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What is the Merchant Marine?

The Merchant Marine is the fleet of ships which carries imports and exports during peacetime and becomes a naval auxiliary during wartime to deliver troops and war materiel. According to the Merchant Marine Act of 1936: "It is necessary for the national defense... that the United States shall have a merchant marine of the best equipped and most suitable types of vessels sufficient to carry the greater portion of its commerce and serve as a naval or military auxiliary in time of war or national emergency..." During World War II the fleet was in effect nationalized, that is, the U.S. Government controlled the cargo and the destinations, contracted with private companies to operate the ships, put guns and Navy personnel (Armed Guard) on board. The Government trained the men to operate the ships and assist in manning the guns through the U.S. Maritime Service.

What do you call people who are in the Merchant Marine?

Mariners. Seamen. Seafarers. Sailors. Never marines. Mariners is the preferred designation. The term Merchant Marines is also incorrect although it is even used by some old time mariners.

What were Merchant Marine casualties in World War II? revised 10/13/01

Unfortunately, the U.S. Merchant Marine has no official historians and researchers, and statistics for WWII vary:

Mariners killed at sea from war causes, compiled by Captain Arthur Moore: 6,847
Mariners killed at sea "direct result of enemy action or as POW on American flag ships" Coast Guard 1950: 5,662
Mariners killed at sea from war causes compiled by www.USMM.org: 7,688 POW Coast Guard 1950: 610
POW compiled by Captain Arthur Moore:663
Died as POW Coast Guard 1950: 37
Died as POW compiled by Captain Arthur Moore: 66 died in prison camps or aboard Japanese ships while being transported to other camps 12,000 wounded (testimony in Hearings before Congress)
1,100 died from their wounds ashore, primarily in Public Health Hospitals (estimated)

How did the Merchant Marine casualty rate compare to other services?

Official Statistics show:


 Service            Official number    War   Percent   Ratio 
                            serving   Dead 
 Merchant Marine    215,000*         8,780**  3.90%  1 in 26 
 Marines            669,108         19,733    2.94%  1 in 34 
 Army            11,268,000        234,874    2.08%  1 in 48 
 Navy             4,183,466         36,958    0.88%  1 in 114 
 Coast Guard        242,093            574    0.24%  1 in 421 
 Total           16,576,667        295,790    1.78%  1 in 56

*Number varies by source and ranges from 215,000 to 285,000
**Total killed at sea, POW killed, plus died from wounds ashore

Were any U.S. merchant ships captured by the enemy as a prize? No. Navy instructions to American ship masters were to destroy his ship and its records:

"It is the policy of the U.S. government that no U.S. flag merchant ship be permitted to fall into enemy hands. The ship shall be defended by her armament, by maneuver, and by every available means as long as possible. When, in the judgment of the Master, capture is inevitable, provision should be made to open sea valves and to flood holds and compartments adjacent to machinery spaces, start numerous fires and employ any additional measures available to insure certain scuttling of the vessel."

Were Merchant Mariners "draft dodgers"?

Merchant mariners were subject to the draft if they took more than 30 days shore leave. Experienced mariners who had been drafted were released by the Army to serve in the Merchant Marine. Harold Harper "dodged" the draft by being torpedoed 6 times. Nick Hoogendam, who was too young for the Army or Navy, spent 83 days on a liferaft drinking rainwater and eating "sushi." John Stanizewski, a mariner in WWI and WWII, had 10 ships knocked out from under him. Michael Horodysky was classified 4F in the draft due to a bad heart and sailed the dangerous Murmansk run and took part in the North African invasion. The Chief Engineer of the SS Peter Kerr, sunk in Convoy PQ17, had a wooden leg. Harold "Bud" Schmidt joined the Merchant Marine as one-eyed 16-year-old kid.

Were Merchant Mariners subject to court martial?

Yes. Merchant Marine crews were subject to Articles of War and court martial during WWII. Six crewmen of a Liberty ship did hard labor for refusing to work in a dispute with shoreside stevedores over loading tanks for the invasion of Sicily. Ray Thompson, Brigadier General, USAF (Ret.) and a former mariner, compiled a list 81 mariners court martialled or arrested after August 15, 1945, mostly for assault, theft, or being AWOL.

During the War, gossip columnist Walter Winchell and others spread untrue stories about mariners refusing to unload at Guadalcanal, supposedly leaving the job to sick marines. Winchell and the newspapers that carried these stories lost the libel suits filed against them, and were forced by the court to apologize, print retractions, and to pay damages. Unfortunately, the myth that mariners refused to unload ships in Guadalcanal persists.

Was the Merchant Marine's job and dangers over with the Japanese surrender?

No. In September 1945 and May 1946 the War Shipping Administration made urgent calls for seamen :

"Demand For Seamen Still Acute. Men are still needed to man merchant ships in excess of those presently available and will be needed for some months to come. The job of the wartime Merchant Marine has not been completed. Millions of our armed forces must be brought home and supplies must be carried to the occupation forces throughout the world. Supplies must also be carried for the rehabilitation of devastated areas." Ships Sunk after V-E and V-J Day

Which came first, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, or U.S. Merchant Marine?

The Merchant Marine was first. On June 12, 1775, a party of Maine mariners, armed with pitchforks and axes, inspired by the news of the recent victory at Lexington, Massachusetts, used an unarmed lumber schooner to surprise and capture a fully armed British warship, HMS Margaretta, off the coast of Machias, Maine. The men used the captured guns and ammunition from the ship to bring in additional British ships as prizes. American privateers soon disrupted British shipping all along the Atlantic coast.

The Revenue Cutter Service was founded on Aug. 4, 1790, by Alexander Hamilton as a fleet of cutters to prevent smuggling and that is the usual date used for the beginning of the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is made up of several "component" services: the Revenue Cutter Service, the Lifesaving Service, and the Lighthouse Service. The name Coast Guard was not used until the 20th Century, when the components were combined. However, the other two components were around long before 1775, especially the Lighthouse Service.

The Continental Navy was founded in 1775, but ended operation at the end of the Revolutionary War. The last warship was sold in 1785 and the Navy disbanded. The launching of the United States in 1797 marked the birth of the United States Navy.