Military experts, I have a question ! [closed]

Question

American Merchant Marines during World War 2

If their ship was sunk by a German U-Boat, are the sailors military or civilian casualties?

Answer 1

I am not sure about this one Eddie although the U.S Merchant Marine's suffered the highest rate of casualties of any service in World War II there were 1,554 ships sunk. I will see what I can find out Terry

Comments

Thanks. My Korean War Vet Edward Benfold, his father died in 1942 when his ship was torpedoed.

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I ask someone who knows more about this than I do she said to be a military casualty.. the person must be military.. otherwise they are civilian casualties caused by a military action.

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Do you have templates for the Merchant Marines?

Medals awarded

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awards_and_decorations_of_the_United_States_Merchant_Marine

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My father was in the UK merchant navy, they were as far as I know civilians but at the same time  the British sailors were awarded medals for service and bravery. (Not sure about the the USA), according to Wikipedia,  members of the UK merchant navy have won the Victoria Cross, this is the equivalent to the USA Medal of Honor.

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No we don't because all our projects are all military. You could ask about someone starting a project ?

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Just to add the eligibility for  the award of VC to the merchant Navy was(is?) not without controversy I don't know about more recently but until at least the end of WW1  their recipients were given a retrospective commission in the Royal Naval reserve , this artifice made them eligible for the award. The 2 VCs mentioned on the Wikipedia Merchant Navy  article (Frederick Parslowe and Archibald Bissett-Smith) both quietly received backdated commissions as Lieutenants in the Reserve.

http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/indexing-merchant-navy-crew-lists-agreements/