As a veteran of World War II as a merchant mariner, I am appalled by the action of John Cyprian, Butler County veterans services director, and now his executive secretary, Joyce Myers.

Myers' letter, "Panel's decisions correct," was published in the Butler Eagle on July 22.

Cyprian sent e-mails to all township supervisors in the county — 10 pages, with a booklet of veterans' rights. In this e-mail, he asked for assistance in keeping the non-recognition of mariners as he has determined — that is, on the back of the Butler County World War II Memorial, along with employees who helped as private citizens.

Nowhere did he mention that we were sailors and warriors, being vulnerable from the time we left U.S. ports until returning.

How can an employee of this county carry so much weight that he and his picked committee ignore the precedent the federal government set when it built the Washington, D.C., World War II Memorial? On that memorial, the mariners are listed with the other five services.

Cyprian repeatedly declares we are not mariners but, instead, Coast Guard. How could he be so wrong? We sailed, fought, delivered supplies and troops, and were in invasions on all fronts, taking orders from the Navy.

Our ship records are kept in Coast Guard files. But the Coast Guard monitored our voyages for records purposes only.

Meanwhile, our county commissioners have chosen not to have a meeting with Cyprian in an open forum with the mariners.

In his e-mail to township supervisors, Cyprian took the additional step of his power over the commissioners by alleging that we mariners did not present our position correctly. He urged the supervisors to not listen to our cause.

That was an idiotic step on Cyprian's part, as an employee of the county.