My Dad served in the Navy from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. He served on the USS Nitro with the Pacific Fleet. Here are some pictures and a poem I
found on the Web that sums up a life of a soldier on an ammunition crew ship.
Ammunition ship crews, without a doubt, are the hardest working crews in the
Navy. Whether UNREPS are conducted at 0330, 1600 or 2230, the crews are always
prepared for any eventuality. The following poem is dedicated to the personnel
who man the ammunition ship.
The Ammunition
Ship Crew
Submitted by Archie Trader
(USS Mount Hood Survivor)
You can talk about your soldiers and the fighting mud Marines,
Even talk about the Coast Guard and the Seabees, oh, so green,
But you've never met a fighting man, a seaman oh so true
Until you've met a sailor from an ammunition crew.
His nerves of steel are legend and his eyes, they always gleam,
He's always working cargo, sometimes even in his dreams.
He's looking for some break time, and any scheme will do,
Talkin''bout a sailor from an ammo ship's deck crew.
Going into battles and invasions with the rest,
Or hours and hours of unreps, you face the rugged test.
Hoping that you're lucky and that the ship don't take a hit,
Cause you simply can't afford that on an ammunition ship !
And when the battle's over and the others take a rest
Even though you're awf'ly tired from giving all your best,
There's a cruiser on the radar- more rearming to be done !
And you're the poor unfortunate, you pitiful son of a gun !
Sometimes other sailors get some liberty in town
Have a chance to meet a lady, or chug a coupl'a rounds.
But- Ammo ship crews rarely ever hear that happy news
There's work to do and ships to serve ! The poor forgotten crews!
When the world war was over and we dreamed of going home
We weren't allowed to go there, for these islands we must roam
For we had on board six thousand tons of deadly TNT
And we weren't allowed to dump it in the briny deep blue sea.
From the South Pacific isles to
From dusty Port Chicago to a Yankee Station post,
AE's are primed to serve your needs at any given hour
With rockets, bombs and blood and sweat- American sea power.
So- now you've heard my story and here's a little tip:
If you want your praise and glory, stay off an ammo ship.
Yet, years and years thereafter, when the kid asks "Dad, What'd YOU do ?
You can tell him with some well-earned pride- I was on an ammo crew !
{Apologies to Archie for some editing to update
the poem a bit. It's still a classic. I believe
most of it was written during WW2.}
Poem was found on the USS Mount Ranier (AE-5) Web Site.
