HomeMy WebLinkAboutMan Wages War to Earn Veteran Page A18 The Bryan - College Station Eagle Sunday, September 14, 1997
Nati
to Man wa es war earn veteran
By DAWN FALLIK II veteran" on his tombstone. want to have it on my tombstone.
Associated Press All because of a loophole that It's just the right thing to do.
affects Young and as many as That's why I've fought so long."
O MAHA, Neb. — For two 4,000 other men who served as No one argues that the mer-
years, Burt Young braved merchant marines. Because they chant marines had it easy during
mine - infested waters again were not aboard ships by Aug. 15, World War II. More than 6,830
and again, eight times in all, to 1945 — the day news of Japan's mariners died and 833 of their
deliver supplies and troops to surrender arrived — the govern- ships sank — a casualty rate sec -
their destinations. ment denied them wartime veter- and only to the Marine Corps.
It was dangerous, it was hard an's status. In 1944, when Congress passed
work, but it was his duty. In the Senate Majority Leader Trent the GI Bill that gave school and
shadow of Hitler, in the wake of Lott has enlisted in the battle to housing aid to enlisted men, the
Pearl Harbor, he was serving his give these aging former seafarers merchant marines were exclud-
country. the credit they've wanted for so ed.
But 53 years after Young first long. The feeling at the time was that
stepped on deck, his heart is bro- "I want to tell my grandchil- the merchant marine was a pri-
ken. dren that I am a World War II vet- vate, commercial operation. But
He did not receive GI benefits. eran," said the 70- year -old Young, under federal law, it served as a
He cannot be treated in a VA hos- staring at his coffee cup and try- military auxiliary during time of
pital. He cannot put "World War ing, unsuccessfully, not to cry. "I war; the ships were armed, mer-
chant seamen were trained in
gunnery, and they transported
troops and war materiel.
Franklin Roosevelt was dis-
mayed by the failure to include
the merchant marine in the GI
Bill: "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," he
said, at the bill's signing.
That request would not be
granted for more than 40 years,
leaving more than 250,000 mer-
chant marines without recogni-
tion while cafeteria workers and
telephone operators were given
veteran status.
In 1986, three former seamen
successfully sued the Secretary of
the Air Force, who had long had
jurisdiction in the dispute.
Finally, the merchant marines
status, honor for service
s•• � ; "I t wasn't like the war ''
* ' ' ' ' ' ' g k�� � � was called off when
" k 4
. ,
, ,. . , ..,
Japan surrendered.
Men died. Ships got
a
1 ,
sunk. The mines in the
water didn go away.
BURT YOUNG
F :4'• World War 11 veteran
combat for nearly another year
and a half. Nor is there any expla-
nation of why telephone opera
tors and clerical employees
received veteran status through
that December date when they
saw no armed conflict at all
The Air Force says the mer-
AP photo chant marines did not serve
Burt Young is among some 4,000 veteran Merchant Mariners who are under military discipline after V
seeking status as World War II veterans. They were excluded from ben-
cate several mariners were court
J Day, although documents indi
efits because they were not aboard ships by the Aug. 15, 1945, cutoff
,..0) date, the day Japan surrendered. mart
There have been repeated
were given veteran status — but called off when Japan surren efforts in Congress through the
only if they were aboard ships by dered," said Young, of Lincoln,
years to give the mariners what
Aug. 15, 1945. Neb. "Men died. Ships got sunk. they want.
The other at used forces had The mines in the water didn't go One bill passed the House three
been granted veteran status away." times, but stalled in the Senate.
through Dec. 31, 1946, the date The excluded seamen have Lott has sponsored a bill which
President Truman declared as applied three times for veteran would give them eligibility for
the war's official end. And in fact, status since 1987. The most recent veteran's hospital and funeral
23 U.S. merchant vessels sank on application is under review by benefits, along with a certificate
or after Aug. 15, killing four men the Civilians /Military Service of honorable discharge.
and wounding 28 others. Review Board based in Andrews Bennett said as many as 109,000
"It wasn't like the war was Air Force Base in Maryland. A former merchant marines could
determination is expected by the apply for burial and hospital ben -
end of the year. efits if Lott's bill passed. Tosi of
"You hate to use the word `big- the American Maritime Congress
ots' but that is what we are talk- called those numbers "ludi-
ing about in their reasons for crous;" she doubted the number
denying this application ...," said was more than 4,000 and more
Gloria Cataneo Tosi, executive likely, 2,500.
director of the American This year, when Rep. Lane
Maritime Congress. "This is an Evans, D -I11., submitted a bill that
act of spite and nothing else." promised an honorable discharge
Military officials have testified but no benefits, Chairman Bob
in congressional hearings that Stump of the House Committee
the early cutoff date should on Veterans Affairs refused to
stand. They say the level of ser- hold hearings.
vice was not as intense after V -J "It would seem more appropri-
Day and that troops were not ate that any change in this deci-
involved in armed conflict. sion should be made by DoD
"The reason they picked that (Department of Defense)," Stump
day was that the war was over said.
and there were no more hostili- That pretty much kills the bill
ties and no more fighting against for this session, said the
an enemy," said Capt. William mariners.
Bennett, spokesman for the U.S. "I don't get it," Young said.
Coast Guard National Maritime "I'm not asking to be paid back
Center in Arlington, Va. for school or for my house. I just
He could not explain why the want the certificate. Why is this
other forces were given credit for such a big deal ?"