Petition for 'Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II

Please accept this petition asking members of Congress to support H.R. 3729 (aka "Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2004") would provide a monthly benefit of $1,000 to each veteran of the WWII Merchant Marines or their surviving spouses or children, equally divided.

H.R. 3729 Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act of 2004: To provide veteran benefits to certain individuals who serve in the United States Merchant Marine during a period of war. Introduced by Congressman Bob Filner of California.

H.R. 3729: To amend title 46, United States Code, to provide a monthly monetary benefit to certain individuals who served in the United States Merchant Marine and Army Transport Service during World War II. The bill would provide $1,000 per month to World War II mariners or their widows.

These services were part of the World War II Armed Forces who were responsible for the Supply and Logistics that supplied U.S. and Allied Forces.

During World War II, mariners delivered troops and vital supplies to all fronts and took part in all invasions from Normandy to Iwo Jima. It took up to 15 tons of supplies to support one soldier for one year, and so the availability of merchant shipping was the most critical factor in Allied military planning.

Merchant ships faced danger from submarines, mines, armed raiders and destroyers, aircraft, "kamikaze," and the elements. Mariners suffered the highest rate of casualties of any service, with 1 in 26 killed, while the ratio for all other services combined was 1 in 55 killed.

The need for mariners was so desperate, the recruiting age for the official training organization, the U.S. Maritime Service, was dropped to 16 years old.

When he signed the GI Bill in 1944, Franklin D. Roosevelt stated: "I trust Congress will soon provide similar opportunities to members of the merchant marine who have risked their lives time and time again during war for the welfare of their country."

But President Roosevelt died, and Congress failed to pass a similar bill for mariners, because of opposition by powerful lobbying groups who spread irresponsible rumors and lies.

Mariners were denied the following benefits which other services received:

52 weeks unemployment benefit at $20 per week
Free college education, which led to higher earning capacity during their lifetime
Low-interest, low-down-payment home loans
Disability benefits for life (mariners who were totally disabled received a maximum of $7,500)
Veteran Affairs medical benefits for life
Job preferences for veterans
Priority for small business loans
Shopping savings at PX (post exchange)
Mustering out pay
Priority for purchase of surplus government equipment
World War II mariners, many of whom were high school dropouts, never recovered economically from the sacrifices they made for their country.

Mariners were "First to Go and Last to Return," with 240 killed before the attack on Pearl Harbor, and countless numbers killed after V-E and V-J Day due to mines.

H.R. 3729 will, in some small measure, help make up for these inequalities.