Merchantmen all

[Ian Adrian Millar]

MERCHANTMEN ALL

They came from the plains of Kansas,
From the rolling fields of wheat,
To serve aboard the merchant ships,
Cold decks beneath their feet.

They came from the Blue Ridge Mountains,
Where hunting was their game,
To serve aboard the merchant ships,
In the ice, the snow, and rain.

They came from their ranches in Texas,
And the potato fields of Maine,
To serve aboard the merchant ships,
They were lost in smoke and flame.

They came from the banks of Hatteras,
The sea they so well knew.
To serve aboard the merchant ships,
In the Hell of World War two.

They came from all over the country,
To answer their country's call
To serve aboard the merchant ships,
How sad we've forgotten them all.

Ian A. Millar

[Keith at Tregenna]

Deserves more than just a Thanks or like, hence
again add a few words. Leaves me waiting for more.

Excellent.

Regards,

Keith.

[Ian Adrian Millar]

Many years ago I took part in a major effort to have the United States Merchant Marine granted veteran's status for their part in World War II. It required numerous magazine articles and some poetry here and there. In the long run we saw the men and women given veteran's status. This poem was one of many I authored to bring attention to the overall forgetfulness by the government and others toward our merchant seamen, my late father included.

Ian

[Keith at Tregenna]

I have found myself over many years of raising awareness
that poetry has assisted much, a good friend of mine has
helped me much and the poems he wrote assisted much in
From recovering artifacts from a paddle steamer linked to my
home town, GPO postage stamps, restoring mariners graves etc.

Certainly grab attention, often more than page upon page of script.

Regards, Keith.

PS. Just read your request re: Articles, Can I pass this onto the site
Senior Moderator whom, I think would be best to assist.

K.

[Ian Adrian Millar]

Keith: That would be fine with me, I just need some guidance as to how to submit the articles via e-mail and an address to send them to, It may be that they are not of any great interest, they do give good information regarding the U.S. Merchant Marine and other nautical themes. Glad to share them but if not of interest I do not want to be wasting anyone's time.

Ian

[Keith at Tregenna]

Hopefully Doc Vernon, will see this and respond.

Otherwise I will contact him ASAP.

k.

[Ian Adrian Millar]

Keith: Thank you I heard from Doc Vernon this morning, I appreciate the assist.

Ian

[Keith at Tregenna]

Thanks for the update,
looking forward to the
articles.

K.

[Rodney Mills]

Ian.

Thank you. The U.S. Merchant Marine had a death rate of 18%....The U.S. Marines who had to make beach landings from Pacific island to island had a death rate of 14%.

This is not meant to disparage the bravery of the Marines, but to show the terrible horror the merchant mariners of all countries went through, yet kept coming back for more, that shows guts beyond what any peace time mariner can comprehend.

I didn't like a ship. for any reason, squabbles, cabin no good, the voyage was too long, advance my career, I just switched ships. These heroes would have laughed at me and my mundane problems, just as they laughed in the face of death and kept coming back for more.

True heroes all, all countries mariners.

Rodney

[Howard Wallace-Sims]

Back in 1967 I sailed as Fifth Engineer on a T2 tanker, Texaco Saigon. She had been jumboised but the engine room was original in all respects, apart from the ammunition locker being used as an engineers store. I has just 30 minutes to find my way round the engine room before I was left in charge on the 8-12 after we had sailed from Singapore. I managed, although it was a little scary. The systems were simple and easy to follow and there was a certain amount of simple automation. I was told by other Engineers that the ships were designed to be run with a very small compliment of Marine Engineers, supplemented by mechanics and similar, all from far afield as described in the poem above. I think that they were correct.