| Print | Close Window | AMO Currents - Posted: September 1, 2009 |
Rep. Dent honors merchant marine veterans of World War II
Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) presented certificates and medals to 25 World War II merchant marine veterans during a ceremony at Northampton Community College in the Lehigh Valley village of Bethlehem. He also provided each of the veterans with a United States flag that had flown over the Capitol in Washington.
“It is high time that our nation properly honors these veterans whose efforts played an indispensable role in assuring our nation’s victory in the Second World War,” said Rep. Dent, who serves on the crucial House Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security Committees.
“America’s merchant mariners were called to service in numerous ways, helping supply the armies of the Free World at great peril — often with little or no armed protection,” Rep. Dent added. “Merchant ships faced danger from submarines, mines, armed raiders, destroyers, aircraft and the elements.
“These mariners suffered hardship and heavy casualties, from our own coastline to the remote corners of the world,” Rep. Dent continued. “We owe them our eternal thanks, as we do all who served in that great and terrible conflict.”
Rep. Dent was a co-sponsor of H.R. 23, a bill to provide the last of the World War II merchant mariners with $1,000 a month in benefits as compensation for their service — which was not recognized officially until 1988. H.R. 23, introduced by Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), was approved by voice vote in the House of Representatives in May 2009. A companion bill is pending in the Senate under the sponsorship of Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson.
The ceremony included remarks by Kevin Tokarski, an associate administrator of the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration, and American Maritime Officers Legislative Director Paul Doell.
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