Thank you to all soon-to-be famous authors who contributed to the 2025 New Years Log Entries. We’ve been assured they each will offer autographs in turn for high fives.
If you missed the first two batches of 2025 New Year’s Log Entries, you can check them out here and here. We hope you enjoyed reading through these and getting a glimpse into a moment in the life of other crews.
CGC CALHOUN --BM1 Andrew Schwartz
Once upon a time at a berth not quite our own,
CALHOUN lays starboard side sharing a pier with a crew we do not know.
The fasteners which keep her steady,
On Juliet made twice yet can still be ready.
Which once was whale oil, wax and wicks,
Now glass and filament shine bright at the top of the stick.
Conditions have improved since the days of old,
A few items we receive from out gracious host.
Running water for one is a wonderful thing,
Also electrical power to make the ship sing.
There is one thing we do give in return,
That is our waste be sent off to burn.
To ensure the crew sleeps safely at night,
Material condition Yoke is set right.
Orders, yes orders we must take,
Complete control from Atlantic Area we await.
Conditions and statuses we get from command
As they are the ones that deals us the hand.
Force Protection is Bravo, Hurricane we in Five,
And Charlie due to the contractors that arrive.
Now off in the distance a neighbor we trust,
Our two small boats we hope do not rust.
CG-26344 and CG-26345 are their names,
Patiently waiting to play the game.
ENS Breidenthal and MK1 Campos lead the Section today,
Hoping the oncoming doesn’t astray.
Now that we have told all that,
A little reflection to highlight the stats.
The past year was full of adventure,
commissioning for starters to kick off out tenure.
Fleet week we attended to wander Manhattan,
A little annoying mooring up in the Island of Staten.
The final one to mention is the Change of Command,
A new leader we have to set out the plan.
That last year was flexible to say the least,
We hope this new one is not the same beast.
As we close the first entry let’s be clear,
Only we can define our upcoming year.
CGC KIMBALL-- LTJG Mattie Clark
01JAN2025
0000-0400
As fireworks illuminate the Oahu sky,
CGC KIMBALL rests, moored to the Delta Peir, port side.
Although the town and beaches buzz with excitement,
Base Sand Island is calm, dim, and quiet.
As the security watch stander ensures Yoke is set throughout the ship,
All others are celebrating with Mai Tai sips.
The small boats in the cradles are secured for sea,
Oh how we wish we were on the beach and feeling the breeze.
As others dance under the lights at Aloha Tower,
KIMBALL is across the harbor on stable shore power,
With sewage, telephone, and internet services provided from the pier,
Ship’s stats being Charlie for maintenance and repair.
As others dance at Ala Moana Park looking their best,
We prepare for the upcoming patrol of the Pacific in the west.
BM3 Killian is the GPOW and OSCS Lincoln is the inport OOD,
But, man, do they wish they could be down in Waikiki.
But then they think, “Someone has to stand duty, so why not me!”
So to all who stand the watch during the holidays,
We thank you for your Devotion to Duty as we being New Years Day!
CGC WILLIAM CHADWICK--MK1 Emily Matter, DC2 Robert Pechstein, EM3 Thomas Moran
0000-0400
WILLIAM CHADWICK is moored, port side to,
With no good reason to say boo hoo.
The crew's sleeping soundly, waiting 'til 8,
Their future holds brews and staying up late.
Not a creature was stirring, not even a sump,
Not even a seal of a low-pressure fuel pump.
Please have our backs, as we're PMC,
OPCON of D1, and our ADCON dumped the tea.
Ship’s status is Bravo-6, but not for long,
Hopefully all mariners do no wrong.
Tucked away in the manger, both MDE’s are at ease,
Just forward of the gennys, doing as they please.
FPCON Bravo we're ready for attack,
We set condition yoke to stop flooding in its track.
Like Rudolph's nose guiding the steel sleigh,
Our deck lights are glowing inport they say.
The lights are burning brightly, illuminating enough,
6 FRCs, will look pretty tough.
Receiving 440- and 200- amp,
water and sewage help set up our camp.
Wizards cast spells, through Ethernet cables,
Powers data realms that current enables.
Chad 1 is notched, ready for sea,
The next person to fall overboard I hope isn't me.
Everyone's on liberty, except for us three,
We'd be out enjoying New Years and that's a guarantee.
But alas, liberty's clock is expiring,
Back to the service, a reminder: it’s tiring.
On January 6th, end liberty's short vacation,
A Coast Guard break, a rare sensation.
At 0730, liberty's dream retires,
No more leisure, just duty's fires.
