[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 106 (Tuesday, September 12, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H7457-H7459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE

  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 327) honoring the service and 
sacrifice during periods of war by members of the United States 
merchant marine.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 327

       Whereas throughout the history of the United States, the 
     United States merchant marine has served the Nation during 
     periods of war;
       Whereas vessels of the United States merchant marine fleet, 
     such as the S.S. LANE VICTORY, provided critical logistical 
     support to the Armed Forces by carrying equipment, supplies, 
     and personnel necessary to maintain war efforts;
       Whereas numerous members of the United States merchant 
     marine have died to secure peace and freedom; and
       Whereas at a time when the people of the United States are 
     recognizing the contributions of the Armed Forces and 
     civilian personnel to the national security, it is 
     appropriate to recognize the service of the United States 
     merchant marine: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) honors the service and sacrifice during periods of war 
     by members of the United States merchant marine;
       (2) recognizes the critical role played by vessels of the 
     United States merchant marine fleet, such as the S.S. LANE 
     VICTORY, in transporting equipment, supplies, and personnel 
     necessary to support war efforts; and
       (3) encourages--
       (A) the American people, through appropriate ceremonies and 
     activities, to recognize and commemorate the service and 
     sacrifices of the United States merchant marine; and
       (B) all government agencies to take appropriate steps to 
     commemorate the United States merchant marine.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Kuykendall) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. 
Taylor) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall).


                             General Leave

  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  The merchant marines have served this country since the birth of our 
Nation. Many people do not think of that. They are most frequently 
remembered as the World War II veterans because of the great 
significance they played in that conflict. However, beginning as early 
as 1775, the merchant marine was actually the first military force we 
used to defeat the British Navy with. During that time period, they 
became our first Navy: merchant vessels with guns on them. They brought 
critical supplies to fight for our independence.
  If we go on to the next century in the 1800s, between 1812, the War 
of 1812, and the first World War, they participated in not only that 
War of 1812, but also the Civil War, the Spanish American War, and 
delivered doughboys to Europe and their supplies to go with them.
  In 1936, the Merchant Marine Act was passed by Congress which 
established the United States merchant marine ``as a naval or military 
auxiliary in time of war or national emergency.'' From 1941 to 1946, 
during World War II, merchant marines took part in all invasions. 
Merchant marine casualties were the highest in any service: 1 in 29. 
One in 29 people that served became a casualty. Statistics were so 
important in keeping track of the losses that during World War II we 
kept secret merchant marine losses because in some weeks we were losing 
over 30 vessels a week being sunk, between ours and allied forces 
around the world, and we would never be able to report that and still 
have men sign up to be a merchant seaman. By 1946, allied leaders 
planning the invasions of Japan had the merchant marine assigned a 
critical role in order to move millions of men and their material.
  Again, the merchant marine after the war, World War II, came out in 
the Korean War and they supported that operation. They supported the 
Vietnam War in 1961 to 1973; and today they serve, even today, 
supplying troops in Bosnia as well as our earlier conflicts in the 
1990s, the Persian Gulf War.
  Merchant marines provide a service which is critical to every war 
effort. To tell my colleagues how critical it is, in World War II, the 
average soldier, depending upon his job, required somewhere between 
seven and 15 tons of material to supply them for 1 year. One soldier 
for 1 year, seven to 15 tons. That does not get delivered by airplanes; 
it gets delivered by ships all over the world. In fact, on average, in 
1945, every hour there were 17 million pounds of cargo being delivered 
by the merchant marine in support of our war effort.
  In 1965, skipping ahead now to Vietnam, we had 300 freighters and 
tankers supplying the United States military efforts, and on average, 
on average, we had 75 ships and over 3,000 merchant mariners in 
Vietnamese ports at any given time. Da Nang Harbor was the home of the 
Marine Amphibious Force Logistic Command, and in support of 81,000 
Marines in Vietnam, that command brought 96 percent of the war material 
needed for the Marine forces there.

                              {time}  2115

  That included everything from tanks to food.
  Merchant marines have served as civilians, but routinely go in harm's 
way in the conduct of their service. Here I am going to quote from B.D. 
Hammer in an article he wrote in the New York Daily News on May 20, 
talking about war heroes in the merchant marines:

       All volunteers, these seafarers came from every vocation, 
     level of education, ethnicity,

[[Page H7458]]

     and faith. Some were teens, and some were senior citizens. 
     Many were deemed unfit for military service. Yet the merchant 
     marine traveled across the oceans of the world, often without 
     proper protection, to every battlefront, every invasion of a 
     beachhead that this Nation called it to.

