Maritime Service or U.S. Merchant Marine?
The United States Maritime Service was by law the official training organization for the U.S. Merchant Marine. It trained men for the U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S. Army Transport Service to transport supplies and personnel in the largest fleet of freighters, tankers, and transports in history to bases all over the world for U.S. and Allied forces. Men at the fronts depended on this important service for bombs, gasoline, shells, ammunition, food, guns, vehicles, planes, medicine, and other materials for warfare. When training ended the person was “released from active duty” in the Maritime Service and went to sea in the Merchant Marine. Today the Maritime Service exists only in the Maritime Academies. U.S.
