American Merchant Marine Veterans - AMMV

09/30/2026

✍🏼 To Congress: 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐙𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 ⚓️ 🇺🇸

American merchant mariners have sailed in support of U.S. armed forces during wars and military operations. American Merchant Marine Veterans - AMMV is urging Congress to formally recognize qualifying mariners as veterans.

In a September 20 letter to lawmakers, (see below 👇🏼 ) AMMV called for an amendment to the pending SHIPS for America Act covering mariners who served honorably in declared U.S. war zones or directly supported military operations and received qualifying Maritime Administration - MARAD service medals. Those medals include the 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙆𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙡, 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙑𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙣𝙖𝙢 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙈𝙚𝙙𝙖𝙡. 🏅 🥇 🎖️

AMMV further recommends that qualifying Merchant Mariners receive burial and cemetery rights equivalent to those previously established by Congress for Merchant Mariners under Section 402 of the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-368; 112 Stat. 3336).”

That law established eligibility for specified burial benefits and interment in national cemeteries for World War II Merchant Marine veterans.

Mariners covered under the SHIPS Act should likewise be eligible for burial in national cemeteries and receive appropriate recognition for their service to the United States, AMMV says.

“American Merchant Mariners have repeatedly sailed in direct support of the U.S. Armed Forces during wars, armed conflicts, national emergencies, and expeditionary operations,” AMMV writes.

“Designating Merchant Mariners who served in war zones as United States veterans would recognize that service while reinforcing the recruitment, retention, morale, esprit de corps, and national-recognition objectives of the United States Merchant Marine Career Retention Program.”

Section 606 of the SHIPS for America Act establishes the United States Merchant Marine Career Retention Program to help ensure that a maritime workforce of sufficient size is ready and available to crew strategic sealift vessels during periods of national defense or national emergency.

Recognition of Merchant Mariners who have already served the Nation in war zones and military operations is consistent with that objective.

AMMV is asking members of Congress to incorporate mariners’ designation as veterans into Section 606 of the act as it moves through Congress.

09/18/2026

The AMMV News Fall 2026 edition is at the printer and should be in your mailbox in early October.

Not a member yet? Join here: https://ammv.us/member-at-large/

If you are a former member and want to re-join, or if you are/were a member and are not receiving the magazine, chances are your dues have lapsed. Please contact our National Office at [email protected]

09/11/2026

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years ago today, they began their shifts as mariners—and finished them as front-line heroes.

The Maritime Trades Department recently spoke with members of the Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL-CIO — including New York Waterway captains and senior deckhands who helped evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from Lower Manhattan following the September 11 attacks.

Their courage reflects the finest traditions of the American Merchant Marine: answering the call and serving others when they were needed most.

The following article from the SIU-affiliated Maritime Trades Department has been lightly edited for local style. “There was no way out of the city.… The tr ...

09/10/2026

https://wjla.com/news/local/v-j-day-ceremony-at-ww2-memorial-honors-legacy-of-courage-duty-and-sacrifice

81 years after Japan formally surrendered to the United States, ending World War II, veterans and visitors gathered at the National World War II Memorial.

09/09/2026

SAVE THE DATE 📆
Announcing our next !

June 9-13th, 2027 in South Carolina!!

Registration details coming soon.

09/09/2026

WATCH: USA Warrior Stories producer Ross Rowlinson and Richard Payne talk about iconic “Firemen Raising the Flag” at Ground Zero on 9/11 image, maritime rescue efforts, remembrance, and honoring first responders and victims for the 25th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack in New York.

https://usawarriorstories.org/watch/9-11-flag

09/03/2026

OPERATION BOATLIFT ⚓️🇺🇸

Twenty-five years ago this week, as the attacks of September 11th, 2001, unfolded, hundreds of thousands of people attempting to evacuate Lower Manhattan found themselves trapped.

Bridges and tunnels were closed. Roads were gridlocked. With few ways off the island, the call went out across the harbor for “all available boats.”

The maritime community answered.

Tugboats, ferries, sightseeing vessels, government craft and private boats—crewed by merchant mariners and civilian volunteers—converged on Manhattan’s waterfront.

Working together with little warning or preparation, they evacuated an estimated 500,000 people by water in less than nine hours.

Known today as Operation Boatlift, it became the largest maritime evacuation in history—surpassing even the evacuation of Dunkirk.

On this 25th anniversary of September 11th, the American Merchant Marine Veterans remembers the mariners who answered the call and the extraordinary role the maritime community plays when our nation needs it most.

We will never forget.

09/03/2026

In case you missed it, here's AMMV's recap of Memorial Day 2026 at the Arlington National Cemetery. We'll be back at it for Veterans Day! !

Arlington National CemeteryMay 25, 2026Interviews with Captain A...

09/02/2026

AMMV recently helped Tom Cavallo celebrate his big 100th birthday! !