Posted on 09/11/2002 9:13:09 PM PDT by Nitro
The Ammunition Ship Crew
Submitted by Archie Trader
(USS Mount Hood Survivor)
You can talk about your soldiers and the fighting mud Marines, Even talk about the Coast Guard and the Seabees, oh, so green, But you've never met a fighting man, a seaman oh so true Until you've met a sailor from an ammunition crew.
His nerves of steel are legend and his eyes, they always gleam, He's always working cargo, sometimes even in his dreams. He's looking for some break time, and any scheme will do, Talkin''bout a sailor from an ammo ship's deck crew.
Going into battles and invasions with the rest, Or hours and hours of unreps, you face the rugged test. Hoping that you're lucky and that the ship don't take a hit, Cause you simply can't afford that on an ammunition ship !
And when the battle's over and the others take a rest Even though you're awf'ly tired from giving all your best, There's a cruiser on the radar- more rearming to be done ! And you're the poor unfortunate, you pitiful son of a gun !
Sometimes other sailors get some liberty in town Have a chance to meet a lady, or chug a coupl'a rounds. But- Ammo ship crews rarely ever hear that happy news There's work to do and ships to serve ! The poor forgotten crews!
When the world war was over and we dreamed of going home We weren't allowed to go there, for these islands we must roam For we had on board six thousand tons of deadly TNT And we weren't allowed to dump it in the briny deep blue sea.
From the South Pacific isles to Korea's rocky coast, From dusty Port Chicago to a Yankee Station post, AE's are primed to serve your needs at any given hour With rockets, bombs and blood and sweat- American sea power.
So- now you've heard my story and here's a little tip: If you want your praise and glory, stay off an ammo ship. Yet, years and years thereafter, when the kid asks "Dad, What'd YOU do ? You can tell him with some well-earned pride- I was on an ammo crew !
{Apologies to Archie for some editing to update the poem a bit. It's still a classic. I believe most of it was written during WW2.}
Poem was found on the USS Mount Ranier (AE-5) Web Site.
Mt. Ranier IS a volcano, albeit an extinct one.
If so, which one?
DDG-7 decomm plankowner PING...
5.56mm
Jimmy Doolittle proved that big guns are never enough alone, it was around 1923 or so if I remember my movies right!!
And of course what we now call mines, which is what was meant when Farragut exclaimed "Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead," at the time a torpedo was a float containing an explosive charge usually on a fuse, so as we have seen in some "Sub" movies 'charging a torp' is sometimes a good idea, they both got to and past the "torp" before the fuse could do it's deadly work... in both times they are considered 'area denial' munitions
as long as all safeties and presets are active...
I could be wrong, I was a surface guy and anything I did know I mostly forgot or can't or won't actually say!!
To add, didn't the HMS Shefield eat an Exocet and sink, and didn't the Brits sink the "General Belgrano" , I am not exactly sure that was missiles but you get my point!!
Anyway, as ex-Navy I must say any C/country that tries to "run and gun" will be bringing out rowboats after the first few days!!
That and close-air-support, but that will come from VMF's flying off Navy decks!!
Actually that was our motto...
"We do it with a BANG!!"
we also had two kinds of gas, the DFM and the Beans!!
Lord love a Sailor, cause no one else will!!
reach out and touch someone!!
BZ!!
The USS Nitro AE-23!!
WE DO IT WITH A BANG!!
Yup. So named because they'd do a credible impression of one if they were ever hit :o)
Yup. So named because they'd do a credible impression of one if they were ever hit :o)
You are both right...
I was in USS Nitro and we said...
that if you could hover a half-mile above the ship and she went up in the middle of the ocean...
she would make a hole so deep, you would see the ocean floor and it would take two days to fill in the hole!!
The United States Navy...
and all who serve in her!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.