Bravo Zulu to all those who submitted their New Year’s logs to MyCG this year. Your submissions were creative, artful, and a joy to read. Thank you to all the writers out there who took the time to contribute to this storied Coast Guard tradition!
Here are all submissions from the Atlantic Area (LANTAREA). Stay tuned for a second article including the Pacific Area (PACAREA) submissions!
MyCG wishes the Coast Guard workforce and community all the best for 2023.
Without further ado, here are this year’s LANT Area submissions:
From John W. Keyes, auxiliary public affairs specialist and administrative assistant at Base Boston:
A Typical Watch
My watch is not midnight to four on-the-clock,
Nor steaming ahead, nor tied at the dock.
I’ve no gangway, no helm, and no brow at the ‘deck,
No lines do I tend to; no dogging to check.
Not seaman nor fireman, not fish and not fowl,
But the urge to lend-hand lives deep in my bowels.
Odd jobs what I’m good for, and perhaps a skosh more,
When rosters need filling, I step to the fore.
“Volunteer” is my title, life saver my goal,
Though not on the rocks, in surf or the shoal.
No; give me a dockside, a boat ramp or beach,
The Weekend Navigator, I’m willing to teach.
The missions are many, the need’s always there,
Of work, I am willing to do my fair share.
Yes, I’m eager to turn-to, just give me the list,
Your typical Coast Guard…Auxiliarist.
From Petty Officer First Class William Bleyer, a boatswain’s mate aboard Cutter Tunnell:
The new year finds our ship moored Bahrain for a spell
a welcome kip for the crew of the Emlen Tunnell
for liberty is blessed, tidings are glad
Captain Kelly’s the best CO the ship’s ever had!
This annum the pier is live, providing electricity
OPCON and TACON is CTF55, synchronicity
all is pro forma, ship in material condition yoke
snug as a shawarma in an aluminum poke
2021, the year we commissioned
rung out in Cape Verde, then came a SAR mission
twas a long way from Philly to our Juffair berth
Bahrain when it’s chilly feels almost like earth
deck and mooring lights burn bright
the med proved to be chunky
our Floridaman got robbed by a Gibraltar monkey
mooring lines are doubled, attached to Pier 16C1
east of Suez can be trouble, but Malta was fun
this year we bid sad ma’salam to the last WPB
PATFORSWA’s gone a many a league since 2003
but as ADCON remains the life of the tree
hand, MK2 M. has the inport watch
and gremlin the cutter boat is secured in the notch
thus ends the OOD midwatch at NSA Mina Salman
I pronounce this FRC log halas, tamam!
From Ensign Adam Nix, aboard Cutter Willow:
Moored port side to FLETC with all mooring lines doubled,
Willow waits at Pier Papa, no sign of trouble.
Home at last in North Charleston, the crane put to bed,
The "Tender of the Tropics" can – for tonight – rest her head.
Under OPCON and ADCON of D7 command,
In Charlie and modified FPCON Bravo we stand.
The hatches are closed and the doors are dogged close,
As throughout the ship is set MATCON YOKE.
Deck, mooring, and aircraft lights all burning bright,
Watchstanders on duty, three WMSLs in sight.
The shore ties are set, shore power's available,
Internet, sewage, and water all stable.
The -304 is secured for sea, asleep in its cradle,
The inport OOD is aboard, plus three sailors,
-340 and -331 wait ashore on their trailers.
It's been a long year, from hurricanes to rough sea,
Plus drydock and maintenance, and "declutched #1 MDE."
Our crew's "best in the fleet" from the high to the low,
Deck, Ops, Engineering all prepped when storms blow.
We're "Ready for Anything" '23 will throw,
Throughout next year we'll stay "IN OMNIA PARATUS!”
From Petty Officer First Class Anthony Colucci, an electrician’s mate aboard Cutter Key Largo:
As the ball drops on this new year,
Key Largo is moored to the state fish pier.
