What Are the Merchant Marines?
The U.S. Merchant Marines are the stuff of film and fiction, but not too many know about the real life duties of this venerable American institution. For example, although few realize that the Coast Guard is in fact an arm of U.S. military security, even those who know of the Merchant Marines do not realize that it is also, in effect, an important part of the American military strategy and a de facto part of the armed forces.
