WWII Merchant Seamen Want Recognition

"Now what matters to them is a battle they have been fighting since the end of World War II. It is simply, they say, to be recognized for the war veterans they are, even if Merchant Marine members are civilians."

Interesting case, what do you guys think?

WWII Merchant Seamen Want Recognition

 

While I do see the problem of the VFW or other organizations recognizing the Merchant Mariners, that situation may be muddied by prejudices against the Merchant Marines by those who were drafed into the service in any of our war years.

These men (sometimes) felt that this group were draft dodgers, but that belief is in error. They could be drafted if they were eligible to be drafted under other regulations (such as physically capable), and stayed away from their ship for more than thirty days, or they could be drafted if they refused to sail when ordered, and then if they were stranded in a foreign port (ship sinking or such) it was up to them to get back to the US on their own money. The government didn't step in, but would draft them if they couldn't make it back in the alotted thirty days!

I myself found this post from Jan. of 2009, the following is from the site, and not my words. The "I" in the posts is the original contributor, a "Dave_M":

Here is information I have discovered:

Public Law (PL) 95-202 acknowledged active duty service for certain World War II (WWII) Merchant Marine seamen effective January 19, 1988.

PL 105-368, Section 402, provides that the "qualified service" of certain merchant mariners between August 16, 1945, and December 31, 1946, is deemed active duty service for purposes of the following benefits:

• burial flags
• burial allowance for certain indigent wartime veterans
• plot allowance payable to a State for a burial in certain "state-owned" cemeteries or cemetery sections
• headstones and markers
• interment in national cemeteries, and
• markers in memorial areas of national cemeteries

Important: Merchant Marine service after August 15, 1945, does not establish eligibility for compensation and/or pension.

Who Is Eligible for Discharge Certificates?

Merchant Marine seamen, who served under the Coast Guard, Naval Transportation Service, or Army Transportation Service in active, oceangoing service during the period from December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945, are eligible to receive discharge certificates.

Each of these services will issue a DD Form 214, Certificate of Discharge or Release from Active Duty, or a DD Form 1300, Report of Casualty, as applicable.

Additonally I (Dave_M) found this information in another document:

Benefits for Merchant Marines

On January 19, 1988, the Secretary of the Air Force declared certain Merchant Marine service as qualifying for Veterans benefits. Merchant seamen who served in active oceangoing service from December 7, 1941 to August 15, 1945 are considered to be veterans. Also eligible are Civil Service crewmembers serving aboard U.S. Army Transport Service and Naval Transportation Service vessels in oceangoing service. If you wish to be considered for VA benefits, you should apply for a discharge certificate (DD Form 214) by completing DD Form 2168 (Application For Discharge of Member or Survivor of Member of Group Certified To Have Performed Active Duty With the Armed Services of the United States) and sending it to:

Commanding Officer (NMC-42)
National Maritime Center
100 Forbes Drive
Martinsburg, WV 25404
Main Inquiry Line: 1-888-I-ASK-NMC (1-888-427-5662)
Alternate Line: 1-304-433-3400

The discharge certificate issued by the Coast Guard will reflect dates of all wartime voyages. The remark section will show inclusive dates of each voyage. Each voyage will be considered a separate period of active service in determining eligibility for benefits and services.

In general, merchant marine veterans who obtain discharge certificates and their survivors may be eligible for the following benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

Disability Compensation – The VA pays compensation for disabilities incurred or aggravated during military service. It is of primary importance to list information on the application form showing dates and places of medical treatment received in service which relate to the condition for which you are claiming service connection. If medical records are available, please include them with your application. If not, the VA will make every effort to obtain the records. Use VA Form 21-526 to apply.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation – Payments are authorized for surviving spouses, unmarried children under 18 (as well as certain helpless children and those between 18 and 23 if attending a VA-approved school) and certain parents of veterans who died from service connected disabilities. Surviving spouses and children use VA Form 21-534 to apply. Dependent parents use VA Form 21-535.

Disability Pension – For wartime veterans, surviving spouses and children with limited incomes. Veterans who are permanently and totally disabled because of nonservice-connected disability may be eligible. Veterans use VA Form 21-526 to apply; survivors use VA Form 21-534.

Medical Care – The VA provides hospital care covering the full range of medical services for all service-connected conditions, to veterans in receipt of VA pension or those eligible for Medicaid. Outpatient treatment is available to veterans with service-connected conditions. Hospital care may be provided on a space-available basis to nonservice-connected veterans with incomes within certain limitations. Veterans with incomes more than these limitations may be furnished hospital care on a space-available basis if they agree to make a co-payment to the VA. Application should be made to the VA Medical Center on VA Form 10-10EZ.

Dental Treatment – Treatment is available for veterans with dental disabilities resulting from combat wounds or service injuries.

Home Loan Guaranty – The VA will guarantee your loan for the purchase of a home, manufactured home or condominium. Apply for a certificate of eligibility on VA Form 26-1880.

Burial Benefits – The VA provides certain burial benefits, including interment in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker, partial reimbursement for burial expenses and a burial flag. Postmortem requests for burial in a national cemetery should be made to the director of the cemetery in which burial is desired. Application for the burial allowance should be made on VA Form 21-530, for a headstone or marker on VA Form 40-1330, and for a burial flag on VA Form 21-2008.

GI Insurance – Life insurance (up to $10,000) is available for veterans with service-connected disabilities.

