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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 770 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3505
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Patricia A. Haddad
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
resolve:
Resolve relative to recognition for the naval armed guard service.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Patricia A. Haddad5th Bristol1/17/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 770 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3505
By Representative Haddad of Somerset, a petition (accompanied by resolve, House, No. 3505) of
Patricia A. Haddad relative to recognition for the Naval Armed Guard Service. Veterans and
Federal Affairs.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3659 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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Resolve relative to recognition for the naval armed guard service.
1 Resolved, 1.) The Great and General Court of Massachusetts, hereby Resolves that we
2recognize the service of the naval personnel who served in the Naval Armed Guard Service and
3expresses its appreciation, and the appreciation of the American people, for the dedicated service
4performed during World War I and World War II by members of the Navy assigned as gun
5crews on board merchant ships as part of the Naval Armed Guard Service.
6 2.) The Navy established a special force during both World War I and World War II,
7known as the Naval Armed Guard Service, to protect merchant ships of the United States from
8enemy attack by stationing members of the Navy and weapons on board those ships.
9 3.) Members of the Naval Armed Guard Service served on 6,236 merchant ships during
10World War II, of which 710 were sunk by enemy action. 2 of 2
11 4.) Over 144,900 members of the Navy served in the Naval Armed Guard Service during
12World War II as officers, gun crewmen, signalmen, and radiomen, of whom 1,810 were killed in
13action.
14 5.) The efforts of the members of the Naval Armed Guard Service played a significant
15role in the safe passage of United States merchant ships to their destinations in the Soviet Union
16and various locations in western Europe and the Pacific Theater.
17 6.) The efforts of the members of the Navy who served in the Naval Armed Guard
18Service have been largely overlooked due to the rapid disbanding of the service after World War
19II and lack of adequate records.