World War II United States Merchant Navy was the largest civilian Navy in the world, which operated during World War II. With the United States fighting a world war in all the world oceans, the demand for cargo and fuel was very high. Cargo and fuel was needed around the world for the United States Navy, United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Army Air Forces, United States Coast Guard and the support of the allied nations of the United States.[1][2] American steamship companies chartered ships from the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration to meet the demand. Many United States Merchant Marine ships were newly built in the Emergency Shipbuilding Program, other ships were older World War I ships that were put back in service, or private ships acquired under Emergency war requisitions. The Merchant Navy operated in the Pacific War and European war.[3][4] Over 200 US Merchant ships took part in the D-day Normandy landings. To make a Normandy breakwater Harbor, called Mulberry harbour, 33 merchant ships were sunk 1,000 yards from shore. Some of the ghosts merchant ships used were damaged and others were deemed too old.[5][6][7]
- ^ "American Merchant Marine in World War 2". www.usmm.org. Archived from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2022-06-20.
- ^ American merchant ships at War
- ^ UN Navy, Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil, The Story of Fleet Logistics Afloat in the Pacific During World War II
- ^ "Supplying Victory: The History of Merchant Marine in World War II". The National WWII Museum | New Orleans. 7 February 2022.
- ^ "American Merchant Marine Ships at Normandy in June 1944". www.usmm.org.
- ^ "U.S. Ships Sunk or Damaged in Murmansk Run, Normandy, Northeast Atlantic, Northern European ports". www.usmm.org.
- ^ ibiblio.org, U.S. Merchant Marine at War