IIA 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 16 

Authorizing special awards to World War I and World War II veterans 

of the United States Navy Armed Guard. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 20, 2005 

Mrs. MURRAY introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice 

and referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

JOINT RESOLUTION

Authorizing special awards to World War I and World War 

II veterans of the United States Navy Armed Guard.

Whereas the members of the United States Navy Armed 

Guard sailed the oceans and seas on merchant ships during World War I and World War II to protect important 

cargo from capture or destruction by the enemy; 

Whereas naval officers, gunners, radiomen, medics, and radarmen serving on American merchant ships comprised 

the United States Navy Armed Guard, a force that grew 

to 144,970 personnel during World War II; 

Whereas the mariners who served in the United States Navy 

Armed Guard fought bravely, often under heavy fire, and 

many even as the decks of their ships were awash and 

sinking beneath the ocean waves; 
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Whereas, of the 6,236 merchant ships (including the 2,710 

famous Liberty Ships) on which detachments of the 

United States Navy Armed Guard served during World 

War I, 720 ships (including 216 Liberty Ships) were 

sunk, and many more were damaged by enemy action; 

Whereas approximately 1,810 members of the United States 

Navy Armed Guard died and many more were wounded 

in the service of their country in World War II, a casualty rate that grimly rivals the casualty rate of any 

other defined force of the Armed Forces during World 

War II; 

Whereas, on April 4, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt 

issued a proclamation, ‘‘with each Commander in Chief 

to follow doing the same’’, designating May 22, 1945, as 

National Maritime Day in honor of those who sailed the 

oceans and seas transporting supplies of every sort to 

both the peaceful and war-torn nations of the world; 

Whereas the nations of the world owe their freedom, in part, 

to the sacrifices of the members of the United States 

Navy Armed Guard, and many of those nations have 

awarded special medals to veterans of the United States 

Navy Armed Guard in recognition of their heroic actions; 

Whereas the United States Government has failed to follow 

the lead of those nations in recognizing the members of 

the United States Navy Armed Guard with a special 

medal that honors them as the American heroes that they 

are; 

Whereas the United States Government has recognized the 

military character of the service in the United States 

Navy Armed Guard by awarding each member that 

served during World War II at least 1 of the 3 World 
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War II campaign medals for service in the American 

Theater, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, and the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater; 

Whereas the mariners who served in the United States Navy 

Armed Guard aboard United States cargo ships during 

World War I were equally dedicated, intrepid, and heroic, 

and are equally deserving of recognition with a special 

medal; and 

Whereas the United States has not adequately recognized the 

heroism and sacrifices of the members of the United 

States Navy Armed Guard during World War I and 

World War II: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. AWARDS FOR MEMBERS OF THE UNITED 

4 STATES NAVY ARMED GUARD. 

5 The President is authorized and urged to award— 

6 (1) to each person who served at sea as a mem7 ber of the United States Navy Armed Guard during 

8 World War I or World War II, a special medal of 

9 a design appropriate for recognizing service in the 

10 United States Navy Armed Guard as service in a 

11 special force of the United States Navy, together 

12 with accompanying ribbons and appurtenances and a 

13 Presidential Unit Citation; and 

14 (2) to each person who served exclusively on 

15 shore duty as a member of the United States Navy 

16 Armed Guard during World War I or World War II, 
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1 a special pin or badge of a design appropriate for 

2 recognizing service in the United States Navy Armed 

3 Guard as service in a military organization of the 

4 United States Navy.

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