Merchant Marine Combat Group

[shrapneldude]

Hello!

Got this US Merchant Marine grouping here this weekend and I don't know very much about the Merchant Marine services and was hoping someone could help enlighten me, or that you'd all enjoy seeing the group anyhow.

 

There's a Seaman's passport, several ID cards, the very nead award cards (I was told that these cards were the "actual" awards as tehy didn't have medals, and they rarely wore ribbon bars? Can anyone confirm?)

 

Very intersting lot of stuff here I think.

[shrapneldude]

[shrapneldude]

[shrapneldude]

Interesting how on his combat bar, they just typed the word "STAR" beside it for a second award.

 

 

He went in in 1938 and stayed through the end of the war. Merchant Marines did a lot during WWII that you don't often hear about.

[a6skin9]

As a former merchant marine myself I must say that is one awesome grouping.

[normaninvasion]

http://www.usmm.org/ww2.html Heres a good site for info on WW2 Merchant Marines, who lost over 9000 men during the war. A branch that doesn't get much attention, that it deserves. My grandfather was a radio operator on a tanker, that was torpedoed in '42. Great grouping, thanks for sharing

[Brian Keith]

Not grouping!

Ribbons and medals exist, but medals were prodce post war and had to be purchased if I remember correctly.

BKW

[shrapneldude]

Thanks everyone for the comments! I rather enjoyed this group and agree that the Merchant Marines are too often overlooked in the large scope of WWII efforts. However...as it is not USMC, it too must go to another collection. Anyone interested, shoot me a PM.

[strategist]

Thanks everyone for the comments! I rather enjoyed this group and agree that the Merchant Marines are too often overlooked in the large scope of WWII efforts. However...as it is not USMC, it too must go to another collection. Anyone interested, shoot me a PM.

 

PM sent re. the Merchant Marine paper group -

 

Regards,

 

Strategist

[JMcCulloch]

Damn!!

That is a FANTASTIC grouping.

Ribbons were worn by officers and rarely when ceremonial uniforms (if owned) were worn. WW2 Merchant Mariners just got VA. benefits from Congress. Legislation has been held up almost two years.

[SemperParatus]

Just a comment on the Merchant Marine Combat Bar. The original award of the Combat Bar was a large 2 inch long ribbon bar and designed to be worn above any other ribbon bars. The addition of the word Star beside the ribbon does not mean a second award rather it signifies that the recipient had to abandon ship. You may also find a notation "with two stars" "with three stars" each star indicating a ship that had been sunk. I have also found at times that there will be one or more asterisks typed on the red stripe of the ribbon illustration one for each star awarded. These award cards are perhaps much scarcer than the actual ribbon award bars and they exist with many different titles at the top, the most prized being War Shipping Administration. It is also not uncommon to find this card as well as the cards for the other awards in very beat up condition having been in a wallet and the resultant wear and tear. Added to that notes, phone numbers, addresses sometimes written on the back the card being used as a handy bit of paper. Sadly for the most part finding out about the recipient is nearly impossible so it is always important to ask if your source has any biographical details on the person which could at least lead you to the identity of the ships the person served in.

one additional comment I would make is that hundreds of the Combat Bar awards were made without any stars as the award only required that the ship came under enemy attack, it did not mean the vessel was abandoned or sunk.