Certain items of information are expected to be included in US Navy ships’ logs—ship’s location, connection to pier, material condition, condition of readiness, other ships present, source of power, location of SOPA—and there are only so many ways this limited set of items can be made to rhyme while pertaining to a Navy ship. The team at Midwatch in Verse Project are currently examining New Year’s deck log poems from the post-WWII period through the Vietnam era as a follow-up to our work on deck log poems written during WWII. Working with US Navy poems has been a joy, but there has been one small fly in the ointment. After reading literally ten thousand New Year’s logs from over a thousand US naval ships, we have found that the repetitive nature of the rhymes can become mind numbing. A reader of a thousand New Year’s logs might see hundreds of nearly identical rhymes.

There is, however, a payoff. Just as our eyes are beginning to cross from reading the same, or very similar, lines again and again, we are surprised by something new. A young OOD writes a delightful spoof of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven,” or the poet offers a refreshing twist to one of those required rhymes that makes us smile and renews our appreciation of the creative human being wielding the pen. Each time it happens, we return to the deck log poems with renewed interest.

The examples of deck log poems offered below are generally organized around the elements required in a US Navy deck log. But first up we have one of the more creative elements of many deck log poems—the poet’s lament at having to write the log in verse.

Poetic Complaints

It is not unusual for the poem to open with a complaint about having to write the log in verse. Often the poet will use the word “rhyme” to create the rhyme itself. Lt. Ed Night, USN, serving on USS Grouper (AGSS 214), offered the following:

“Oh boy, I hate to make words rhyme
(I’m glad we don’t do this all the time).”

Ensign R. N. Willis, USNR, on USS Gwin (DM 33) in 1957, offered a more extended complaint, seemingly aware of the potential for boring his readers. [Line break markers added for clarity]

“While standing watch it came to me / what I may devise in poetry / for every New Years Eve, it seems / the OOD can fulfill his dreams. / His dreams of course, to do away / with boring terms used every day, / so now, maties, I will attempt / to say the things I’ve always “dreamt”.

Ensign F. E. Clark showed a touch of humor in his complaint on USS Claud Jones (DE 1033).

“Before I attempt this bit of rhyme,
Let me say I “ain’t” no poet;
And before we’re through with these few lines,
You won’t need a degree to know it.”

Sometimes the complaint refers to the fact that the writer has duty on New Year’s Eve. Here is the complaint by Lt. J. W. Wooster III, USNR, USS Hissem (DER 400).

“On New Year Day in sixty two,
The Hissem watch is cold and blue,
Our crew’s in Newport to have fun,
While we’re here portside to pier one.”

Ship’s Location

When the opening lines in a deck log poem do not complain about having to write poetry, most begin, as Lt Wooster did, by giving the ship’s location, including the port, pier, and berth. In this case, the word “pier” or the name or number of the berth are quite often used to create the rhyme. Lt.j.g. H. E. Longshore, SC USN, on USS Manatee (AO 58) observes,

“At Long Beach, California we bring in the New Year,
With our mooring lines doubled, portside to nine pier.”

Lt. R. M. Rumplik, USN, USS Chikaskia (AO 54), declares they are

“Moored portside to South Delta Pier
With doubled lines to keep us here.”

Lt. J. E. Johnson, USN, on USS Albacore (AGSS 569) says of the ship’s lines,

“They’re attached to a pier, eleven’s the berth,
And a coat of ice increases their girth.”

Ships are often nested while in port, and “nest” is another easy word to rhyme. M. F. McDeertl (?), CT USN, USS Sea Lion (APSS 315), offers a typical example.

“Here we lay in a neat little nest
Laced together taking a holiday rest.”

After reading hundreds of opening lines very similar to these, we may find a little relief in poems like this one by Ensign Peter N. Palm, USNR, on USS Wyandot (AKA 92).

“Moored port side to, at Pier Seven
Things could be worse, but this sure isn’t heaven.”

Ship’s Lines

The OOD writing the New Year’s deck log poem typically follows the ship’s location with a description of the lines securing the ship to the pier. The lines are almost always doubled, which very often leads to a rhyme with the word “troubled.” In fact, this is by far the most oft-repeated rhyme in the deck log poems.

A good example comes from Lt. J. E. Tassell, USN, from USS Delta (AR 9).

“All is quiet, nothing troubled,
And serenely we lie with all lines doubled.”

Lt. R. E. Smith, while serving on USS Huse (DE 145), says,

“The lines are all Navy standard and doubled
In hopes that the duty section need not be troubled.”

Then, after having read far too many doubled-troubled rhymes, we encounter something special. Ensign R. P. Onorati, on USS Charles S. Sperry (DD 697), puts the double-trouble rhyme, and all the other required elements of a deck log in a very well executed series of limericks. Here is the stanza that includes the double trouble.

