US Merchant Marines Deserve Recognition

I attended the Eliot Kleinberg presentation about WWII in Florida at the Marco Historical Museum. A full house heard of the significant role the US Merchant Marine played, and the sinking of Merchant vessels at an alarming rate off Florida along with the loss of life of US Merchant Mariners. (US Merchant Mariners in WWII died at the rate of one in 26 which is the highest rate of casualties in any of the services). He spoke of the vessels sunk right offshore of Marco Island. In Mr. Kleinberg’s book, he references beach rescuers describing mariners being so “burned and swollen we could not even tell what they looked like. On good nights, survivors came ashore. On bad nights, far less washed up.”

I spoke to a number of attendees afterwards. They were appalled to hear that these US Merchant Mariners are excluded from recognition on Marco Island and stumped as to why the American Legion, who puts on the Memorial and Veterans Day events, can’t add one flag to the Color Guard and play one additional service song. I reminded them that the WWII US Merchant Mariners were bestowed Veterans status in 1988 by our Government with all the rights, privileges, benefits and recognition of the other Services. 

Many people are perplexed as to why the American Legion refuses to recognize these heroes that fought for our freedom. Tell the American Legion to do the right thing at     

marcoump@aol.com and copy Marco council at council@marcocitycouncil.com.