Battleship North Carolina program highlights WWII merchant mariners’ service
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — What was it like to sail unarmed into a war zone during World War II? A special program aboard the Battleship North Carolina will explore that question by spotlighting the dangerous and often overlooked service of the U.S. Merchant Marines.
On Wednesday, May 20 at 6 p.m., the Battleship North Carolina Memorial, a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, will present “Between Ports and Peril: The American Merchant Marine in World War II” in the ship’s Wardroom. The program will be led by Dr. Jay Martin, executive director of the Battleship North Carolina Memorial.
The presentation will examine the critical role Merchant Mariners played in transporting troops, fuel, ammunition, and supplies across hostile waters during WWII. Sailing without weapons and under constant threat from submarines, mines, and aerial attacks, these civilian mariners endured extreme danger to sustain Allied operations around the world.
“Most people don’t realize just how perilous this work was,” Dr. Martin said. “Merchant Mariners crossed oceans carrying the supplies that kept the war effort alive, knowing every voyage could place them directly in harm’s way. Their service demanded tremendous courage and resilience.”
Through historical accounts and discussion, the program will highlight daily life aboard merchant vessels and the essential contributions these mariners made to Allied victory. The event also coincides with National Maritime Day, observed annually on May 22 to honor the maritime industry and the legacy of the U.S. Merchant Marine.
The program will take place aboard the Battleship at 1 Battleship Road in Wilmington. Admission is $5 with advance registration, $8 at the door, and free for Friends Members. Reservations can be made on the organization’s website.
