How many merchant mariners died in ww2?

During World War II, the seamen of the U.S. Merchant Marine suffered a higher casualty rate than any service branch. As many as 9,500 perished at sea, from their wounds, or in prisoner of war camps.

How many merchant ships were sunk during WWII?

1,554 ships
U.S. Merchant Ships Sunk or Damaged in World War II. According to the War Shipping Administration, the U.S. Merchant Marine suffered the highest rate of casualties of any service in World War II. Officially, a total of 1,554 ships were sunk due to war conditions, including 733 ships of over 1,000 gross tons.

How many British merchant sailors died in ww2?

By the end of the First World War, more than 3,000 British flagged merchant and fishing vessels had been sunk and nearly 15,000 merchant seamen had died. During the Second World War, 4,700 British-flagged ships were sunk and more than 29,000 merchant seamen died.

What were the odds of dying as a merchant mariner during ww2?

1 in 26 mariners serving aboard merchant ships in World WW II died in the line of duty, suffering a greater percentage of war-related deaths than all other U.S. services. Casualties were kept secret during the War to keep information about their success from the enemy and to attract and keep mariners at sea.

What is the age limit for Merchant Marines?

16 years old
Is There an Age Limit for the Merchant Marine? There is a merchant marine age limit, with 16 years old being the youngest age a person can be. If a person is old enough to work full-time — typically 16 years old — that person is old enough to apply for an MMC.

Are merchant marine ships armed?

It is civilian-manned ships Merchant Mariners are not part of the military.

What ship sank the most U boats?

Here’s What You Need To Remember: For almost 73 years, the USS England has set a record for most subs sunk by a single ship. That record remains unbroken. Destroyer escorts were the econo-warships of the U.S. Navy in World War II.

How many prisoners died on the Bataan Death March?

During the Bataan Death March, approximately 10,000 men died. Of these men, 1,000 were American and 9,000 were Filipino. This had a huge impact on New Mexico families.

How do I find out if someone was in the Merchant Marines?

The public can access these records in two ways: through a request made via an offsite reference request (with reproduction provided for a fee), or via onsite viewing at the National Archives at St. Louis Research Room. The collection opened to the public on December 2, 2019.

How do you find out what ship someone served in ww2?

To find out if they have any information on your veteran, call them at 800-827-1000. If the Department of Veteran Affairs does not have any information you can try contacting the Veteran Affairs Insurance Center at 800-669-8477.

Do Merchant Marines see combat?

Merchant Marines do not participate in combat operations though they may work in places where combat is actually occurring. The fleet is divided into several categories: Commercial fleet. Federal fleet: Military Sealift Command.