The traditional New Year’s Day poem in the ship’s deck log at the stroke of midnight goes back generations in both the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard dating back to at least the 1920s.
Ens. Lauren Larar (USNA 2018), on watch aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85), penned the first for the Navy this year as the ship had passed the International Date Line in the Pacific:
181231-N-WK982-001 EAST CHINA SEA (Dec. 31, 2018) Ensign Lauren Larar writes the new years deck log entry while underway aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85). McCampbell is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Harris/Released)
Steaming alone over waters no trouble,
McCAMPBELL is ready to fight on the double.
With lights burning brightly above on the mast,
All engines standard, 16 knots going fast.
We cut through the waters below deep and blue,
Our course is 200, degrees true.
Our position is in the sea to the east.
Our stomachs are full from the grand midrats feast.
1 alpha, 2 bravo are turning each shaft,
Alpha power units move rudders back aft.
Numbers 2 and 3 are the paralleled GTGs
Material Condition is Modified Z.
Computer assisted manual is the steering mode,
So we can maneuver per Rules of the Road.
CO’s in her chair, she’s up on the Bridge,
We’re still left of track, we’ll come right just a smidge.
TAO down in Combat, monitoring aircraft and chats,
And EOOW in Central, stay vigilant Hellcats!
The year that’s behind us was challenging, yes, indeed,
But Ready 85 will always succeed.
We’re mighty, we’re strong, we cannot be rattled
In the year that’s to come, we’ll stay RELENTLESS IN BATTLE!
Named for CAPT. David S. McCampbell, an Alabamian who went on to become a Medal of Honor and Navy Cross recipient who was the Navy’s leading ace in World War II (34 victories with VF-15 in a six-month period in 1944, flying F6F Hellcats, later serving as CAG of USS Essex), DDG-85 was built at Bath and commissioned in 2002. McCampbell is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15 and forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. Her skipper is Cmdr. Allison Christy.