THANK Jim. I hope I can wake up the American Public on how the VFW operates. I don't care anymore if I evver join them, but sure want them to obey the Laws of this great land of our that we ALL faught for'  "BUD" Schmidt Sr.  of  Sequim,WA.

----- Original Message -----

From: H.F. Schmidt

To: merchant-marine-history@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2005 9:52 AM

Subject: WW 2 Merchant Mariners - Veterans of a Foreign War

 

  Ever since the Revolutionary War years Merchant Mariners have taken part in the defense of our country in doing whatever was asked of them. During every war and/or conflict, especially during the 8 years of the Revolutionary War some 11,500 Mariners were put to death by the British, mainly for there not agreeing to sign over to them. This country seemed to not have records of them by names, however some years ago upon going to England and looking through their archives someone came across a listing of over 8,000 names of them who had died when their ships were hauled around to Walabout Bay in Brooklyn, N.Y., where a Myters Monument now stands tall with a Solar Light on top where their remains are buried.

  Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, the master of a merchant vessel back then was instrumental in sinking 2 British war ships with cannons he he aboard his ship. This then enabled Gen. Washington's Army to defeat the British on land fronts. In the year 1992 the United States government finally produced the flag for the U.S. Merchant Marine with the date of 1775 on it. This then designated them as the Continental Navy of our country. Back then this same group of Mariners were the original Guardians of  the East Coast by arming their ships and patrolling it. However, in 1789 then Congressman Alexander Hamilton introduced a bill which created what is now called the U.S. Coast Guard, it's flag has the date of 1790 on it.
 

  During each & every additional war or conflict the U S A has been involved in, the men of the U.S. Merchant Marine have always been their as the supply boys, even to the extent of operating what became known as the Troop Ships, which even though overseen by the Army, were actually operated by Merchant Seamen, as the U.S. Navy refused to do so as they were operating the fighting ships on the high seas.
 

  During the years 1916 -1921 - 1936 this country had written what was called Merchant Marine Acts. The one in 1936 is of particular interest as within it is stated; We shall have a strong Merchant marine, their Ranks, Ratings, Payscale, Uniforms etc. shall be equivalent to that of the U.S. Coast Guard. In looking through U.S. Code # 14 of the Coast Guard is found the phrase; during times of War or National Emergencies the U.S. Coast Guard comes under U.S. Code # 10, which is the U.S. Navy. The men of the U.S. Merchant marine ever since the WW 2 years have been schooled and trained by men of both the U.S. Navy as well as the U.S. Coast Guard, to the extent that their Seamen's papers and operating certificates are authorized and issued to them by the U. S. Coast Guard still to this present day.
 

 Those men and boys who were trained during WW 2 years and served on Ocean-Going vessels back then who died in the numbers and manners and percentages ( highest percentage of deaths per men serving than of any other services) should not be slighted by ANY American. especially the organization calling itself, The Veteran of Foreign Wars of the U.S.A. who to this dat refuse to accept a Merchant Seaman, who has been designated as a Veteran of a Foreign War (WW 2) to right to membership. There are a lot of men in the VFW who didn't put their butts on the line anywhere near the level that ever Merchant Mariner did in WW 2. There was no rear area that a Mariner could go to, there were no safe jobs, no Mariner who did not risk death by torpedo or mines by drowning or burning or freezing to death every time he put to sea. And their mission was as critical as any other, for without them NO one  other mission would have been accomplished.
 

  I urge ALL citizens, not just those who served in Military Branches of Services to contact VFW posts in their areas to wake up and smell the roses for what they are and to stop this BLATANT ACT of DISCRIMINATION against we to also served our country, for within us of the Merchant Marine it would have been a long hard swam across either the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. Just who do the think took them everything they needed, even their Beer and Pretzels ?  GOD BLESS AMERICA. With Liberty and Justice FOR ALL !!!!!!!!!!!.

 

---