I was watching your special on the Military Academies that you showed on Thursday June 14, 2007 and was greatly disappointed that you did not cover all five federal military academies that the United States has. The United States Merchant Marine Academy was not mentioned in your program. Although it is not as large as the other academies and does not receive funding from the department of defense (neither does US Coast Guard Academy after 9/11/01) it is still considered and operated like all the other military academies.
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy was created to train merchant officers to sail cargo and troops over seas during World War II. The US merchant marines had the highest death rate per capita of any of the arm services during WWII. The Germans were sinking ships faster than we could build and man them with competent crews. To answer this problem the U.S. set up many maritime academies around the nation to train sailors. It was not until September 30, 1944 that the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in King Point, New York was made permanent. After the war and the need for maritime officers was not as great the academy started to offer Bachelor of Science degrees to graduating midshipmen. Like all the other academies it takes four years to earn a degree, but unlike any of the other academies King Point teaches the same number of classes required for the degree in only three years. The forth year is spent out to sea on merchant and naval vessels around the globe. During their time enrolled at the Academy the midshipmen are required to spend 300 to 330 days out at sea, depending on their major, in order to receive their license when they graduate. Kings Point was also the first academy to admit women into the regiment in 1976 it was not until two years later in 1978 that any of the other academies allowed women in. Like the other academies there is a commitment after they graduate to repay Uncle Sam for their education. US Military Academy their cadets have to go active duty in the army for five years, the US Naval Academy has to go active duty in the navy for five years and so on. The midshipmen graduating from the US Merchant Marine Academy can go in active duty in any of the five armed services, the national oceanic and atmospheric association or sail for private industries moving cargo around on the water. Kings Point graduates must also keep their Coast Guard license for six years and work in the maritime industry for five years if they do not go active duty. If they choose to sail on their license then they must be a part of the US Naval Reserve for eight years after graduation.
During the sea year midshipmen will travel all over the world on many types of vessels to learn what it takes to be a ship’s officer first hand. During their journeys they will sail where ever the goods are needed. During WWII 142 midshipmen out on their sea year died due to enemy attacks, while countless others at the academy survived being torpedoed to tell the tail another day. Today 210 midshipmen have dies while out on their sea year just learning how to become an officer. There are many tails of midshipmen doing heroic deeds before falling victim to the North Atlantic. Cadet Edwin J. O’Hara after seeing his ship’s gun crew be killed from an enemy round ran to the gun turret and continued to fire shells at the two German ships attacking his own. Before he died he did enough damage to both ships to sink them as well, to become the only US sailor to sink German surface ships by the use of a deck gun. For every war after WWII the US Merchant Marine Academy has been sending midshipmen out to sea where ever they are needed. For this reason the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is the only academy in the U.S. to carry a battle standard. When Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard send their cadets out for experience they send them to units and ships that are conducting training, they never send their students in to harms way. Since a graduate can go active duty in any of the arm services during their sea year they can also choose to do a military internship. They can do anything that the other academies offer for their own cadets. Kings Point midshipmen have done internships on nuclear submarines, flown navy fighter jets, gone to jump school, and even mini BUD’s.
While most people have not heard of the US Merchant Marine Academy others do not consider it the same as the other Academies. Any one who has graduated or works at Kings Point will tell you different. They believe they belong in the same rank as West Point, Annapolis, Air Force and Coast Guard and strive to be better than other Academies.
