The United States Merchant Marine consists of U.S. Civilian mariners crewing federally owned merchant vessels which operate in both the public and private commerce and transport sectors. In wartime, the Merchant Marine operates as an auxillary to the United States Navy, used to transport troops and materiel to combat zones.
Most famously, they proved critical to Allied war efforts during World War II. Braving the sub-infested waters of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the sailors of the U.S. Merchant Marine delivered the supplies necessary to keep up the fight against the Axis Powers. Their trips, however, came at an immense cost. During the Second World War, Mariners suffered the highest casualty rates of any branch, with one in every twenty-six losing their life in service.
Post World-War II, the U.S. Merchant Marine has continued to be a critical piece of U.S. Armed Forces operations in nearly every major conflict, continuing to transport supplies and equipment to American personnel serving abroad.
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