Marion Pellicano Ambrose
Dedicated to my father, Lieutenant JG William F. Cunningham ,USMM
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 30 in 2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. For many years, one of the services, the one that held the record for the highest casualties during WWII, was totally forgotten and unappreciated. That service was the United States Merchant Marines.
The Merchant Marine is a civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Navy, but not a uniformed service, except in times of war when, in accordance with the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, mariners are considered military personnel. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law granting veteran status to merchant mariners who served in war. Prior to such legislation, they did not receive veteran's benefits.