“As the ship waits for light from the sun,
In darkness our worries are none.
For our nylon lines doubled
Leave us quite, quite untroubled,
As we lie here by Pier Delta One.”

And Lt.j.g. B. B. Knott, on USS Haynsworth (DD 700), 1964, offers some relief with the following:

“In New Orleans town our lines are doubled
And from the wharf our services bubbled.”

Ships in Dry Dock

When a ship is in port or dry dock, the services the ship receives are commonly coming from the pier, and once again the easy rhyme comes with the word “pier.” Here is Ensign J. E. Travis, writing on USS Rehoboth (AGS 50) in 1962.

“Receiving our services from the pier,
We find we have nothing much to fear.”

Here is Ensign J. A. Bianco, USNR, on USS Krishna (ARL 38), with something similar.

“Receiving services from the pier,
Through hose and cable it does appear.”

But, as with all the other required items of information, we come across little nuggets that surprise us, make us smile, and renew our search energy. Ensign L. P. Tosse, USNR, on USS Radford (DDE 446), expresses the common frustration with the absence of alcohol.

“We’re taking on water from the pier
Boy, we sure wish it was holiday cheer!”

As does W. N. Dead, USN, USS Gyatt (DDG 1),

“That ‘good’ Italian water we get from the pier
Why couldn’t it be wine or even some beer?”

And Lt.j.g. Paul E. Guey, USN, on USS Harlan R. Dickson (DD 708), pines for female companionship.

“So we are here in Boston and it’s colder than Hades
Receiving all goodies from the pier except ladies.”

Ship’s Material Condition

Another of the most common rhymes comes from establishing the material condition of the ship. By far the most common ship condition in these poems is Yoke, another easy word to rhyme. Lt.j.g. K. B. Worster, USNR, on USS Mattaponi (AO 41), uses the common rhyme with “joke.”

“Material condition set was YOKE,
To many still considered to be a joke.”

And R. J. Davis, Mach W1, USN, in 1961, adds a touch of humor.

“All divisions have set condition YOKE
One day past payday and everyone is broke.”

Occasionally, the condition set is not YOKE, as in these lines from Lt.j.g. H. W. Meyer, USNR, USS George K. MacKenzie (DD 836),

“We have set material condition Baker
Which was foretold by an old Indian Fakir.”

The deck log poets also commonly use the word “set” to create the rhyme when establishing the material condition of the ship. Ensign W. J. Callaghan, USNR, aboard USS Cambria (APA 36), uses a common pairing.

“Below the second deck YOKE has been set,
This keeps the crew from getting all wet.”

Lt.j.g. J. D. Tallock, USN, USS Soley (DD 707), uses another common pairing.

“IV is the condition of readiness, you can bet,
And material condition Yoke is thoroughly set.”

Other Ships Present

When describing the other ships present at the midwatch, the OOD almost always mentions the Atlantic or Pacific Fleet and the yard and district craft.

The OOD on USS Conger, (AGSS 477), reports that

“With movies to watch and ice cream to eat
Surrounded by units of the Atlantic Fleet.
(And a sprinkling of yard and district craft)
The crew’s keeping vigil in the battery aft.”

Ensign J. J. Robinson, USN, on the USS McMorris (DE 1036) adds,

“No water is touching our hull or our shaft
All around us are local yard and district craft
At Long Beach Naval Shipyard the new year to greet
Are various units of the U.S. Pacific Fleet”.

Ship’s Boilers and Generators

If the ship’s power plant is operating when the deck log poem is written, the OOD will clarify what source of power is on the line. This frequently leads to a rhyme with the word “fine.” W. D. McNeal, SFC, USN, on USS Jason (AR 8), writes,

“Number four (4) boiler is on the line
And with number four (4) generator we are doing fine.”

Using the same rhyme, Lt. W. N. Dead, USN, USS Gyatt (DDG 1), writes,

“# 1 generator is now on the line
The lights are still on so I guess it’s just fine.”

E. Gembala, SOC, USN, USS Mahon (DLG 11), reached back to a well-known nursery rhyme, with eight variations on the initial rhyme word, to express all the necessary information. Here is the stanza referring to ship’s power.

“Hickory, Dickory, Dot.
Two-Alpha boiler’s hot.
Both after generators turn,
So Christmas lights above may burn,
Hickory, Dickory, Dot.”

Occasionally, the deck log poet will crunch all the required information into a short poem, using most of the typical rhymes. Here is the work of Ensign J. J. Goggins Jr, USNR, on the USS Washburn (AKA 108).

