Merchant MArines...

[deputy tom]

tom.

[RenoF250]

So they are still around?  I was just mentioning them to my son.  Thought they might be a good way to be a yacht captain.  I have been watching yacht videos on youtube and I may have missed my calling.

[Historian]

47 minutes ago, RenoF250 said:

So they are still around?  I was just mentioning them to my son.  Thought they might be a good way to be a yacht captain.  I have been watching yacht videos on youtube and I may have missed my calling.

https://www.usmma.edu/

Still around for sure. 

The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a federal service academy that educates and graduates leaders of exemplary character who are inspired to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers and commissioned officers in the Armed Forces.

 

[DrB]

My one Grandfather was in the Merchant Marines during WW2.  He was in and around Australia during his service during the war.

Dave..

[DWARREN123]

They have done much good for the U.S.!

[Historian]

12 minutes ago, DrB said:

My one Grandfather was in the Merchant Marines during WW2.  He was in and around Australia during his service during the war.

Dave..

And lucky to live that was seriously dangerous work.

[janice6]

"...Although the Merchant Marine suffered a per capita casualty rate greater than those of the US Armed Forces, merchant mariners who served in World War II were denied such veterans recognition until 1988 when a federal court ordered it. The Court held that "the Secretary of the Air Force abused its discretion in denying active military service recognition to American merchant seamen who participated in World War II."   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Merchant_Marine

[DrB]

1 minute ago, Historian said:

And lucky to live that was seriously dangerous work.

He never talked about it much. He was an officer.  He had many friends from Australia after the war.  He passed way too early.  I was in seventh grade. i have 2 of his rifles that were were left to me. 

Dave..

[janice6]

4 minutes ago, janice6 said:

"...Although the Merchant Marine suffered a per capita casualty rate greater than those of the US Armed Forces, merchant mariners who served in World War II were denied such veterans recognition until 1988 when a federal court ordered it. The Court held that "the Secretary of the Air Force abused its discretion in denying active military service recognition to American merchant seamen who participated in World War II."   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Merchant_Marine

I remembered the highlighted part, but had to provide some authenticity via the quote.

[DrB]

Oh yes and I have his Bible also.  I got to go find that.

Dave.

[Historian]

Some interesting facts about these men.

The merchant marine was active in subsequent wars, from the Confederate commerce raiders of the American Civil War, to the assaults on Allied commerce in the First and in the Second World Wars. 3.1 million tons of merchant ships were lost in World War II. Mariners died at a rate of 1 in 26, which was the highest rate of casualties of any service.^[30] All told, 733 American cargo ships were lost^[31] and 8,651 of the 215,000 who served perished in troubled waters and off enemy shores.

Military Status of Midshipmen

Immediately upon taking the Oath of Office as naval reservists, the first year students become members of the US military, subject to various regulations, military discipline under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and are subject to mobilization policies in the event of war or national emergency.^[

USMMA graduates must maintain their merchant mariner licensing for 6 years following graduation, and must serve at least 5 years as either a merchant marine officer aboard a US-flagged vessel or with a maritime-related profession, OR 5 years of active duty service as a commissioned officer in any of the US Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), or Public Health Service). All newly commissioned uniformed services officers, active or reserve component, will swear the Oath of Office and serve a minimum military service obligation of 8 years (any portion not served on active duty will be served in the reserve component).^[

 

^{On another note:  I am friends with a Catholic Priest who graduated from The Merchant Marine Academy who served as a navy Chaplain and was about to retire when they asked if he would go to some placed called Fallujah.}

^{He's a man to recon with:  And I'd be more than happy to follow him through hell and high water.  He's already been there.  That man went to war with his faith and a Bible.}

 

 

Edited June 11, 2019 by Historian

[railfancwb]

https://www.usmma.edu/
Still around for sure. 
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a federal service academy that educates and graduates leaders of exemplary character who are inspired to serve the national security, marine transportation, and economic needs of the United States as licensed Merchant Marine Officers and commissioned officers in the Armed Forces.
 

So there are five service academies?


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[Historian]

1 minute ago, railfancwb said:

So there are five service academies?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The five are:

• United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
• United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland
• United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
• United States Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut
• United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York

 

[DrB]

54 minutes ago, DrB said:

Oh yes and I have his Bible also.  I got to go find that.

Dave.

Found it....... Am Happy.

 

[Historian]

1 hour ago, DrB said:

Found it....... Am Happy.

Metal covered?  I have one with the box it came in.  They said it could stop a bullet.

Talk about a different time.  The front has a greeting from FDR proclaiming there was no book he could recommend more to a soldier, sailor or marine.

That is a prize.  I wonder where that wonderful bit of family history sailed.

