Commander's Perspective

Honoring our shipmates worldwide

This World War II-era poster features a merchant mariner and is one of many designed by the United States to recruit able-bodied men at sea. Mariners have been defending U.S. freedom since the late 1700s.

If you don't recognize those lines as the opening chorus of the Merchant Mariners Hymn, listen up — I've got a story to tell you.

In April 1775, news of the battles at Concord and Lexington reached Machias, Maine, just as citizens were anxiously awaiting long-needed supplies from Boston.

When the sloops Unity and Polly arrived carrying these supplies, they were escorted by the British armed schooner Margaretta.

The escort's job was to see that, in exchange for the supplies, lumber was taken back to Boston to build barracks for British soldiers.

The British demanded all citizens sign a petition promising to protect British property at all times in exchange for the right to buy supplies. This did not sit well with the many citizens who were opposed to aiding the British war effort.

The rebels decided to strip the two sloops of the supplies and at the same time to capture British Capt. Ichabod Jones and his officers after they attended church services. The British fled on the Margaretta as patriots lined the shore demanding it "Surrender to America!" The reply they heard was, "Fire and be damned!"

Dawn was just breaking over Machias Bay a few days later as 40 seafarers armed with guns, swords, axes and pitchforks sailed with revolutionary firebrand Jeremiah O'Brien on the commandeered sloop, Unity. As they quietly passed the lee side of Round Island, the Margaretta attempted to fire on the unarmed Unity, but Unity was too close.

O'Brien commanded his crew to ram the British ship, then board and engage in hand-to-hand combat. By the end of an hour, the British captain was mortally wounded, and the British ship had surrendered.

O'Brien and Unity's crew of Maine seafarers claimed four double fortified three-pounders [cannon], 14 swivel guns and several smaller guns. Unity had become a warship for the soon-to-be proclaimed United States of America in this, considered to be the first, sea engagement of the Revolutionary War.

It was the beginning of the American merchant mariners' service to our nation, but not the last time they would venture in harm's way for the ideals of freedom and democracy.

Now, I know heroes are usually associated with men in uniform, carrying weapons and marching off to war.

But you and I know that there are, and always have been, heroes who don't wear a uniform, or even work directly for the government — America's unsung heroes — America's merchant mariners.

Last month, we honored our merchant mariner shipmates for the sacrifices they have made throughout our nation's history. National Maritime Day is set aside each year on May 22 to highlight the spirit and unique strength that merchant mariners bring to the fight for freedom and democracy around the globe.

Many of our merchant mariner shipmates have paid the ultimate price over the past 232 years. They have willingly gone in harm's way to preserve our rights as a freedom-loving people. They have never shied away from the call of honor, courage and commitment, serving in every U.S. war since our country began.

After Unity, it was civilian mariner crewed Hannah, the first ship commissioned by the Continental Congress to go up against the might of the British navy in 1775. And they prevailed, capturing an armed British ship in short order.

Since then, America's merchant mariners have been the backbone of our nation's maritime service, especially in war.

During the long years of the Revolutionary War, more than 11,000 mariners died in service to our fledgling nation. They were the first, but they would not be the last.

The War of 1812 was fought because of the merchant marine. British warships were seizing American vessels on the high seas and forcing seamen to join the British navy or British merchant fleet. Because the United States had few Navy vessels, the war was fought with merchant ships. American privateers captured nearly $40 million worth of enemy shipping.

In 1847, during the Mexican-American War, America's merchant mariners participated in the first U.S. Army invasion of a foreign territory by sea. Both sides in the Civil War used merchant mariners and privateers, having almost no navies of their own. Even the Spanish-American War in the late 1800s required the use of merchant ships, not only for troop transport, but for collier duty as the Navy fleet transitioned to steam power and the use of coal to fire the boilers.

From 1915 to 1918, more than 700 merchant ships were damaged or sunk by enemy surface raiders and U-boats as we fought the first great world war. In the dark of night on Aug. 13, 1918, aboard steamship Frederick B. Kellogg, a 7,127-ton tanker carrying much needed fuel to American forces in Europe, the watch gave the dreaded cry, "Torpedo!"

The helmsman threw the rudder hard over, but the speed of the lumbering ship was no match for the speeding torpedo. Twelve miles north of the Barnegat Light off the New Jersey coast, seven mariners were killed and one was wounded as a German submarine claimed another U.S. ship.

In World War II, merchant mariners faced untold dangers from submarines, mines, armed raiders, enemy destroyers and aircraft, and the forbidding weather of the North Atlantic.

More than 9,500 were lost in that great conflict — almost four percent of the 243,000 who served. Only the U.S. Marine Corps had a higher casualty rate.

Of all who went to sea in the defense of America — who rode the "floating bombs" that carried 100- octane aviation gas and other fuels, who stood the watch in Torpedo Alley, who stared helplessly over the rail as other ships in the convoy went up in flames and down with all aboard — of all those who went to sea to defend this great nation, one in 26 did not come home.

Yet, through it all, America's mariners stayed on course, carrying the desperately needed supplies and equipment meant for our forces in Europe, Asia and the Pacific. And, through it all, the mariners held true to the motto: We deliver!

It's been the same ever since, from Korea to Vietnam, from Haiti to Kosovo, and from Afghanistan to Iraq.

Today, Military Sealift Command is the world's largest employer of U.S. merchant mariners. The men and women who have taken up this legacy serve aboard our ships on every ocean.

I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting USNS Bridge's bosun recently, who served in the Navy from 1950 to 1959, seeing action in Korea. When he left the Navy, he went to work for UPS, where he broke the color barrier, becoming the first African American to drive a truck for them. Then, in 1979, he came to work for MSC. He's been with us ever since, and he's proud of that. I'm proud of him and the youthful spirit he brings to MSC — and he is celebrating his 70th birthday this year!

We are engaged in the ongoing global war on terrorism, fighting a sometimes unseen enemy on a battlefront that is everywhere. And we'll win this fight, as we have before, with the help of our merchant mariners.

They'll hold high the torch of freedom around the world because they're U.S. merchant mariners. And because they're U.S. merchant mariners, they'll deliver. Period.

Keep the faith!

Robert D. Reilly Jr.
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy
Commander, Military Sealift Command