WWII Merchant Marine Veterans 'Storm The Hill'

Published Jun 23, 2015 9:09 AM by The Maritime Executive

Morris Harvey, National President of American Merchant Marine Veterans organized a ‘Storm The Hill’ team that went to Washington D.C. last week to educate our lawmakers and to generate support for HR 563 and Maritime TV was there to feature them in a video interview.

HR 563 recognizes the service of each and every WWII Merchant Mariner and awards eligible Mariners who never received GI Bill benefits, a onetime payment of $25,000.00. Click here to view the Maritime TV interview .

Ranging in age 87 to 95, the ‘Storm The Hill’ team spent three full days, June 16-18, in 85-90 degree heat making their way between Capitol Hill office buildings to seek the support of senators and congressional representatives across the political spectrum. The ‘Storm The Hill’ team features Morris Harvey from Florida; Charles Mills from Texas; Clinton Quirk from Nevada; Eugene Garner from Kansas and Gabriel Frank from New York.

As of Friday June 12 there were 15 co-signers for HR 563. The ‘Storm The Hill’ team is appealing to everyone in the industry to contact their congressperson and ask that they co-sign HR 563 to assure passage of this overdue legislation. Less than 5,000 of these WWII Mariners are still alive.

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