The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-05-20
Maritime Day Will Be OBJ
served At Ports And =
Shipyards Tuesday
Rv ALEXANDER r. GEORGE

WASHINGTON, May 19.-R)-
The nation will pay tribute Tues
day Maritime day, to the men who
man the ships that deliver It n e
goods of. victory.
Dedicated by Congress to the
American Merchant Marine, t h e
dav will be observed throughout
the country with display of flags
and with special ceremonies at
shipyards and ports. It was on
Nav %, 1919, that the little Ameri-
can vessel Savannah started on the
first successful voyage across the
Atlantic under steam propulsion.
Three years, ago this country OBJ
served it's gloo1niest Maritime day.
Corregidor had just fallen to the
Japs. Hitler's legions held undis.
puted sway over fortress Europe,
and Rommel was on the rampage
in Africa. Submarines were taking
so heavy a toll of Allied ships
that hope of defeating the Axis
was pegged primarily on speedy
shipbuilding by the United States.
Today the United States has the
largest merchant fleet in world
history, more than 1900 vessels.
American men and women have
built more than 1900 ships since
early 1912 We have been shipping
war materials at rate of more
than 5000 tons an hour.
Most of our goods have been 60
ing to Europe. The great bulk will
now flow to Pacific bases. two and
three times as far from this coun-
try. The merchant fleet that work.
ed miracle in massing supplies
for D-Day will have an even more
stupendous job in transferring
fighting men and materials $4,000
miles from Europe to the Philip
pines.
There is no base for invasion op-
erations in the Pacificcomparable
with Britain, which was a vast
storehouse in Hitler's backyard.
The invasion of Normandy was on
ly 20-mile jump across the Eng
fish channel. 0kinawa, nearest
base to Hirohito's homeland, is 800
miles from southern Japan.
The shipping situation in tn e
Atlantic will be eased by ending
of the convoy system considerable
portion of the merchant fleet how.
ever will be required for carrying
food and other goods to the war.
torn countries of Europe. A vast
amount of military supplies in Eur.
ope will have to be recrated and
shipped to the Pacific.
Merchant Marine cargo ships
are being converted into troop car.
riers. About 100 speedy victory
ships are being altered to accom-
modate 1000 officers and men or
each vessel. These will be in add.
ton to 272 Liberty ships already
converted into troop ships.
Several shipyards are now build
ing special combat and cargo
ships for Pacific warfare. T h e
Maritime commission says these
vessels, in suitable combinations,
can undertake numerous military
tasks. The combat-cargo ships car
ry jeeps, bulldozers, landing craft
and other supplies needed by a
landing force.
When we entered the war, Of
ficers and men of the Merchant
Marine numbered about $4,000
More than 100000 now sail our
merchant ships. Many of them
have gone through "hell and hign
water to deliver the goods
Casualties recently were listed
as $500 dead and missing and SGT
prisoners of war. The Merchant
Marine does not keep a list of
wounded although they are esti-
mated at 10000 to 10000
The Merchant Marine distin-
guished service medal, presented
for outstanding heroism, has been