Berta

[grent]

BERTA :

MY FATHER WAS A MERCHANT MARINER DURING WORLD WAR II.

HE WENT TO THE MARITIME SCHOOL

HE DIED IN 70'S FROM ATHREROSCLEROSIS OF CORONARY ARTERIES

BACK IN 1980 THE US GOVERNMENT ISSUED ME A DD 214 AS THEY DID FOR ALL THE MERCHANT MARINES

IS THEIR ANY WAY I CAN FILE FOR DIC AS A CHILD OVER 18 COMPLETELY HELPLESS

MY CURRENT RATING WITH THE VA IS 100% SCHEDULER SMC R2 HAS BEEN DENIED AND APPEALED

HOW COULD I PROVE HIS DEATH WAS SERVICE CONNECTED SINCE THEIR ARE NO MEDICAL RECORDS

SINCE THEIR ARE NO MEDICAL RECORDS CAN I JUST CLAIM BENEFIT OF DOUBT ITS ONLY $488 A MONTH I WOULD GET ANY WAY

WOULD AN IMO FROM DR BASH DO IT I DONT KNOW HOW TO PROVE MY FATHERS DEATH WAS SERVICE RELATED

ANY THOUGHTS HERE US GOV DID KEEP RECORDS ON THE MERCHANT MARINES

[grent]

BERTA :

MY FATHER WAS A MERCHANT MARINER DURING WORLD WAR II.

HE WENT TO THE MARITIME SCHOOL

HE DIED IN 70'S FROM ATHREROSCLEROSIS OF CORONARY ARTERIES

BACK IN 1980 THE US GOVERNMENT ISSUED ME A DD 214 AS THEY DID FOR ALL THE MERCHANT MARINES

IS THEIR ANY WAY I CAN FILE FOR DIC AS A CHILD OVER 18 COMPLETELY HELPLESS

MY CURRENT RATING WITH THE VA IS 100% SCHEDULER SMC R2 HAS BEEN DENIED AND APPEALED

HOW COULD I PROVE HIS DEATH WAS SERVICE CONNECTED SINCE THEIR ARE NO MEDICAL RECORDS

SINCE THEIR ARE NO MEDICAL RECORDS CAN I JUST CLAIM BENEFIT OF DOUBT ITS ONLY $488 A MONTH I WOULD GET ANY WAY

WOULD AN IMO FROM DR BASH DO IT I DONT KNOW HOW TO PROVE MY FATHERS DEATH WAS SERVICE RELATED

ANY THOUGHTS HERE US GOV DID KEEP RECORDS ON THE MERCHANT MARINES

FORGOT ONE THING SO I WILL REPLY TO MYSELF ON MY DADS DD 214 IT SHOWS HIS COMBAT MEDALS LIKE:

ATLANTIC WAR ZONE BAR

MEDITERANEAN MIDDLE EAST WAR ZONE BAR

MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR WITH STARS

PLUS THE SOVIET UNION SENT ME THEIR VERSION 1 MEDAL FOR THE MURMANSK AND ARCHANGEL RUN

I DONT KNOW IF I CAN PROVE ONE OF HIS SHIPS WAS SUNK OR NOT

HOW COULD I PROVE THAT HEART ATTACK WAS SERVICE RELATED OR WHATEVER IT IS HE DIED FROM

I LOOKED IT THE ARTHROSCLEROSIS AND IT IS AN ACCEPTED DISEASE BY THE VA IF TIS SERVICE C ONNECTED

I SAW A POST WHERE SOME ONE USED BASH TO WRITE AN IMO FOR THE SANE THING BUT IT DID NOT STATE

WHAT THE END RESULT WAS

ANY THOUGHTS BERTA?? THANKS

[bobbyq]

FORGOT ONE THING SO I WILL REPLY TO MYSELF ON MY DADS DD 214 IT SHOWS HIS COMBAT MEDALS LIKE:

ATLANTIC WAR ZONE BAR

MEDITERANEAN MIDDLE EAST WAR ZONE BAR

MERCHANT MARINE COMBAT BAR WITH STARS

PLUS THE SOVIET UNION SENT ME THEIR VERSION 1 MEDAL FOR THE MURMANSK AND ARCHANGEL RUN

I DONT KNOW IF I CAN PROVE ONE OF HIS SHIPS WAS SUNK OR NOT

HOW COULD I PROVE THAT HEART ATTACK WAS SERVICE RELATED OR WHATEVER IT IS HE DIED FROM

I LOOKED IT THE ARTHROSCLEROSIS AND IT IS AN ACCEPTED DISEASE BY THE VA IF TIS SERVICE C ONNECTED

I SAW A POST WHERE SOME ONE USED BASH TO WRITE AN IMO FOR THE SANE THING BUT IT DID NOT STATE

WHAT THE END RESULT WAS

ANY THOUGHTS BERTA?? THANKS

Try this site:

http://www.usmm.org/murmanskships.html

http://www.usmm.org/

I have found both of these useful and they contain a lot of information, Good Luck, Q

[Berta]

VA benftis eligibility for Merchant Marines is found here:

"Eligibility for VA benefits is based on statutory and

regulatory provisions that define an individual's legal

status as a "veteran of active military, naval or air

service." See 38 U.S.C.A. § 101(2), (24); 38 C.F.R. §§

3.1(d), 3.6. In addition, laws and regulations provide that

certain individuals and groups are considered to have

performed active military, naval, or air service for purposes

of VA benefits. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.7.

Under Public Law No. 95-202, § 401, 91 Stat. 1433, 1449-50

(Nov. 23, 1977) [P.L. 95-202], the service of certain groups

who rendered service to the Armed Forces of the United States

shall be considered "active duty for the purposes of all

laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs" if

the Secretary of Defense designates the group for such

consideration based upon the factors listed in the statute.

The Secretary of Defense delegated these determinations to

the Secretary of the Air Force, whose determinations can be

found under 38 C.F.R. § 3.7. 38 U.S.C.A. §106.

Under 38 C.F.R. § 3.7, active military service for

individuals in the American Merchant Marine includes only

oceangoing service during periods of armed conflict from

December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945. 38 C.F.R. §

3.7(x)(15). Also, United States Merchant Seamen who served

on blockade ships in support of Operation Mulberry during

World War II and American Merchant Marines who were in

Oceangoing Service during the period of armed conflict from

December 7, 1941, through August 15, 1945, are considered to

have had active service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.7(x)(14), (15)."

A helpless child is defined within M21-1 Part IV Para 15.02

15.02- the biological,step,adopted child of a veteran who became -before the age of 18 "permanently incapable of self support."

If the "helpless child" is granted any VA benefits under that criteria and then marries,becomes employed, or is somehow capable of self support.

I do not see how you could consider yourself as a helpless child.

Because I am assuming that you joined the service with no pre existing condition and gained a pay check from the Mil.-if not prior to age 18, at least after it-and I also assume that no doctor declared you totally incapable of self support anyhow-these are only assumptions-

Still I feel the only person who could make a legitimate DIC claim here would be the veteran's wife if she is still alive.

Then again- with no medical records available and the possibility that your dad did not fit into the above benefit criteria for Merchant Marines-

I do not see how his death could be service connected.