A RESOLUTION OF THE NINTH DISTRICT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY SUPPORTING AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF RECOGNITION FOR VETERANS STATUS TO MERCHANT MARINE SEAMEN OF WW II
WHEREAS, Public laws 95-202 and 105-368 bestowed veteran status on US Merchant Marine
Seamen of WWII.
WHEREAS, two specific U.S. government actions by US government have caused some 10,000 merchant seamen to have been denied their due recognition:
(1) The USCG relieved Masters of tugs, towboats and seagoing barges of the
responsibility submitting reports of seamen shipped and discharged and
{2} The National Maritime Administration ordered ships' logbooks to be destroyed
because they were too costly to maintain and had removed the two main criteria
required by the government to issue official recognition to those seamen, and
WHEREAS, the average age of the remaining seamen is above 86 and the population of the US veteran is shrinking at an average of 850 per year causing time to be of the essence, and
WHEREAS, No costs are associated with this proposal as funds area already included in above public laws.
WHEREAS, the Ninth District of the North Carolina Republican Party therefore requests that immediate action be taken to correct this inconceivable action.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Ninth District of the North Carolina Republican Party supports the attached proposal and so orders that this Resolution and attached proposal be sent to Senator Richard Burr, Senator Kay Hagan, and Congresswoman Sue Myrick and this matter is placed into action to ensure expedient passage.
Adopted this 11th day of Dec, 2009
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John C. Aneralla, Chairperson,
Ninth District of the North Carolina Republican Party
PROPOSAL
Title: Alternative Methods of Recognition for Veteran Status to Merchant Marine Seamen of WW II
Be It Enacted by the one hundred & eleventh Congress of the United States
1. Preamble: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
2. America in congress assembled; Public Law 95-202 & 105-368 provided veteran status for members
3. Of the U.S Merchant Marine who served during WW II between 07 Dec, 1941 and 31 Dec, 1946 and
4. who were able to prove their service. Various actions by governmental personnel have destroyed or
5. caused these documents to be unavailable. These actions prohibit merchant marine veterans of
6. WW II from receiving the recognition and benefits of veteran’s status provided by these laws.
7. Alternative methods to prove service are required, as just compensation, for records lost by
8. government actions.
9. SECTION 1: Records held by the Social Security Administration that denote dates, wages earned and
10. companies employed shall be utilized when USCG forms 718 (any date) or other official data such
11. as ship’s logbook, etc, are not available.
12. SECTION 2: Validated testimony from the veteran or primary next of kin as to employment shall be 13. allowed to determine eligibility; and
14. SECTION 3: Other official documentation offered by the veteran, shall constitute replacement of
15. records that were destroyed or from other actions causing the required records to be unavailable
16. that were committed by those responsible for the control and maintenance of veteran records.
17. SECTION 4: For the timeframe between 07 December, 1941 and 31 December, 1946, masters of
18. seagoing vessels shall be recognized as agents of the United States authorized to document
19. crew members as it applies to the shipping and discharge of seaman for purposes of employment.
20. SECTION 5: These replacements records shall satisfy all requirements for eligibility of service during
21. the required timeframe 07 December, 1941 and 31 December, 1946.
22. SECTION 6: This bill will go into effect 91 days after passage.
