Veterans Day - Forgotten Heroes

**LarryWentz** · 11-11-2008, 03:19 PM

On Veterans Day - we honor those who have served our country. Unfortunately - there is one group of American heroes who have been unfairly treated over the years and denied benefits.

I am talking about Merchant Mariners who volunteered for their country to help fight Nazi Germany, Japan and their allies. My father had originally volunteered to join the Navy at age 17 and two doctors passed his medical tests. Soon after - he turned 18 and got his voluntary induction notice and was required to get another medical test by the Army and when passed - he would then be serving in the Navy as he had originally volunteered. The "Army" doctor then said because he was born with a clubfoot (which at that time wasn't a major impairment) - he couldn't serve and failed him. The truth is that the Army & Navy were always infighting and this was just one of the ways the Army got back at the Navy. My father was so upset at this nonsense that he immediately went and joined the Merchant Marines.

My father is one of those who served in the Merchant Marines and survived attacks by the enemy on his ships while in the Pacific (including Luzon & Okinawa invasion). This includes a Kamikaze attack in which they battled a major fire aboard their ship for 2 days - initially they went aboard lifeboats as they felt the ship would sink. It tore a hole in the hull 35 by 15 feet & the plane’s fuselage exploded after going through the second deck. He was lucky to survive that time. However – that can’t be said for many Merchant Marines who suffered the “Highest Death Rate” of all US Services during WWII.

1 in 26 Merchant Mariners killed
1 in 34 Marine Corps killed
1 in 48 Army killed
1 in 114 Navy killed
1 in 421 Coast Guard killed

President Franklin D. Roosevelt - "[Mariners] have written one of its most brilliant chapters. They have delivered the goods when and where needed in every theater of operations and across every ocean in the biggest, the most difficult and dangerous job ever undertaken. As time goes on, there will be greater public understanding of our merchant's fleet record during this war [World War II]."

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, during signing of GI Bill on June 22, 1944 -
“I trust Congress will soon provide similar opportunities to members of the merchant marine who have risked their lives time and time again during war for the welfare of their country.”

Douglas MacArthur, General of the Army -
I wish to commend to you the valor of the merchant seamen participating with us in the liberation of the Philippines. With us they have shared the heaviest enemy fire. On this island I have ordered them off their ships and into fox holes when their ships became untenable targets of attack. At our side they have suffered in bloodshed and in death. The caliber of efficiency and the courage they displayed in their part of the invasion of the Philippines marked their conduct throughout the entire campaign in the southwest Pacific area. They have contributed tremendously to our success. I hold no branch in higher esteem than the Merchant Marine.

Not until Jan 1988 did they receive any Veteran Status of any type. Over 40 years of no benefits that others received. Even to this day – Merchant Mariners are barred from joining the VFW.

H.R. 23 was introduced in the 110th Congress by Bob Filner (D - CA) on January 4, 2007. Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2007, provides $1,000 per month to WWII mariners (average age now - 83) or their widows in lieu of benefits not received after World War II. H.R. 23 was amended and passed by the House of Representatives on July 30, 2007. See http://www.usmm.org/hr23.html . Also see Bob Filner’s statement to the US senate Committee on Foreign Affairs regarding S.961 at http://veterans.senate.gov/public/in...11686&view=all

S.961 was introduced in the Senate on March 22, 2007 by Ben Nelson of Nebraska which is identical to H.R. 23 – (See list of current senators co-sponsoring this bill at http://www.usmm.org/cosponsors.html which includes President Elect Obama and senators from both sides of the aisle). This bill has been in committee for well over a year & only one hearing was held on the issue under the leadership of Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) - Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. No more hearings are scheduled for the remainder of the year so legislation must be reintroduced because the 111th Congress will be seated in January next year. Possibly your senators can pressure The VA committee to do the moral thing ….. this year. Time is of the essence! Please contact your Senators - http://www.usmm.org/urgent.html

Another year – more savings - because Merchant Mariners average age is 83 years old and they are dying every day!

60+ years later – Merchant Mariners still don’t have the benefits they deserve. Due to a second broken hip from one of my father’s “many falls” – he spent all summer at a nursing home/rehab center. When he got home, my mother was unable to properly care for him due to his many health concerns and 2 weeks ago we have had to move him into an Assisted Living facility. For obvious reasons – passage of this bill is critical for our family as well as many other families.

Please read http://www.usmm.org/hr23info.pdf & visit American Merchant Marine at War - www.usmm.org which I sourced on some of the above information. It will provide education to all.

(Update - 1 year later after my original post - now 11-11-2009 .... H.R. 23 had to be re-introduced & was passed by the House. Introduced in the Senate is S 663 (Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2009) - still waiting to be passed by the Senate - please contact your Senators! Many more Merchant Mariners have passed away since this time last year.)

Thx