Post date: Mar 17, 2015 3:5:3 PM
Dear Class Agents. Please email this to your classmates and publish any way you can. Civilians are most welcome to use this link to contact their congressmen, so pass it on to your employees or fellow employees, friends, family, etc.
"If we expect our congress to honor the veterans of today, they must finally honor the ones of the Greatest Generation."
Some good news for our World War II Merchant Marine Veterans: For almost 60 years efforts have been made to compensate the United States Merchant Marine for their valor, loss of life and limb during World War II. Finally HR 563 has been released " Honoring Our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2015. Since it only asks for a one time payment of $25,000. instead of a pension, it might have a better chance of passing than previous bills. There are only a few thousand of us still around. WE NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP. This has been such a long time coming and our time is literally running out. . PLEASE HELP US. The request is already set up through the National Association of Uniformed Servicemen (NAUS) and the form will include YOUR congressman whom you will ask to co-sponsor this bill. You can go straight to http://capwiz.com/naus/issues/alert/?alertid=64051356 to directly contact your Congress person in a matter of minutes.
MORE INFORMATION on the bill can be found at Congress.gov
"The World War II Merchant Marine Veteran played a critical role in victory over Fascism. These brave men bravely carried out their missions and served their country honorably. Out of 243,000 men, - 3.9 percent died in the war-- a greater percentage per capita than any other service. 1550 merchant ships were sunk due to the war. Yet unlike other veterans of the Greatest Generation, these veterans never received the wartime benefits President Franklin Roosevelt promised for their service and sacrifice.
H.R. 563 would complete the long overdue promise and properly recognize Merchant Marine World War II service. The legislation would provide a one-time lump sum of $25,000 to each of surviving WWII Merchant Marines.
As many of these veterans are now well into their 90s, and fewer than five thousand Merchant Mariners who served in World War II are alive, the importance of passing this bill as quickly as possible is clear.
Though we can never make up for the years lost, we can fix the oversight as quickly as possible."
Once you fill out the form, the link will automatically send your request to the congressman or woman of your district. The text is already in the form. All you have to do is fill out your own information and click send to get it to your congressman, asking her/or him to co-sponsor this bill.
REMEMBER... There is Strength in numbers and the "NOISY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE" It is important for ALL Americans to participate in this last chance to honor in a small way the last few thousand World War II Merchant Marine Veterans who are now octogenarians or older. They and their families matter.
LINK TO THE FORM.
http://capwiz.com/naus/issues/alert/?alertid=64051356
If we expect our congress to honor the veterans of today, we must ask them to finally help the ones who came before.
Don Scafidi
USMMA '49