Printer Friendly Page
MERCHANT MARINERS CLOSER TO BENEFITS --
Legislation would give World War II MMers
$1,000 a month as a "Thank You."
For more about the Merchant Marine, use the VA
Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/
sessearch.php?q=merch
ant+marine&op=ph
Story here...
http://www.floridatoday.
com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200
70911/NEWS01/709110347/1006
Story below:
-------------------------
Merchant mariners closer to benefits
Bill would offer $1,000 a month
BY R. NORMAN MOODY
FLORIDA TODAY
Edward Rogers, now 91, has been waiting for more than 60 years. His wait
could soon be over.
A bill known as "Belated Thank You to the Merchant Marines of World War
II Act of 2007" is making its way through Congress. If passed, it would
provide $1,000 per month to thousands of elderly mariners at an
estimated cost of $120 million for the first year.
More importantly, the mariners say, it would give them something long
denied.
"It's just the satisfaction of being recognized," said Rogers, a Palm
Bay resident.
During World War II, merchant mariners served as an auxiliary to the
Navy, ferrying troops and delivering tanks, ammunition, fuel and rations
around the world.
About 9,300 mariners were killed, 12,000 wounded and 1,500 ships sunk,
according to the group American Merchant Marine At War.
But because the unarmed mariners weren't considered a branch of the
military, they did not receive veterans benefits when they came home.
They did not qualify for education assistance, home loans or medical
care for disabilities.
"Was it fair to ask high school kids to quit school, to go and petition
their parents to let them sign up to go to war?" said Joe Colon,
national vice president of the American Merchant Marine Veterans, who
served on the oil tanker SS Pan Virginia. "They appealed to our
patriotism, then forgot us."
On July 30, the House passed its version of the benefits bill. The
Senate version is in the Committee on Veterans Affairs, but there is no
certainty it will make it to a vote.
The mariners warn that time is running out. "There isn't that many of us
left," said Colon of Fort Lauderdale. "Maybe that's what they are
waiting for."
A spokesman for the bill's sponsor, Sen. Ben Nelson,
D-Nebraska, said the outlook is good. "We're hopeful, we're optimistic,"
said Julie Edwards, noting the bill has 48 co-sponsors.
According to his staff, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, said he intends to
support the Merchant Marines bill if it comes before the Senate for a
vote. The office of Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Florida, did not respond to
requests for information about his position on the bill.
Some estimates put the number of mariners who would be eligible for the
compensation at about 9,000.
Rogers said that as a young man, he thought of joining the Navy but was
wooed into the Merchant Marines. "I figured that's where I could help,"
he said. "At that state I could have gone into the Navy at the same
(pay) rate."
Had Rogers served in the Navy, he would have been eligible for military
veterans' benefits. But he said it was implied that there would be
benefits in the Merchant Marines.
Rogers worked on tanker ships delivering fuel to troops. Mariners were
an easy target for the Germans and the Japanese. Some had a small
contingent of Navy gunners with poor and outdated weapons, Rogers said.
According to the mariners, one in 26 were killed -- a higher casualty
rate than U.S. military branches.
A little older and more senior than many of the young mariners on the
ships, Rogers often helped to calm their nerves.
"One of the kids came up and said, 'You know, I'm a coward,' " Rogers
said. "I said 'Why?' He said, 'I'm scared.' I said, 'What do you think,
I'm not scared?' "
Rogers keeps records of the ships, the certificates and memorabilia from
his days as a merchant mariner. And he did receive some recognition,
being honored with The Merchant Marine Defense Bar, the Pacific War Zone
Bar and the Atlantic War Zone Bar. But it wasn't until 1988 that the
government began making some merchant mariners eligible for benefits.
"They shelved the topic for years," said Otto Marchica of Merritt
Island.
The way things have gone, Marchica, 82, doesn't hold out much hope of
the compensation bill passing. Many say it already seems too late.
In 1988, when some benefits were extended, the Space Coast chapter of
the Merchant Marine Veterans was started with about 65 members and
Marchica as president. He said he does not think there are even five
left today.
Contact Moody at 242-3651 or
nmoody@floridatoday.com.
About the Merchant Marine
The Merchant Marine is the fleet of ships that
carries commercial goods during peacetime and becomes a naval auxiliary
during wartime to deliver troops, tanks, ammunition, fuel and other
items. During World War II, the fleet was, in effect, nationalized: The
U.S. Government controlled the cargo and the destinations, contracted
with private companies to operate the ships and put guns and Navy
personnel on board.
By the numbers
# 1,554: Number of Merchant Marine ships sunk
# 243,000: Number of merchant marines who served in World War II
# 9,497: Number of merchant marines who died during World War II
# 10,000: Number of merchant marines expected to apply for benefits in
2008 www.usmm.org
-------------------------
Larry Scott --
