[CW] May 22 - National Maritime Day - White House Declaration 2020

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Thank you, President Trump for honoring the United States Merchant Marine
and the mariners who served there on MARITIME DAY, May 22, 2020. I received
my USCG Merchant Mariner's License as a radio officer, this date, in 1980,
40 years ago today. Little did I know then that just over three months
later was I to be involved in what has been called the greatest air-sea
rescue of all time with the rescue of Netherlands Antilles registered
Holland-America passenger ship "ms PRINSENDAM" in the Gulf of Alaska, all
535 passengers and crew were rescued safely without loss of life by
answering the SOS and later taking over the communications at the request
of the burning ship's radio officer, then sending three SOS relay calls and
controlling the SOS for the next 17 hours. An episode marked by outstanding
international cooperation between the various military branches of the USA
and Canada, the U.S. Merchant Marine, and foreign Merchant Navies.  The
Continuous Wave radiotelgraphy system on ships resulted in outstanding
communications, our signals were heard as far away as ZLB in New Zealand on
500 kHz Distress frequency using only a 60 watt battery emergency
transmitter as the keying in the ship's high power transmitter had failed
the day before and the temporary substitution of an engine room relay for a
keying relay had not been sufficient to restore it through the SOS.


The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2020

NATIONAL MARITIME DAY, 2020

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Since the founding of our great Nation, we have relied on merchant mariners
to deliver goods to market and strengthen our national security. On
National Maritime Day, we recognize the United States Merchant Marine for
all it does to facilitate our commerce and protect our interests at sea.

Our Nation's merchant mariners enable peaceful trade with countries around
the world and provide vital sealift support to our Armed Forces. Whether on
the ocean or our inland waterways, merchant mariners support our economy by
transporting billions of dollars of imported and exported goods. These men
and women also sail bravely into combat zones to deliver supplies and
weapons to our military men and women, playing a critical role in the
success of their mission.

This year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II,
we pay tribute to the United States merchant mariners who served as the
"Fourth Arm of Defense" for our Nation during the war. Earlier this year, I
was proud to sign into law long-overdue legislation to award the
Congressional Gold Medal to the valiant civilian merchant mariners who
maintained critical supply lines to our overseas troops and allies during
the Second World War. Many of these mariners endured brutal attacks from
German U-boats, and more than 6,000 of them perished at sea or were held as
prisoners of war. This number includes 142 students of the United States
Merchant Marine Academy -- distinguishing it as the only one of the five
service academies authorized to carry a battle standard.

As we remember the tremendous sacrifices of the World War II merchant
mariners, we also continue to honor the present‑day citizen mariners who
make up our Nation's world‑class Merchant Marine. Today, we pay tribute to
their expertise, patriotism, and dedication to serving our country and
ensuring our national security.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 20, 1933, has designated
May 22 of each year as "National Maritime Day" to commemorate the first
transoceanic voyage by a steamship in 1819 by the S.S. Savannah. By this
resolution, the Congress has authorized and requested the President to
issue annually a proclamation calling for its appropriate observance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim May 22, 2020, as National Maritime Day. I call
upon the people of the United States to mark this observance and to display
the flag of the United States at their homes and in their communities. I
also request that all ships sailing under the American flag dress ship on
that day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of
May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the Independence
of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.


DONALD J. TRUMP
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