Vega (AF 59) - Naval Cruise Book

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H I , In days of yore were the sleek sailing ships, Whose beauty and grace upon the seas are legend. Proud beauties all. Proud, too, the men who climbed their masts- High into the winds- Commanding a view of heaven and earth From those lofty, awesome heights. Tall stood those men. Tall, like the canvases that propelled them across the mighty seas. Seas that girdle the shores wherein live the lesser men- Chained to the earth. Bold and brave, the masters of these beauties, With clear eyes and rolling gaits. Fearful of nothing upon the land nor the sea. Aye, with great respect for the mighty elements, and Aye, with greater respect for the men Who defied those elements-and won! A BREED OF MAN IN THE PAST? For then, man created the great and roaring monster. Ugly but efficient. No more the worry o'er the calm seas of the horse latitudes. No more the worry o'er the howling winds that blow in from Earth's poles. This ugly monster-belching fire and smoke- Cuts through the seas and,defies the elements to do their damndest! And the bold men on deck laugh in the face of danger. No more dependent upon spread canvas for propulsion. f1 BUT-- Dependent, now, upon men who live in the bowels of the ugly monster- To make it belch the fire and smoke. Dependent, now, upon men whose backs bend constantly under the twists and turns of a metal city, That keeps the monster alive. Dependent, now, upon men immersed in black grease and oil That feeds the monster. I Dependent, now, upon men who curse and sweat in never- ending heat, That the monster may live. Dependent, now, upon men ever aware of being trapped in the monster's bowels, Should it shudder and shake and give up its life! THE SAILS HAVE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN! No longer do men climb heavenward to drive their ship. Now do men go into the depths of hell to drive their ship! Proud men still- Seafaring men. Men who know the life of the monster is in their hands, And, Quietly, and skillfully, keep that life alive. ' Snipes or black gang -whatever the label. ALL HAIL TO YOU, BRAVE AND WORTHY MEN. Stand tall! Tall, like the sails of yore For now YOU are the sails. A BREED OF MEN FOR NOW-AND FOR THE FUTURE. 29

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MM3 Huber EM3 Massee The general in his moment of glory FN Stanley FN Ismert FN Monteon FN Corbin FN Collins FA Ashby

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swim call M, 5, 4 4 1 A K ' I ,A