Merchant Marine: Difference between revisions

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 ===19th and 20th centuries===
-[[File:Torpedoed_merchant_ship.jpg|thumb|left|Torpedoed merchant ship in the Atlantic Ocean during WWII.]]The merchant marine was active in subsequent wars, from the Confederate [[Commerce raiding|commerce raiders]] of the [[American Civil War]], to the assaults on Allied commerce [[U-boat campaign|in the First]] and [[Battle of the Atlantic|in the Second World Wars]]. 3.1 million tons of merchant ships were lost in World War II. Mariners died at a rate of 1 in 26, which was the highest rate of casualties of any service.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.usmm.org/casualty.html | title = American Merchant Marine Casualties | publisher = USMM | access-date = 2013-07-23 | archive-date = October 25, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061025181658/http://www.usmm.org/casualty.html | url-status = dead }}.</ref> All told, 733 American cargo ships were lost<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marad.dot.gov/education/history/flag.html |title= U.S. Merchant Marine Flag |access-date= 2007-03-30 |work= U.S. Maritime Administration |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070715021107/http://www.marad.dot.gov/education/history/flag.html |archive-date= 2007-07-15 |url-status= dead }}</ref> and 8,651 of the 215,000 who served perished in troubled waters and off enemy shores.
+[[File:Torpedoed_merchant_ship.jpg|thumb|left|Torpedoed merchant ship in the Atlantic Ocean during WWII.]]The merchant marine was active in subsequent wars, from the Confederate [[Commerce raiding|commerce raiders]] of the American Civil War, to the assaults on Allied commerce [[U-boat campaign|in the First]] and [[Battle of the Atlantic|in the Second World Wars]]. 3.1 million tons of merchant ships were lost in World War II. Mariners died at a rate of 1 in 26, which was the highest rate of casualties of any service.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.usmm.org/casualty.html | title = American Merchant Marine Casualties | publisher = USMM | access-date = 2013-07-23 | archive-date = October 25, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061025181658/http://www.usmm.org/casualty.html | url-status = dead }}.</ref> All told, 733 American cargo ships were lost<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marad.dot.gov/education/history/flag.html |title= U.S. Merchant Marine Flag |access-date= 2007-03-30 |work= U.S. Maritime Administration |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070715021107/http://www.marad.dot.gov/education/history/flag.html |archive-date= 2007-07-15 |url-status= dead }}</ref> and 8,651 of the 215,000 who served perished in troubled waters and off enemy shores.
 During World War II ships with [[deck gun]]s had [[United States Navy Armed Guard]] to man the guns. Some Armed Guard personnel also served as [[Radioman|Radiomen]] and [[Flag semaphore|Signal]]men.<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Navy Armed Guard and U.S. Merchant Marine in World War II – A Little-Known Story |publisher=Project Liberty Ship |date=February 11, 2014 |url=https://www.armed-guard.com/ |accessdate=22 June 2021}}</ref> The Navy gun crews were assisted by ship's crew, though the merchant mariner's training in gunnery and combat role was ignored for years.<ref>{{cite web |title=General Quarters! All Hands to Battle Stations! General Quarters! |publisher=American Merchant Marine at War |date=March 30, 2002 |url=http://www.usmm.org/gunnery.html |accessdate=22 June 2021 |archive-date=April 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422160512/http://www.usmm.org/gunnery.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mariners and Armed Guard Together at the Guns |publisher=American Merchant Marine at War |date=April 24, 2002 |url=http://www.usmm.org/wsa/currier.html |accessdate=March 30, 2002 }}</ref> Specific instructions as to merchant crew manning of guns and training they should receive was issued by the [[War Shipping Administration]] which operated all U.S. merchant ships either directly or through agents during the war.<ref>{{cite web |title=Clarification of Gun duties and training of Merchant Marine Mariners aboard ship |publisher=American Merchant Marine at War |date=February 25, 2002 |url=http://www.usmm.org/gunduty.html |accessdate=22 June 2021 |archive-date=August 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804054818/http://www.usmm.org/gunduty.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> At wars end 144,857 men would serve in the Navy Armed Guard on 6,200 ships.<ref>{{cite web |title=Armed Guard – Sea Lane Vigilantes |publisher=Project Liberty Ship |date= |year= |url=https://www.armed-guard.com/item07.html |accessdate=22 June 2021 |archive-date=May 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531045847/https://www.armed-guard.com/item07.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>