Wichita in Sedgwick County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
United States Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II
1941 - 1945
— In Peace and War —
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
1. USMM Veterans of World War II Memorial (Side A)
In memory of those who plied the North Atlantic routes, the Murmansk run, the Invasions of N. Africa, Italy, Normandy, Philippines, Okinawa and every other major Invasion around the Globe.
Recruited as an all volunteer group to man 3,640 new ships in addition to the 1800+ ships and crews already supplying England and Russia. 92% of all gasoline, oil, ammunition, bombs and other necessities of life were supplied to every American Fighting Front around the world by USMM ships.
Casualty rate was 0.1% below the Marine Corps. Normal ratio killed to wounded was 1 to 2.3. USMM ratio was 3.46 to 1.
866 ships sunk or damaged.
609 crewmen taken POW with 54 dying in prison camps.
Side B
Kansans Died at Sea
Wilford A. Bailey • Louis D. Bobbitt • Abe Ediger • George E. Guilford • Norman Hanson • John C. Preston • Glen C. Schmoker • Orville Starlin, Jr. • Emory N. Veatch • Ralph E. Wilkinson
Kansans POW
Joseph D. Hebble, Jr.
Wounded
Glen E. Trimble
USMM Highest Decoration
Richard G. Matthieson (DSM)
Edwin J. O'Hare (DSM)
Regional Mariners of WWII who made this memorial possible
[Honor Roll not transcribed]
Erected
this page online
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: War, World II • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 37° 41.417′ N, 97° 20.709′ W. Marker is in Wichita, Kansas, in Sedgwick County. Monument is in Veterans Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 339 North Greenway, Wichita KS 67202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. USN Armed Guard (here, next to this marker); Fleet Marine Force Navy Hospital Corpsmen (a few steps from this marker); Marine Corps Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Dorado SS (248) (a few steps from this marker); U.S. Submariners On Eternal Patrol Since World War II (a few steps from this marker); MK-14 Submarine Torpedo (a few steps from this marker); Kansas Korean War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Vietnam War and Homefront Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wichita.
Regarding United States Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II. The contributor remembers and honors his two uncles, Wendell Brown and Robert Zimmerman of Pennsylvania, who performed convoy duty as Merchant Mariners on Liberty Ships during World War II.
Also see . . .
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
2. USMM Veterans of World War II Memorial (Side B)
1. U.S. Merchant Marine in World War II. (Submitted on June 23, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Veterans Memorial Park of Wichita. (Submitted on June 23, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
3. USMM Veterans of World War II Memorial
Credits. This page was last revised on September 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 23, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 702 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 23, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
