Posted:
May 25, 2012
One great historical truth is the U.S. and its allies would not have won World War II without civilian American merchant mariners. One contemporary - although not widely understood - truth is American merchant mariners have provided the sealift service to make possible every major military mobilization in our nation's history, a role in which the U.S. merchant marine continues to serve and serve well through this very day.
These were among the points made by American Maritime Officers National President Tom Bethel in his address during the National Maritime Day ceremony held at American Maritime Officers Headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.
U.S. merchant marine veterans of World War II "manned the cargo ships and troop transports that delivered the military might and manpower to the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters," Bethel said. "They endured enemy attack by air and sea and by the German U-boats that prowled the Atlantic and claimed so many American lives - often within sight of the U.S. coastline.
"Our World War II merchant mariners suffered a casualty rate exceeded only by that of the U.S. Marine Corps. Those who were not killed, crippled or taken prisoner in service to our nation signed up without fear or hesitation for the next convoy.
"Many of our World War II merchant mariners went on to serve at sea in support of U.S. armed forces in Korea and Vietnam," Bethel said, noting this service continued through Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991.
"Another point that matters a lot to me personally as national president of American Maritime Officers is that many of our World War II merchant marine veterans went on to become founding members of our union, which was chartered by the legendary Paul Hall in May 1949 as the Brotherhood of Marine Engineers, an affiliate of the Seafarers International Union of North America.
"To you who sailed in the U.S. merchant fleet during World War II, I say: thank you - thank you for your service and your sacrifice. You have our nation's lasting gratitude, respect and admiration," Bethel said.
"The strong spirit of commitment that drove our World War II merchant mariners continues to define the citizen seafarer. It is not widely understood outside our maritime community, but the men and women who today live and work at sea under the U.S. flag delivered 90 percent of the vehicles, tanks, helicopters, heavy equipment and supplies to U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan and in Iraq since the terrible events of September 11, 2001.
"These are our contemporary heroes," Bethel said. "These are the men and women who will 'turn to' freely to deliver the goods in a new national security emergency overseas.
"To the AMO members who are with us today, and to all AMO members on the job at sea coast-to-coast and worldwide, I say: thank you - thank you for answering our nation's call. Thank you for your work ethic, and for your unrivaled and unrelenting professionalism under often difficult competitive conditions. Thank you for your example, and for making all things possible for our union. Thank you for being the best in the world at what you do, and thank you for keeping faith with a proud merchant marine tradition that dates to the revolution. I am grateful to each and every one of you."
In addition to recognition of service, showing appreciation for U.S. merchant mariners means working to ensure seafaring jobs remain available for this and future generations, he said.
"I ask each of you to call or write your congressional representative and your senators to help us tell our important story," Bethel said. "Ask them to help keep the Jones Act intact. Encourage them to support the Maritime Security Program and the cargo preference laws.
"Remind them that we need a big, busy and diverse privately owned and operated American merchant fleet in all domestic and international markets."
Editor's note: online tools for identifying and contacting individual members of Congress by district and members of the Senate by state are available on these websites: http://www.house.gov and http://www.senate.gov.
National Maritime Day a tribute to U.S. merchant mariners - past and present
One great historical truth is the U.S. and its allies would not have won World War II without civilian American merchant mariners. One contemporary - although not widely understood - truth is American merchant mariners have provided the sealift service to make possible every major military mobilization in our nation's history, a role in which the U.S. merchant marine continues to serve and serve well through this very day.
These were among the points made by American Maritime Officers National President Tom Bethel in his address during the National Maritime Day ceremony held at American Maritime Officers Headquarters in Dania Beach, Fla.
U.S. merchant marine veterans of World War II "manned the cargo ships and troop transports that delivered the military might and manpower to the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters," Bethel said. "They endured enemy attack by air and sea and by the German U-boats that prowled the Atlantic and claimed so many American lives - often within sight of the U.S. coastline.
"Our World War II merchant mariners suffered a casualty rate exceeded only by that of the U.S. Marine Corps. Those who were not killed, crippled or taken prisoner in service to our nation signed up without fear or hesitation for the next convoy.
"Many of our World War II merchant mariners went on to serve at sea in support of U.S. armed forces in Korea and Vietnam," Bethel said, noting this service continued through Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991.
"Another point that matters a lot to me personally as national president of American Maritime Officers is that many of our World War II merchant marine veterans went on to become founding members of our union, which was chartered by the legendary Paul Hall in May 1949 as the Brotherhood of Marine Engineers, an affiliate of the Seafarers International Union of North America.
"To you who sailed in the U.S. merchant fleet during World War II, I say: thank you - thank you for your service and your sacrifice. You have our nation's lasting gratitude, respect and admiration," Bethel said.
"The strong spirit of commitment that drove our World War II merchant mariners continues to define the citizen seafarer. It is not widely understood outside our maritime community, but the men and women who today live and work at sea under the U.S. flag delivered 90 percent of the vehicles, tanks, helicopters, heavy equipment and supplies to U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan and in Iraq since the terrible events of September 11, 2001.
"These are our contemporary heroes," Bethel said. "These are the men and women who will 'turn to' freely to deliver the goods in a new national security emergency overseas.
"To the AMO members who are with us today, and to all AMO members on the job at sea coast-to-coast and worldwide, I say: thank you - thank you for answering our nation's call. Thank you for your work ethic, and for your unrivaled and unrelenting professionalism under often difficult competitive conditions. Thank you for your example, and for making all things possible for our union. Thank you for being the best in the world at what you do, and thank you for keeping faith with a proud merchant marine tradition that dates to the revolution. I am grateful to each and every one of you."
In addition to recognition of service, showing appreciation for U.S. merchant mariners means working to ensure seafaring jobs remain available for this and future generations, he said.
"I ask each of you to call or write your congressional representative and your senators to help us tell our important story," Bethel said. "Ask them to help keep the Jones Act intact. Encourage them to support the Maritime Security Program and the cargo preference laws.
"Remind them that we need a big, busy and diverse privately owned and operated American merchant fleet in all domestic and international markets."
Editor's note: online tools for identifying and contacting individual members of Congress by district and members of the Senate by state are available on these websites: http://www.house.gov and http://www.senate.gov.