Merchant Mariner Serves as Grand Marshal

From the May 30th Saginaw (Mi) News "World War II merchant mariner is Saginaw's first Memorial Day grand marshal" by Eric Joyce.

Louis LePan, 83 will take his place as first-ever grand marshal in the annual parade in Saginaw, Michigan, today. Every year, he places flags on the graves of veterans in local cemeteries, but this year, he will get an honor.

LePan served as a member of the Merchant Marines who were tasked with delivering the supplies of war so necessary for the eventual victory on the battlefield and at sea. Unfortunately, the Merchant Marine is just beginning to receive the honors they earned.

Many people don't know about the U-boat war that took place off the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts where many cargo vessels were lost. It was bad enough to be in a ship carrying supplies, but even worse if it had ammunition or fuel aboard. Definitely one of the last places you'd want to be when a torpedo struck or a surfaces U-boat opened fire.

According to Mr. LePan, "Wherever they needed supplies, the Merchant marine carried them."

At age 16, LePan joined in December 1944, near the end of the war. he had been a deckhand on Great Lakes freighters before that (kind of young). He first sailed aboard the tanker Gulfwing transporting aviation fuel from New York City to New Orleans. Later, he was on the Liberty Ship Thomas Rusk carrying airplane equipment and ammunition from Seattle to Pearl Harbor and then to Chile for a load of zinc nitrate for fuel oil.

He served in the galley and was a member of a gun crew at battle stations. But, he admits "We didn't get shot at 'cause the war was about over when I got into it.

For his service, he received three awards and commendations and an honorable discharge.

However, the Merchant Marine, until fairly recently, was not considered to be active duty veterans and as such were not eligible for many services and honors accorded to other veterans.

It's About Time. Congratulations Mr. LaPan. --Cooter