The alarm clock groans, the caffeine acquires,
Back to the grind, as liberty expires.
Shout out to this crew for keeping it real,
rhyming with feel,
and standing duty in this maritime ordeal.
CGC Alex Haley- ENS Theo Guba
The Alex Haley tied to Base Kodiak’s pier,
With wind and rain, the New Year’s near,
The winds may howl, the waves may crash,
But here we stand, a quiet clash.
For auld lang syne, we’ve sailed the Bering,
Through storm and calm, through misery and daring,
Now moored we rest, yet hearts still roam,
In Kodiak’s cold, we call it home.
The rain unceasing, the night unclear,
The stars dark, yet the Bulldog has no fear,
Hundreds of miles from land or light,
But here we’re safe, and here we fight.
For auld lang syne, we’ve sailed the Bering,
Through storm and calm, through misery and daring,
Now moored we rest, yet hearts still roam,
In Kodiak’s cold, we call it home.
Through winters harsh and summers brief,
Hull number 39 serves with pride, we find relief,
The cutter’s bow, the anchor’s chain,
Are steady through the sea’s domain.
For auld lang syne, we’ve sailed the Bering,
Through storm and calm, through misery and daring,
Now moored we rest, yet hearts still roam,
In Kodiak’s cold, we call it home.
So raise a glass to those who stand duty,
On shores so cold, admiring the Emerald Isle’s Beauty,
The New Year rings, the Bulldog goes to sleep,
As the crew stands watch over the cutter and traditions they upkeep.
For auld lang syne, we’ve sailed the Bering,
Through storm and calm, through misery and daring,
Now moored we rest, yet hearts still roam,
In Kodiak’s cold, we call it home.
The Final Case of 2024 - D8 Command Center
Brought to you by the Coast Guard District Eight Command Center
The watch floor is silent, midnight is near,
Getting ready to acknowledge another New Year.
But then the phone rings,
It’s just one of those things
That shifts me into high-gear.
The caller says they saw a “Red light”
That could be a flare, and gave them a fright
“What if there’s some distress?”
Oh, what a mess
I grab my QRC and tell ‘em “Hang tight”
Still on the phone, I work through the form
Clock and fist method, basic info, the norm
The caller is shaken
All this time being taken
While I’m just simply trying to perform
“Can you describe the light to me?”
“Yes I can, whatever you need-
It burst and was loud,
Like rain from a cloud,
And it was also yellow and green”
Could it be a firework? A question I posed
“Why yes, it sure was, I should’ve supposed”
I briefed SMC
And we were quick to agree
Confirmed non-distress: CASE CLOSED
CGC POLAR STAR – ENS Natalie Yurgil
At the hour of midnight, the New Year has just begun,
POLAR STAR steams ahead on a 2,2, and 1.
All engines are online, just 3B is stopped,
We tried to get it running, but that was a flop.
The 40/W flowed through the pipes with ease,
The bilge goblins are thirsty, and we can't help but please.
Red lights are on though the ship may be sleeping,
Power still flows from "2 and 3 ships," the generators creeping.
Machinery status is per the enclosed sheet,
if you really care to know, then just take a peek.
Some machinery onboard is Out Of Commission,
Don't remove tags without EOW permission.
Skipper came down here, he's a real nice bloke,
Gave us a reminder that Yoke is no joke.
For P/W, the "Tack 1" supplies,
We hope the "Tack 2" does not give us a surprise.
The water onboard yellows of its own accord,
sewage pumps stand ready to send poo overboard.
Fuel's been a'burnin, duty fuel's had lots to do,
we are currently sucking from the 4-85-1 and -2.
In Turbine Room, both evaps toiled and brewed,
Despite Aux's best efforts, no water sent from Evap #2.
The phone rang and played, the EOW yapped away.
Thing starting and stopping...the updates were popping!
To Bosses and "O's," the Bridge and "Need to Knows."
In the booth, LTJG Yurgil is the EOW,
But have no fear, this really shouldn't trouble you.
CG Station Merrimack River -- Aux John Mitchell
New Years Day is here once more
We’ve bid farewell to 24
Our MLB’s moored to the dock
On gentle waves they softly rock
A lone seagull in graceful flight
Passes by then fades from sight
The bar is shrouded in a mist
The sky beyond looms amethyst
A quiet watch the pace is slow
No chatter on the radios
No boats out there to be seen
I view a river quite serene
The sun starts spiraling slowly down
And shadows stretch across the ground
Review the log at last light
Then close the watch for another night
-USCG-
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