Cadets’ Quarters

Cadets were students from one of several maritime academies who were in training to become deck, engineering, or radio officers. Part of their curriculum was a six-month period of practical training at sea, which meant sailing on an active merchant vessel, even during wartime.

The cadet’s education was handled by the ship’s officers who would sometimes test their resolve by assigning dirty or challenging tasks. An O’Brien cadet, Coleman Schneider, recalled a job that was both dirty and challenging; he was hoisted aloft to grease the ship’s rigging.

Because cadets sailed on merchant ships, they served in all theaters of the war and were often in harm’s way. The United States Merchant Marine was the only service that sent its academy cadets into war zones as part of their training. As a result, 142 cadets lost their lives during the Second World War.