World War II Merchant Mariners Honored with Congressional Gold Medal
On Wednesday, May 18, 2022 the Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to the U.S. Merchant Marines of World War II, who played crucial roles in the county’s war effort. Veterans of the Merchant Marines risked life and limb to deliver critical supplies to U.S. forces.
Presenting the award were Nancy Pelosi (speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives), Mitch McConnell (Minority Leader of the United States Senate), House Republican Leader and Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Representatives John Garamendi and Joe Courtney.
“[President Franklin D. Roosevelt] called their mission the most difficult and dangerous transportation job ever undertaken,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said at the ceremony, which was held in the Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol and attended by congressional and military leaders. The National Statuary Hall is a chamber in the U.S. Capitol devoted to sculptures of prominent Americans.
A throw blanket was displayed during the ceremony. The blanket depicts a painting titled Vigorous Victory flanked by images of the Congressional Gold Medal and the American flag. Vigorous Victory is a painting by Joey Lowenstein; painted in June 2021, it honors the U.S. Merchant Mariners and Joey’s father Norman Lowenstein.
More on the World War II Merchant Mariners here: www.JoeyLowensteinFoundation.org/story/merchant-mariners
The Joey Lowenstein Family Foundation
The Joey Lowenstein Family Foundation — For more information about the Joey Lowenstein Family Foundation and Joey’s Paintings, see: www.JoeyLowensteinFoundation.org/joeys-paintings