Vocational Rehabilitation – In limited circumstances, eligibility for vocational rehabilitation may be established. Basic eligibility requires a service-connected disability rated by VA at 20%, however there are certain exceptions and eligibility will be determined on the merits of individual cases. If eligibility is established, the VA will pay tuition, books, tools or other expenses and provide a monthly living allowance. Employment assistance is also available to help a rehabilitated veteran get a job. Use VA Form 28-1900 to apply.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Section 402 of P.L. 105-368 , "Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998", amended title 46, United States Code, by adding chapter 112, which provides that the "qualified service" of certain merchant mariners between August 16, 1945, and December 31, 1946, would be deemed active duty service for purposes of benefits eligibility under chapters 23 (Burial Benefits) and 24 (National Cemeteries and Memorials) of title 38, United States Code. Depending on the type of merchant marine service, certification of "qualified service" must come from the Department of Transportation or the Department of Defense.

Basic eligibility has thus been extended to covered merchant mariners for the following benefits: burial flags, burial allowance for certain indigent wartime veterans, plot allowance payable to a State for burial in certain "state owned" cemeteries or cemetery sections, headstones and markers, internment in national cemeteries, markers in memorial areas of national cemeteries, and markers in memorial areas of Arlington National Cemetery. In general, benefits may be provided only for deaths occurring after November 11, 1998. However, in the case of an initial burial or columbarium placement in a national cemetery after November 11, 1998, benefits incident to burial and the provision of a headstone or marker are authorized regardless of the date of death.


For further information, please consult the following list of VA toll-free numbers for the number which applies to your specific needs or circumstances:

Nationwide 1-800-827-1000

VA Life Insurance 1-800-669-8477

Telecommunications
Device for Deaf 1-800-829-4833

Health Benefits 1-877-222-8387

Or you may visit us at our web site:

www.va.gov

You may also apply for benefits on-line at:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Veterans Online Application System (VONAPP)

Application forms may be downloaded at:

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms1.htm

From a poster named Dave_M", at:

WW II Merchant Marine Veteran Qualifications & Benifits - Topic Powered by Eve For Enterprise

Another thing that bothers the drafted, or enlistees of WW2 is they figure the Merchant Mariners received high civilian pay, while they struggled by on the pitance of soldier pay. They forget that the MM's had to buy their own clothes, food, shelter, insurace for not only themselves but any dependent they had i.e. a wife and kids, younger siblings, or elder parents. Their income was also taxable, the soldiers didn't earn enough to be taxed! But the MMs did. I saw a chart once on another site which had a break-down of income and expenses of comperable soldiers and sailors in the US Army and US Navy. Those men in the service came out slightly ahead in disposable income.

 

Don't know about the "WW2 computer", but I do have one of those memory quirks that keeps weird things on call, but doesn't remember what is in the back of his own fridge. The USMM holds a favorite spot in my heart, and I am a bit touchy about the Merchant Marines, and for the simple reason that my Mom lost her two oldest brothers before America was even at war while they were serving in the USMM.

They were aboard the S.S. Montana (ironically they had transferred together to this ship for good luck) when it was torpedoed in the North Atlantic by the Germans in September of '41. It was originally a Dutch ship, but at the time sailing under the neutral Panamanian flag. Their bodies were never recovered. (personal reasons complete)

At any rate:

American Merchant Marine at War - Revolution to World War II to today

and for a dab of the truth about their "draft dodging", goto:

Frequently Asked Questions about the Merchant Marine

And here is a link to a comparison between pay scales for both the USN and
the USMM:

Salary Comparison U.S. Navy vs American Merchant Marine during World War II

Which also contains this little tid-bit:

GI Bill

The 1944 GI Bill gave members of the "Armed Forces" who served at least 90 days anywhere between Dec. 7, 1941 and Dec. 31, 1946 major benefits for education, home loans, and job preferences.

As he signed the GI Bill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said:

"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."

This never happened due to FDR's death, opposition by some in the military, and pressure from organizations such as American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars who still believed and spread the myth about high salaries despite the letter sent to the Head of the American Legion in 1943. Some organizations and individuals still believe in the myth. The head of the Veterans of Foreign Wars still refuses to recognize the U.S. Merchant Marine as veterans of WWII in 2000 even though the U.S. Government does.

Merchant mariners, some of whom had 7 ships torpedoed under them, were wounded, or suffered in captivity, were called "draft dodgers." while veterans of "Armed Services" got parades, home loans, job and education preferences.

(back to other areas) The pay differential is even more easily understood as to pay levels when looked at in this article.

Comparison of military and civilian pay in WWII by Barron's

All great sites.

 

Well, the women of Britain were recently recognized for their war efforts, so why not! I think everybody that contributed to the war effort should be recognized if that's what they want!

 

I sure hope these Merchant Marines get their WELL-DESERVED recognition. My Grandfather was Captain of the SS Fort Lee which was torpedoed by U 181 in Nov 44 late night and in bad weather. Anyway, I have been in touch and need to get back in touch with the man who was the only man allowed to cook for my Grandfather.

This reminds me to do so and thanks for it. For what had happened to my Grandfather on that occasion mentioned above-he was awarded the Mariners Medal-which was awarded to MM who had been wounded in battle-or something to that effect. These MM Medals are a fairly rare award and I have seen only one ever up for sale on all the MIlitaria sites I haunt regularly. I do have my Grandfathers award which has been posted here before for me by a guy named Volbert. If you can find his posts in the militaria section of this site? I THINK the photos of it and other stuff my Grandfather was awarded as well as some of the German stuff ive collected over the years-should be somewhere in that section.

 

Shame on the VFW and the US government! We spend millions keeping dishonest and iniquitous governments afloat; millions on bogus programs and corrupt organizations; millions more on company bailouts so that senior corporate thieves can get hefty bonuses and golden parachutes; and then we forsake people like these merchant mariners and the former members of the Philippine Constabulary who unselfishly gave so much on behalf of our cause. Come on, America...wake up!!