Thank you to all units who submitted New Years Logs Entries. You certainly brought the creativity! Turning logs –smooth or engineering— into fun verse is not easy, but you made it happen. Thank you for the extra efforts to share some joy with all!
Without further ado, here’s the first of three compilations for your reading pleasure. Come back to MyCG later in the week for the other two.
CGC BEAR – ENG3 Douglas Olsen
UNDERWAY
0000-0400
As the calendar turns, and midnight strikes anew,
On the First of January, we honor a legacy true.
The Mighty BEAR, a name of legendary renown,
In Coast Guard history, she wears the crown.
Now we sail on a cutter that bears her same name,
Upholding the legacy, the mission, the fame.
Beneath the stars, our course we trace,
Port engine running with steady grace.
Starboard generator alternating with care,
Guiding our voyage with power to share.
ENG3 Olsen on duty, watchful and keen,
An engineer linked in history’s sheen.
Plant status steady, as stated before,
OOC machinery silent, a reliable score.
Machinery hums, whispering winds,
Echoes of past spirits, as midnight begins.
Hidden in the deep, where old BEAR lay,
Her spirit adrift, in the ocean’s sway.
Her tales were told, though vanished for years,
Until our BEAR helped find her, where history reappears.
Heartbeats echo in a timeless song,
Tradition of BEAR, ever proud and strong.
Healy, Jarvis, Bertholf –names on might,
Former BEAR crew, guiding our night.
From sail and wood to diesel’s might,
Her legacy endures, though storm and light.
Now turbocharged mains, oil’s steady stream,
Fuel our resolve, a steadfast dream.
Engineers, caretakers of her mechanical soul,
Ensure she outshines, playing her role.
Though eldest in class, admired she’s seen,
A vessel respected, in oceans serene.
Over 40 years, with 100,000 hours in play,
Our BEAR’s unmatched fortitude keep dangers at bay.
From Arctic missions of the past so bold,
To fighting narco trafficking, as stories unfold.
From icy chills to the sun’s warm gleam,
We continue the journey, a shared dream.
As pistons fire and engines purr,
We honor the past with every turn.
As engineers, vigilant and true,
We chart out course as BEAR’s timeless crew.
A vessel of wisdom, courage, and grace,
With BEAR’s proud legacy, we take our place.
First in class, second to none,
Our voyage continues, history’s never done.
Onward we navigate, into the new year’s embrace,
With old BEAR’s spirit, guiding our pace.
May her wisdom and resilience steer us right,
As we sail ahead, with fair winds and following seas this night.
CGC STRATTON – ET3 Alexandro Carrera
Engineering Control Room
The Northern Lights
Were just alright
We saw them on our last cruise...’
Our next patrol
We head down undah
Time to see some kangaroos!!
CGC JOHN WITHERSPOON – BM2 Ryland Ells and LTJG Katelnn Lane
In the dead of night, at the witch’s hour,
EM3 Scrounges for snacks and BM3 takes too long of a shower.
In the dead of night, XX-XX.XX’N and XXX-XX.XX’W is our position,
As EM2 reflects on the generator condition.
In the dead of night, as both Mains hum,
DC2 is dreaming of his next bottle of rum.
In the dead of night, you hear the mighty Senior snoring,
While the BMC makes his best attempt at ignoring.
In the dead of night, the turbo spools
And MK2 drools over his Snap-On tools.
In the dead of night, SN M chums the sea,
Calling out, “Get a Liquid-IV for me!”
In the dead of night, with all nav lights burning,
the XO creeps back into the dark while Gen 2 is turning.
In the dead of night, BM1 Lawson has Deck and Conn,
One more day and his cigarettes will be gone.
In the dead of night, the ETs flee from sight
Where they can prepare for their next video game fight.
In the dead of night, Teaspoon sits in the notch,
While ENS Waters has the Quartermaster of the Watch.
In the dead of night, set Condition Yoke,
While the CO writes his next big joke.
In the dead of night, under OPCON and TACON of District Seventeen,
One of the Ensigns is looking a little green.
In the dead of night, just as we thought,
The BM2s still argue about who ties the best knot.
In the dead of night, 298T is our course, 14 knots is our speed,
At 0215 BM1 Schwarz arrives to ensure the QMOW is relieved.
In the dead of night, Sector Western Alaska and the US Arctic has our ADCON,
At 0228 BM1 Miller relieves the Deck and Conn.
In the dead of night, with the galley all scattered,
The CSs know New Year’s dinner is all that mattered.
In the dead of night, as we make our way home,
BM1 Schwarz sits on his Mario Cart Throne.
