Update March 13, 2020— President Trump today signed right into regulation the “Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020,” an expense to honor the Congressional gold medal to American Merchant Mariners of WWII.

By Salvatore R. Mercogliano,Ph D.– The break out of the Second World War on the high seas was noted by the sinking of the British traveler lining SS Athenia on September 3, 1939.As guests clambered right into lifeboats, the American truck SS City of Flint, constructed at the Hog Island shipyard throughout the First World War, gotten here on scene and also saved greater than 200 survivors. The complying with month, while bring freight for Britain, the German pocket battlewagon Deutschland quit and also took the vessel. The Germans cruised her to the neutral port of Murmansk for internment. City of Flint was at some point launched, yet the ship fulfilled its destiny by the Nazi submarine U-575 on January 23, 1943. Out of an enhance of 65, 6 passed away and also one crewmember– Chief Cook Robert Daigle– was grabbed by the submarine and also invested the remainder of the problem as a detainee of battle.

On March 3, Congress passed the “Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020.” Sponsored by Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) and also Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the bipartisan regulations will certainly award a Congressional Gold Medal to those making it through participants of the American seller marine that offered throughout World War II. This noncombatant company was the essential web link in between the commercial capability of the United States– called the Arsenal of Democracy– and also the battle fronts in Africa, Asia, and also Europe, divided by disputed seas.

The Axis armed forces caused dreadful losses on these private citizens. As early as December 7, 1941, a lead of Japanese submarines used up setting off Hawaii and also the American west coastline. The Army- hired truck SS Cynthia Olsen came across I-26 early in the early morning as Japanese airplane assaultedPearl Harbor After being quit, the submarine sank the vessel with shooting and also a torpedo. The whole team of thirty-three, and also 2 begun Army soldiers, were shed. In the Far East, the lining SS President Harrison tried to suggest the Japanese as she cruised fromShanghai She was at some point run marooned off the coastline of China and also 3 of her team passed away, while the staying 164 entered into detainees of battle camps were one more loads later on died.

The complying with month, German U-boats made their arrival really felt off the united state East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, and also Caribbean in what they described as theHappy Time For the participants of the seller marine, cruising without correct defense and also companion, it was aSecond Pearl Harbor Later that summertime, vessels and also staffs of the American seller marine would certainly encounter their most hard battles in trying to combat Convoy PQ-17 to Murmansk, and also resupply the beleaguered island of Malta, in legendary fights.

The end of the Second World War confirmed bittersweet for the more than 200,000 sailors that cruised for the American seller marine. Although President Franklin Roosevelt guaranteed them equivalent therapy as various other solution participants, they were refuted the advantages of the G.I. Bill or seasoned condition. For those that shed their ship or were interned in adversary camps as taken place to Robert Daigle, as they were no more dealing with board their vessels, the firms quit paying them from the minute their ships were shed.

It was not up until 1988 that seller sailors got seasoned condition, yet lots of stopped working to benefit from the advantages. With the Greatest Generation gradually fading away, the American Merchant Marine Veterans led the initiative to pass the “Merchant Marine of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2020.” They lobbied participants of Congress and also organized many Storm the Hill initiatives to gain assistance for the costs.

The best misfortune that can fall upon the seller aquatic professionals of the Second World War is for their solution to be neglected. Ships of the united state seller marine contributed in maintaining the defend our armed forces and also allies. Liberty ships, such as SS Jeremiah O’Brien were off the coastlines ofNormandy As American pressures stormed Okinawa, on the front doors of Japan, Victory-ships were packed with ammo and also rose to the cutting edge where they dealt with kamikaze assaults, causing the loss of Hobbs, Logan, and also Canada Victory and also the fatality of 24 sailors and also 6 armed guardsmen.

As President Donald Trump prepares to authorize H.R. 5671 right into regulation, and also as minority staying professionals collect from March 24-29 at the Maritime Conference Center in Linthicum Heights, Maryland for the AMMV 34^th National Convention, it is proper that the country offer the acknowledgment to these endure sailors for whom triumph in World War Two was important. A Congressional Gold Medal is a sign of those sailors that took on the seas to provide the freight, soldiers, and also gas required for ultimate triumph versus the Axis powers 75 years earlier.

Salvatore R. Mercogliano is an associate teacher of History at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina and also instructs training courses in World Maritime History and also Maritime Security.

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