[yarddog]

They deserve respect for their service to their country but if merchant marine are not qualified, then they should not be either.

Merchant marine had to be an extremely dangerous job in the early years of the war.

[kiryandil]

Merchant marine had to be an extremely dangerous job in the early years of the war.

The fracking Murmansk run would have turned my hair white...

[98ZJ USMC]

Merchant marine had to be an extremely dangerous job in the early years of the war.

Very dangerous. You get torpedoed, in a convoy under orders not to stop?

That's all she wrote. Murmansk convoy?

Doesn't matter. You're in shock in 5 seconds, hypothermic in 15, dead in 30.

[PghBaldy]

In WWII, being in the Merchant Marine was more dangerous than any service.

[norton]

Bit of a difference guys; WASP stands for Woman Army Service Pilot while Merchant Marine stands for civilian sea man working for (civilian) wages. During WW2 Both operated at frequent risk to their life.

Both occupations called for loads of courage and skills not often found among the common folk.
I expect that the MM suffered notably higher casualty rates than did WASPs and would not deny them an honored place in history. But the ladies wore the uniform, for peanut wages, all volunteers, and all challenging accepted stereotypes. They did it without GI or union benefits when they mustered out and likely suffered some degree of social stigma for making Rosie the Riveter look like a punk in the process.

Give them their due!