CGC JAMES – GMC Thomas Rauch
0000-0400
The first hour of the first watch, the first day of the year,
In the Eastern Pacific, smugglers should tremble with fear.
Cutter JAMES is underway, our position set firm and true,
XX-XX.XXX north, XXX-XX.XXX West, the mission in view.
ENS McDonnell holds the Deck and Conn with resolve in her stride,
BM1 Noto stands by, his confidence hard to hide.
Our nav lights are off, the moon’s the only light,
Guiding us forward through the calm of night.
COMLANTAREA’s our OPCON, ADCON in hand,
JIATF-S provides TACON, together we stand.
The #1 Main is engaged, and the engines hum strong,
With power to keep us ahead, we’ll stay where we belong.
The small boats are secured, CG-34153 in the notch,
CG-26252 and CG-26254 rest in their cradle, ready to launch.
The helo is secured, in the hangar it waits,
Its crew prepared, primed for whatever fate.
Material Condition Yoke is set throughout the ship,
The engineers keep us watertight throughout our trip.
As the crew anticipate the operator’s “Lima Foxtrot Golf” over the loud hailer,
Generators #1 and #3 hum like a tractor trailer.
We are the JAMES, and we own the night,
With the sea as our witness and the stars shining bright.
CGC WARREN DEYAMPERT – ET2 Ian Noles
To all readers: a Happy New Year, and a great night sleep.
Twenty-four may be over, but the rewards we did reap.
WARREN DEYAMPERT is anchored safely in Portland, Maine,
In posn XX-XX.XXX’N, XXX-XX.XXX’W, she doesn’t sit here in vain.
All her deck lights are energized and burning so brightly.
Receiving electrical power from Gen One, wow, how slightly!
Our OPCON is watching, it’s our overwatch, D1.
The TACON and ADCON is Sector Northern, how fun!
Do not stop reading for I’m not through just yet.
Throughout the ship Material Condition Yoke is set.
BM2 Resweber has the Anchor OOD. ET2 Noles has the QMOW, oh Jolly!
All the fireworks from Portland keep the sky lit so bright,
But don’t worry: DEYAMPERT’s always ready to fight.
Here’s another year to the best FRC crew,
Let’s start another one fresh and also brand new.
Faces come and go,
But DEYAMPERT will hold all your memories in stow.
Your time on this boat will not be forgotten,
So make the best of it always, even while at anchor just rockin’!
CGC CAMPBELL (WMEC-909) – ENS Addison Stead
T’was the first day of 2025, steaming throughout the night in position XX-XX.XX’S, XXX-XX.XX’W. No lights to be seen XXXNM to Punta Lore, Ecuador as we hold steady on course 265T/270M. CAMPBELL’s NR1 MDE carefully maintaining 10.8 knots in hops for a gentle beginning to the new year. While NR2 MDE and NR1 SSDG rest for a busy day, the NR2 SSDG is maintaining the watch. While CAMPBELL purrs and stays dark overnight, COMLANTAREA stays awake monitoring our status as OPCON and ADCON, while JIATF-S reads a book to CAMPBELL as TACON. Even as the New Year begins, our safety always maintains, the Dogs, Zebras, and also the Modified Zebras keep CAMPBELL safe and the Dogs asleep. As Sinbad and Hounddog sleep and secured in the doghouse, LTJG Biedermann keeps CAMPBELL on track to the New Year.
CGC ROBERT YERED – BMC Michael Valdes
2024, it is no more,
We are underway, as we’ve been before.
The clocks have struck zeroes,
At last, here we are, standing by to be heroes.
Underway in the Straits—not Alaska, you see,
Florida’s waters are where we must be.
Here is our position on this very dark night,
The only thing burning is our navigation lights, so bright.
XX-XX.XX” North by XXX-XX.XX” West.
We serve District Seven, our OPCON’s call,
With Sector Key West, our TACON guiding it all.
Our ADCON is back home, with Sector Miami--
That’s where we’ll return to our families.
Our course is 085 True, 093 Magnetic;
No white wine to toast this celebration,
But duty endures the steadfast foundation.
LT Trautwein’s on Deck, the Conn in his hand,
Prepared and steady, to guide and command.
The cutter sails steady, through waves that may toss;
The NR1 Main is turning for 7 knots.
BMC Valdes has the QMOW, making sure we are not lost.
He also has the duty of keeping up with the logs.
Our small boat in secured, but ready for a chase –
If you try and run, we’ll always win that race.
The NR1 generator is supplying our power;
I hope it’s still running when I get off watch in 2 hours.
Though no cheers resound, no glasses to share,
The spirit of duty endures through the midnight air.
The ROBERT YERED crew stand above the rest.
In 2025, we’ll have continued success!
-USCG-
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