  Again, one in 29 mariners who served aboard merchant ships in World 
War II died in the line of duty. Some of those casualties: There were 
8,651 mariners killed in World War II, U.S. mariners. One hundred 
forty-two of those were cadets from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. 
They were college kids. We all nominate people to the U.S. Merchant 
Marine Academy, and that academy is the only service academy, of the 
five that we have, that is authorized to carry a battle standard. They 
sent cadets to go fight the war.
  We had 11,000 wounded, 1,100 more died of wounds ashore, and 604 men 
and women were taken prisoner while serving as merchant marines. Sixty 
of them died in prison camp. We have about 500 more Americans who died 
in service while serving on allied vessels, 500 more. We had people die 
in the Vietnam War serving in the merchant marine, and many more 
injured due to actions around them.
  As a nation, we must remain committed to maintaining a strong 
merchant marine. It is the greatest insurance we will have that we will 
always be able to deliver our men and materiel wherever in the world 
they are needed. We need a strong Merchant Marine Academy to train 
them, we need a strong shipbuilding industry to build their vessels, 
and we need to recognize the service of those who gave their lives in 
times of war.
  The merchant marines have been part of America's history since we 
became a nation. They are most frequently remembered for World War II 
action because of the publicity of that event. Today, we have a few 
remaining even from that war, and we should seek even more recognition 
as they gradually pass on.
  I urge the passage of this resolution, Mr. Speaker, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am a fill-in tonight for our ranking member, the 
gentleman from Guam (Mr. Underwood), who was called away because of a 
family emergency, so the words I am going to read tonight are his, not 
mine.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent 
Resolution 327, a resolution which would honor and recognize our 
merchant marines.
  I would first like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Kuykendall) for introducing this important resolution. I am a proud 
cosponsor of this legislation, which seeks to ensure that our merchant 
marines receive the recognition that they long deserve.
  The merchant marines, our first Navy, were instrumental in defeating 
the British Navy during the Revolutionary War. Highly outnumbered, 
these brave seamen contributed to the very birth and founding of our 
Republic by preying on the vast arsenal of British enemy ships and 
carrying critical supplies to assist in America's battle for 
independence.
  Since 1775, the merchant marines have served our country in all wars 
up to the Persian Gulf War. Whether carrying imports or exports during 
peacetime, or serving as naval auxiliary during wartime delivering 
troops and war material, the merchant marine provides an essential 
service to the well-being of our Nation.
  Long called our Nation's fourth arm of defense, the merchant marines 
have always answered the call to duty. During World War II, the 
merchant marine was responsible for delivering not only our troops, but 
95 percent of the supplies that our military forces needed to defeat 
our enemies in both Europe and in the Pacific. These merchant seamen 
were at constant risk of having their ship sunk by enemy submarines.
  As a result of their bravery, the merchant marines had higher 
casualty percentages than any branch of the Armed Forces. During World 
War II, one in every 29 mariners perished. Eight thousand, six hundred 
51 mariners were killed at sea, and an additional 11,000 wounded.
  Due to the security and intelligence concerns surrounding our war 
effort, merchant marine ship casualties were constantly underestimated. 
Unfortunately, this resulted in inadvertently denying the American 
people the knowledge of the sacrifices and accomplishments of the 
merchant marines. Unknown to many Americans, these courageous seamen 
suffered incredible losses in moving heavy equipment, troops, arms, 
ammunition, and fuel across thousands of miles of hostile seas.
  Today, House Concurrent Resolution 327 will finally honor their 
dedication and sacrifice by recognizing their utter devotion to duty.
  Congress has acted in the past regarding the merchant marine. The 
Merchant Marine Act of 1936 officially established the merchant marine 
as a naval or military auxiliary in time of war or national security. 
Furthermore, in 1988, merchant marines who sailed on ocean-going 
vessels from December 7, 1941, through August 15 of 1945 were granted 
veteran status.
  Today the men and women of the merchant marine continue to serve with 
honor. As Members of Congress, we need to continue to educate the 
American people about the importance and the achievements of the 
merchant marine. House Concurrent Resolution 327 serves this purpose.
  I urge all Members to support this important legislation in an effort 
to ensure that our merchant marines receive the recognition and honor 
they deserve for sacrificing so much to our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, having read the remarks of the gentleman from Guam (Mr. 
Underwood), I would also say that the best way we can honor our 
merchant marines is to continue to have a strong American merchant 
marine. The way we can do that is to continue to protect the Jones Act, 
continue to emphasize American shipbuilding, and to continue to, when 
possible, give priority to American-made products that help in our 
national defense.
  I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall) for 
doing this. Again, I want to apologize for the absence of the gentleman 
from Guam (Mr. Underwood), but there was a family emergency.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we are entering an era of great peace which we have been 
in for the last few years, and we have a large contingent of our 
veterans, in this case merchant marines, who have never been properly 
recognized. Their job was secret, in many cases, particularly the loss 
of their lives and the ships they sailed in during World War II, so the 
important role they played was even more removed from the public.
  Now, as they in great numbers begin to fade away, their importance 
has by no means faded. We still need that merchant fleet. We still need 
merchant seamen trained to run civilian ships to haul our materiel 
wherever it needs to be hauled in support of our Nation's activities.
  Part of the greatness of a nation is how we recognize those who give 
of themselves in its defense and in its pursuits around the world. In 
this case, this group has been overlooked too long, and it should be 
recognized.
  I urge my colleagues to vote yes to recognize the merchant marines 
for their actions from the inception of our Nation to today.
  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a co-sponsor of H. Con. Res. 
327 and as one who appreciates the vital contribution that merchant 
mariners have made to the security and well-being of our sea-faring 
nation.
  Since 1775, the Merchant Marine has linked the United States in 
commerce with trading partners all over the world. In wartime, merchant 
seamen have served with valor and distinction. During World War II, 
6,000 merchant mariners, including 142 Kings Point cadets, made the 
ultimate sacrifice. Despite this terrible cost, the Merchant Marine 
never faltered in its mission.
  Today's merchant mariners continue their predecessors' legacy of 
dedication and patriotism. Many of these great Americans begin their 
careers at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.
  Since 1938, Kings Point has prepared cadets to serve as officers in 
the Merchant Marine. Recognized as leaders in the maritime industry, 
Kings Point graduates represent every state and territory in the union. 
Rear Admiral Joe Stewart and his staff are to be commended for 
continuing the tradition of excellence at Kings Point.

[[Page H7459]]

  After World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, ``Mariners 
have . . . delivered the goods when and where needed . . . across every 
ocean in the . . . most difficult and dangerous job ever undertaken.'' 
I urge my colleagues to honor the contribution of the Merchant Marine 
by voting ``yes'' on H. Con. Res. 327.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, House 
Concurrent Resolution 327.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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