, signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1944. The law provided a wide range of financial and educational benefits to returning World War II veterans. The GI Bill covered all members of the military service, but not the Merchant Marine.
President Roosevelt indicated at the time he’d like to see the benefits extended to the mariners, but it never happened.
“He died and nobody took up the torch, you might say,” Beritzhoff said.
The Merchant Marine, established even before the United States Navy, is a fleet of commercial ships that, in time of war, are pressed into service delivering supplies to aid the military. Beritzhoff served in the Merchant Marine from 1942 to 1952, participating in both World War II and the Korean War.
While Beritzhoff never came under enemy fire, thousands of his fellow mariners died in WWII.
“They had more casualties percentage wise than any branch in the service,” Beritzhoff said.
Beritzhoff believes it is a disservice that such sacrifices have never been adequately rewarded by the government.
He has recently written an editorial titled “The Sailors The Country Forgot” to bring attention to it.
Beritzhoff is not without his allies in his mission, though. In January 2015 a bill was introduced in the United States House of Representatives that would “grant our surviving WWII Merchant Seamen a modest financial benefit for their bravery and sacrifice.”
At his age, Beritzhoff said, any benefit would be mostly symbolic, but greatly appreciated.
He sounds ancient.
Good post!!!
“The Merchant Marine, established even before the United States Navy, is a fleet of commercial ships that, in time of war, are pressed into service delivering supplies to aid the military.”
Could also be: “The Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), is a fleet of commercial aircraft that, in time of war, are pressed into service delivering supplies to aid the military.”
If not for our air supremacy during Gulf War I, many could have been shot down by the Iraqis. So, should these airline pilots pressed into service be added to a GI Bill?
Just asking. . .
my father was a merchant marine in world war ii.
from what he said, merchant marines were paid $ 1,000 per month, as compared to $ 50 month for enlisted navy, even those who were aboard the same ships as merchant marines. that being the case, many enlisted were resentful of such disparate treatment during ww2 and resented certain military and other benefits being subsequently granted to the merchant marines, since the additional compensation they received during the war was intended to serve as their benefit for the high risk being aboard a ship laden with fuel.
im just the messenger here.
im just the messenger here.
= = = = = = = = = = = =
In essence, you are very correct.
The #’s may be a little off but amongst other things, they worked 8 hour shifts and a supposed story was during the heat of battle a MM crew was taking their required ‘break’ and a CO of a ship basically said if he had to send HIS men to finish unloading, he would more or less sink the f’n ship. I am sure a lot of embellishment has been added - for effect - but would imagine the gist of it was true.
That said, the USN types that got to be part of the “Armed Guard” had the same ‘bennies’ offered the MM types..2 or 3 per room, stewards serving them meals but still a big disparagement in pay etc.(again the ‘bennies’ may have varied dependent on the ship etc)
Believe the Navy ‘gave’ them Gunners Mates and Communication Types (RM’s, SM’s, 1 OIC, YN/DK,QM(?))but the everyday routine was run by the MM Crew - including the Ships Master as the OIC was probably never anything more than a LT (O3 (Capt for Army/AF/USMC Types)
Believe they also got OT whereas the USN types were 24/7 for their 50 or so bucks a month.
My Father and his buddies (all retired USN Non-Coms) all bitched about that fact until their deaths. Several had been in the merchant marines and had patriotically joined the Navy and paid a huge financial price for doing so!
I worked with a guy who was in the Armed Guard (USN manning merchant deck guns.) When air raids started everyone went below decks except the Guard, manning the AA guns.
The guy said that in one raid with aircraft and U-Boats, the shop steward was the only civilian on deck, calling out the bonus money, running around yelling "bomb close aboard, that's $50!, torpedo wake, that's $100!" and so on. When the ship made harbor the crew passed the hat around. Sometimes the Guard made out pretty good, other times not a dime.
My dad worked at the Seaman's YMCA in NYC during the war (too old to get in). He spoke with a lot of skippers and crew who told of the horrific voyages they took - if you went into the water during the Murmansk runs you died in minutes from hypothermia, oilers burned you alive. One skipper told my dad that he always wore a life jacket - except when on an ore carrier or an ammo ship. The latter either sank like a rock or vaporized you when they were hit, so he just wore his jammies as he'd never get a chance to get off. Younger guys got in it for the money, but after one trip, if they survived, they went into the service where they felt safer.
All that being said, they were ably compensated and nobody drafted them into the Merchants.
USMM Chief Engineer
Interesting to know that aspect of this story.
That was my understanding as well; they were much better paid (as though they weren’t in the US military but private citizens).
My parish here in NJ has a memorial to one of our priest - Father John Washington - who was one of the Four Chaplains who died when their ship the Dorchester was torpedoed (off Greenland, I believe). They gave away their lifejackets to others on board, and were later honored with a US postage stamp.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
