Merchant Marine Survivors of World War II

Crewed by civilian seamen in peacetime, and carrying much of the nation's ocean-borne commerce, the US Merchant Marine is often considered the “fourth arm of defence” in wartime. The 20 Merchant Marine veterans of World War II featured in this oral history served in all theatres of war, and most had at least one ship - some two - torpedoed, bombed, shelled or mined out from under them.