Deck lights are on, red, white and blue,
and the lines are taut, starboard side too.
Key 1 is cradled and strapped so it won't get tossed in.
The TACON and ADCON is Sector Boston.
Maintenance and repair is the current mission.
Status is charlie, the OOD is an electrician.
The crew has liberty and they're all gone.
District one has the unit's OPCON.
Shore ties are connected, giving water and light,
to this old boat, on a damp, dreary night.
From John Mitchell, an auxiliarist at Sector Boston:
On first day of the year just after lunchtime
In the mid afternoon at 1429
I walked down the hallway, turned right at the door
Sat down in the comms chair and logged in once more
I stared out the window and what did I spy?
Nothing of interest was catching my eye
No boats on the river or kayaks to view
No jetskis or standups, nor a single canoe
The pillowy clouds in a blue sky were tame
The surf on the bar was behaving the same
Nobody out there for tossing around
No one in danger of running aground
16 was all quiet not even a peep
The phone on the desk seemed fallen asleep
A low stress watch on a cold winters day
Not much to report and not much to say
As a weary sun started sinking from sight
Pass the guard off to sector and call it a night
Semper Paratus is the watch stander’s creed
Standing ready to assist or save others in need
From Petty Officer First Class Alexander Sidel, a culinary specialist aboard Cutter Mobile Bay:
Though New Year's bells ring out tonight,
Sidel and Arbaugh hold the watch tight,
be it family, friend, or foe,
very few are in the know,
what the Coast Guard is and where it goes,
we shall stand tall and strong on this new year,
for our country and our loved ones, 'til our relief is here.
Station Chatham New Year's Day Log Entry Submitted by Auxiliarist Reid Oslin
Oh, the ship was in a frightful state…
King Neptune thought he had ‘em.
But through the gale and dark of night
Came the Coast Guard crew from Chatham!
Their will was strong; their course was true;
They rescued one and all –
Living up to Coast Guard’s pledge:
“Always ready for the call!”
Through the surf, they’ll brave the storm
With all the hatches battened.
So when seas are high, and danger’s deep…
Hail that hardy crew from Chatham!
Last but not least, the Mission Support Integration Office (DCMS-5) submitted a spin on the famed poem, “’Twas the night before Christmas,” from Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC:
‘Twas the middle of holiday liberty, when all through the Base,
Not a creature was stirring, across the whole place.
Out-of-office messages were turned on with care,
Assuming a continuing resolution soon would be there.
Headquarters personnel were home like satisfied Feds,
While visions of a Culinary Specialist-prepared meal danced in their heads.
The facilities engineer in safety googles, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down to discuss a mishap.
When out on the Base lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my cubicle to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Raised the curtains and threw up the sash.
Residual salt on the sidewalks and campus roads,
Gave the luster of midwinter to objects below.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight senior leaders!
With a driver, so efficient and no-fuss,
I knew in a moment it must be VADM Thomas.
More responsive than eagles, his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, CG-1! now, CG-4! now, CG-6 and CG-9!
On, CGA! on FORCECOM! on, DOL and staff above the line!
To the districts of LANT and PAC Area! And the Bases of DOL!
Now integrate, integrate, integrate all!"
As MH-65s that respond to hurricanes ascend,
And meet with an obstacle, they innovate to the end,
So over to St. Elizabeth’s the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Mission Support Action Plans, and Commandant’s Intents, too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the rooftop
Each senior leader hurrying to their shop.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Out of the elevator VADM Thomas came with a bound.
He was dressed in the new uniform, from his head to his foot,
His ODUs pressed, and spit-shiny boots.
A bundle of new MSAPs he had flung on his back;
He looked like a Personnel Assist Team member just opening his pack.
His eyes – how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was non-existent, like Florida snow;
A mug of coffee he held tight in his hand,
And Mission Support Business Model principles to recite on demand;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the inboxes; then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the elevator he rose.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a pep talk,
And away they all flew like a deployed MAT/WAT.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!
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