[DrB]

Just now, Historian said:

Metal covered?  I have one with the box it came in.  They said it could stop a bullet.

Talk about a different time.  The front has a greeting from FDR proclaiming there was no book he could recommend more to a soldier, sailor or marine.

That is a prize.  I wonder where that wonderful bit of family history sailed.

Yes Metal Covered.  He carried it with him. Is well worn.  As far as I understand he was always off the coast of Australia and in that area for the duriation of the war.

Dave..

[Historian]

7 minutes ago, DrB said:

Yes Metal Covered.  He carried it with him. Is well worn.  As far as I understand he was always off the coast of Australia and in that area for the duriation of the war.

Dave..

Could have been in a lot of areas doing a lot of things:  Including support of many of the island battles.   You'd have to ask for his military records to find out. 

Amazing.  I never tire of history like this.

Edited June 11, 2019 by Historian

[DrB]

22 hours ago, Historian said:

Could have been in a lot of areas doing a lot of things:  Including support of many of the island battles.   You'd have to ask for his military records to find out. 

Amazing.  I never tire of history like this.

How would I go about doing this?  Sorry for being dumb here but I do not know how.  Thanks..

Dave..

[Historian]

1 hour ago, DrB said:

How would I go about doing this?  Sorry for being dumb here but I do not know how.  Thanks..

Dave..

Dave, there are a number of ways of doing it.  And it's not a dumb question.  I spend a lot of time doing this.

First speak to anyone who knew your grand father and start collecting information about him such as where he was born, died, friends, family, etc. that might lead you to knowing more about him and find out the story.

If you can find his social security number then you can write a letter to the St. Louis military record depot under a freedom of information request.  If your last name doesn't fall between about e and o then there's a chance the record was not destroyed in the great fire of 1972.   This fire has been hell on historians and veterans alike.

You can do the same with the national archives and they will look for a record related to his service or ship.  They are usually pretty good at pay records.

Good old google can find you lots of things too.  Just start looking for Merchant Marine information with his name.  This used to be more profitable when the reunions were still more frequent.

If you can get the name of a ship we might be able to research that.  Ships are pretty easy to find.

This is the short list.  If you need more help PM me and I'll do what i can.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Historian

[DWARREN123]

The folks who were of that generation did great thing under very adverse conditions.

May GOD bless them all and hold them lovingly in his heart.

[Moshe]

Okay, I am humble enough to admit I am as lost as last year's Easter egg.  My one Grandfather was in the Navy in WWII, the other in the Army.  My father was in the Air Force from Vietnam through about both Gulf Wars.  What on earth is a Merchant Marine?  I know what the Marine Corps is, according to documents I have located a lot of them were in the Marine Corps after the ones that immigrated after WWI, and before WWII.

Edited June 13, 2019 by Moshe

[DrB]

20 hours ago, Historian said:

Dave, there are a number of ways of doing it.  And it's not a dumb question.  I spend a lot of time doing this.

First speak to anyone who knew your grand father and start collecting information about him such as where he was born, died, friends, family, etc. that might lead you to knowing more about him and find out the story.

If you can find his social security number then you can write a letter to the St. Louis military record depot under a freedom of information request.  If your last name doesn't fall between about e and o then there's a chance the record was not destroyed in the great fire of 1972.   This fire has been hell on historians and veterans alike.

You can do the same with the national archives and they will look for a record related to his service or ship.  They are usually pretty good at pay records.

Good old google can find you lots of things too.  Just start looking for Merchant Marine information with his name.  This used to be more profitable when the reunions were still more frequent.

If you can get the name of a ship we might be able to research that.  Ships are pretty easy to find.

This is the short list.  If you need more help PM me and I'll do what i can.

Thanks much.  I will be talking to my mom in the next few days.  I will see what she may know.  May be a dead end but you have me interested to look into this.I ccarried his musette bag with my lunch in it back and forth to work until it wore out.  He had a Jungle Hammock he brought back but i don't know what happened to that.  I have some of his pocket knives.

I will PM you if I get any leads on where to go...  Thanks

Dave..

[DrB]

On a side note Historian.  My Uncle was a Lt on the USS Helena CL-50 when it got shot out from under them.  He wound up washed up on an island and rescued with the help of the Australian Coast Watchers. he never talked about that.  Dad served on the USS Stanton DE 247. Thought you might be interested. 

Dave..

[Historian]

3 hours ago, DrB said:

 

I will PM you if I get any leads on where to go...  Thank

Dave..

Any time, Dave. This is a passion.  The time of world war is...America's high water mark I 'some ways. I do think that year's from now our current times will be seen as highly patesian.

Meanwhile the 40s fanincate me.