What did the merchant Marines do during Vietnam?

Vietnam Mariners Lack Veteran Status U.S. Merchant Marine served on ships that brought supplies to Vietnam during “The War Without a Front.” They brought mail, Hueys, ammunition, food, medical supplies, and more.

Is a merchant marine considered a veteran?

Although merchant mariners have supported the Armed Forces in every war fought by the United States, they generally are not considered veterans for the purpose of eligibility for federal benefits.

How many U.S. merchant ships were sunk in ww2?

1,554 ships
U.S. Merchant Ships Sunk or Damaged in World War II. According to the War Shipping Administration, the U.S. Merchant Marine suffered the highest rate of casualties of any service in World War II. Officially, a total of 1,554 ships were sunk due to war conditions, including 733 ships of over 1,000 gross tons.

What did merchant Marines do in ww2?

On those ships were not military personnel but merchant mariners — civilian volunteers with the U.S. Merchant Marine, hauling vital war cargo for the Allies. Merchant mariners were the supply line that provided virtually everything Allied armies needed in order to survive and fight on foreign battlefields.

What does merchant Marines do?

The merchant marine is that part of the maritime trade industry concerned with transporting cargo (and sometimes passengers) from place to place via water routes; it is also known as the commercial shipping industry. Merchant mariners operate ships and other water vessels on domestic and international waters.

Do Merchant Marines wear uniforms?

Members of today’s United States Merchant Marine (USMM) do not wear uniforms, they do not cut their hair short, they are not active duty military, and only a few are in the U.S. Navy Reserve. They do not get veterans benefits, special privileges, government healthcare or retirement pay.

How long do Merchant Marines stay at sea?

Some have been at sea for as long as 20 months, though 11 months is the maximum time allowed by the ILO Maritime Labour Convention.

How many Merchant Marines were lost in WWII?

Approximately 8,000 to 12,000 Merchant Marine sailors were killed. A ship sinks during World War II. And the situations during the sinkings were terrifying. When ships were struck, sailors would have only minutes or seconds to get off the boat and to safety.

How many Merchant Marines served in ww2?

Seaman served in war zones, and Navy guns and sailors appeared on ships. Almost 4% of the 250,000 merchant mariners of WWII died in service, the highest proportion of any branch, even the Air Corps. While in service, Merchant Mariners held rank, wore uniforms, saluted, and served under military justice.

How many merchant marines were killed in World War II?

Is the merchant marines still active?

Merchant Mariners are not part of the military. Now, some of them run a number of ships that support the U.S. Navy, like the Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oilers and Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ships, as well as the sealift vessels like the Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo chips.

Was there a merchant marine in WW2?

American Merchant Marine Men and Ships in World War II American Merchant Marine training, heroes and casualties during World War II. Ships built during World War II American Merchant Marine Heroes and their Gallant Ships in World War II

How many merchant ships died in WW2?

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.

What role did merchant shipping play in the Second World War?

One way to understand the Second World War is to appreciate the critical role of merchant shipping… the availability or non-availability of merchant shipping determined what the Allies could or could not do militarily….

What was the first merchant ship sunk in WW1?

The first merchant ship, the Liberty ship Steamship (SS) Christopher Newport, was sunk on the morning of July 4 by a German torpedo bomber Heinkel HE 115. On that same day, a US destroyer the USS Wainwright, part of the covering force for PQ-17, repulsed an attack on the convoy by German torpedo bombers.