“Moored port side to pier sixteen,
Standard mooring lines aft and abeam.
Material condition yoke is set,
Fire and security reports all secure yet.
Number one boiler is on the line,
Two and three generators working fine.
Telephone and fresh water from the pier,
Serve as conveniences while we are here.
Ships present include those of the fleet,
Merchant, yard and district craft to beat.”

Senior Officer Present Afloat

It is rare when a New Year’s deck log poem omits identification of the Senior Officer Present Afloat. The title is used in the poems in several typical ways.

The OOD may pronounce each letter of the title so that the letter “A” becomes the rhyme word, as in the example of B. Risher, CWO-4, USN, on USS Pandemus (ARL 18),

“COMINLANT is S.O.P.A.,
His watch is stood at Charleston NAV STA.”

The OOD may also use “SOPA” as a single word, as Lt. R. O. Bryant, USN, on USS Aspro (AGSS 309) does.

“ComNavAirPac is the SOPA they say
And commands from North Island across the bay.”

Lt. Sunball (?) USN, on USS Baya (AGSS 318), has a bit of fun at his boss’s expense.

“SOPA here is ComNavAir Pac
North Island is where he lets his whip crack.”

Lt. R. E. Ward, aboard USS Murray (DDE 576), also pokes a little fun at the Senior Officer, who was evidently ashore celebrating,

“Rear Admiral LIBBY is SOPA actual,
But his presence in the area
Is not necessarily factual.”

At times the poet writes out the phrase “Senior Officer Present Afloat” to create the rhyme. Ensign A. R. Henry, USNR, on USS Thuban (AKA 19), says,

“Senior Officer Present Afloat
Is ComPhibRon Two in the very next boat.”

And Lt.j.g. T. J. L’Esperance, USS Ashtabula, (AO 51), hits the repetitive nail right on the head when he says,

“ComInPac is Senior Officer Present Afloat
Which is a line tonight that many will quote.”

Young officers can at times go as far as being a bit irreverent toward the top man. Ensign J. E. Taylor, USNR, USS Beatty (DD 756), is perhaps an extreme example.

“That we can’t disturb the Senior Officer Present Afloat
Daddy DesLant and his YO-YO, the old goat.”

Lt. B. M. Simpson III, USNR, on Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42), characterizes the SOPA this way,

“SOPA is our big daddy
YELLOWSTONE’s his caddy.”

Lt.j.g. Tony, USN, USS Razorback (SS 394), adds to the Beat Generation language, saying,

“The Big  Daddy here (like SOPA our leader)
Is the flyboy type cat from Fair Alameda
New Year’s like here Man, upon us it burst
And from Razorback’s crew, the frantic-est First.”

Ship’s Bearings

Though the ship’s bearings appear less often in deck log poetry, sailors sometimes get creative with how they do it. Ensign W. H. Mason, USNR, on USS Caloosahatchee (AO 98), demonstrates.

“All bearings to lights are made in true,
With Le Groupe Light bearing 062.

Just as was taken a day before,
Le Roccoui Light bears 104.

140 bears Le Secanion Beacon,
That’s all the lights tonight I’ll be seekin’”

Signing Off

Most deck log poems close with a wish for a happy New Year for all. Sometimes the poet uses the year itself to rhyme, as Lt. R. O. Bryant, USN, on USS Aspro (AGSS 309), does here,

“So farewell ’61 and hello ‘62
And a Happy New Year from us to you.”

More often, the poet uses the word “year,” as in this log by Lt.j.g. J. R. Capper, USN, USS Lake Champlain (CVS 39).

“To all the Champmen, far and near – – –
A following sea, and Happy New Year.”

One particularly creative approach to the change of year is offered by Lt.j.g. R. W. Ross, USN, USS Cook (APD 130).

“In closing, to the crew, I give a cheer,
Last night they went ashore and stayed away a year.”

When Rhyme Is a Crime

After reading thousands of deck log poems, we might begin to consider the use of mind-numbing, repetitive rhyme a crime. And we sympathize with Lt.j.g. R. W. Snyder, USN, in his January 1, 1956, log from USS Owen (DD 536):

Tis custom to write the log in rhyme
On the first watch on New Year’s Day,
But it won’t be done this time,
The OOD learned “Rhyme does not pay.”

Ensign R. P. Onorati, USN, commented on the relationship between rhyme and crime in a traditional poetic form—the limerick. In fact, his entire deck log is a series of seven limericks.

“My poetry is really a crime,
But Navy custom requires a rhyme,
So with vigor and zest
I embark on this test,
For this midwatch I’ve nothing but time.”

And finally, we can’t help but appreciate those young officers who recognize the need to choose words carefully. Lt.j.g. R. M. O’Day, USNR, USS Mansfield (DD 728), sums the problem up beautifully.

“The hours now are mid to four
And I’ve a log to write
Of ships and berths and mooring lines
In terms that are not trite.”