Benjamin Stoddert (DDG 22) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 88 text:

THANKS TO } y Philip D. Eakins, J03, USN Thomas P. James, DKl, USN John M. Trail, QMl(SW), Photographer Photographer Photographer Layouts Layouts Layouts Writing Typing Art Poem Selection USN A SAILORS PRAYER ; Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep grant no other Sailor take my shoes and socks before I wake Lord guide me In my slumber and keep my hammock on its number grant no clews or lashings break and let me down before I wake keep me safely in thy site and grant no Fire Drills tonight and in the morning let me wake breathing scents of sirloin steak God protect me in my dreams and make this better than it seems Grant the time may swiftly fly and myself shall rest on high In a snowy feather bed where I long to rest my head far away from all these scenes from the smell of half done beans take me back into the land where they don ' t scrub down with sand where no demon Typhoon blows where the women wash the clothes God thou knowest all my woes heed me in my dying throes take me back I promise then never to leave home again. i Our Father who are in Washington please dear Father let me stay do not drive me now away wipe away my scalding tears and let me stay Thirty years ImJ Four Years Later 84 Please forgive me all my past and things that happened at the Mast do not my request refuse let me stay another Cruise ..J ' m