Posted on 03/06/2005 8:29:04 AM PST by MrsEmmaPeel
My father, now in his 80s served in WWII as a merchant marine. He sent me the following letter. I quote:
You may not be aware that Merchant Mariners were not awarded any GI benefits at war end; no educational tuition, no housing purchase assistance, none of those benefits given to Coast Guard, Army, Navy nor Marine Corps service veterans. Nonetheless, the United States Merchant Marine provided the essential sealift between the production of military needs in the US and the fighting forces scattered around the globe. Sailing on oil tankers as I did, demonstrated the important link between the crude oil of Venezuela and the refineries in Curacao and Aruba to the Pacific Naval fleet.
As the war progressed, the prewar total of 55,000 experienced mariners was increased to over 215,000 through U.S. Maritime Service training programs. About 8,300 mariners were killed at sea, 12,000 wounded of whom at least 1,100 died from their wounds, and 663 were taken prisoner. (Total killed estimated 9,300.) 66 died in prison camps or aboard Japanese ships while being transported to other camps. 31 ships vanished without a trace to a watery grave. 1 in 26 mariners serving aboard merchant ships in World WW II died in the line of duty, suffering a greater percentage of war-related deaths than all other U.S. services. Casualties were kept secret during the War to keep information about their success from the enemy and to attract and keep mariners at sea. Newspapers carried essentially the same story each week: "Two medium-sized Allied ships sunk in the Atlantic." In reality, the average for 1942 was 33 Allied ships sunk each week. Although President Roosevelt expressed a desire to recognize Merchant Mariners as military personnel, his untimely death and the secrecy and misdirection about maritime transport activity may explain the lack of recognition of our efforts at the time.
Please write to you congressmen and Senators urging them to support the Bill."
The Foxhole is a wonderful thread.. and a lenghty ping list...snippy will do it when she posts the thread early in the morning..now, you can dig up a pic of Diana Rigg and post it...I loved those stiletto heels, on the black boots..
My father went into the Merchant Marine after high school as a radio officer. The Navy probably saved him when they drafted him and made him a cook in Washington D.C.
Many, many thanks.
Dad was a cook in the merchant marine (as well as operating the radio from time to time.)
Thanks for the ping!
Bump for our Merchant Marine in harms way.
If you know of or admire a Merchant Marine, please submit them to the Merchant Marine Registry.
We'll check our by-laws and IRS non-profit guidelines, but it's likely we can't directly support any legislation, although this is directed exclusively to the benefit of veterans, which our charter may or may not allow. Any issue that becomes political to the advantage of a specific group may exlude us from participation. We'll take a look.
In the mean time, VetsCoR provides you and others a place to honor these forgotten service personell at www.portraitsoffreedom.org. We ask for a small one-time donation to memorialize these folks in perpetuity. They deserve it.
Thank you for caring.
Merchant Marine sailors made $1,500 per month while underway and Soldiers, Sailors and Marines made $21. No way in h-ll do they deserve a grand a month now. Uniformed veterans don't get that. Where do I sign up to fight this? It sounds like something out of their notoriously Commie union.
Bigtime bump, Mrs. Peel!
Keep me posted!
That is absolute crap. Who peed in your post toasties this morning?
MM made 75 times what soldiers sailors and marines made? You are out of your freekin mind!
This thread is so important, let's BTT!
bump back at cha
bumpity bumpity bump bump
I agree. Please contact your congressman and urge their support of this bill. Its long over due!
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