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USS Squalus (SS-192): Poem: "'In Memoriam' to the Shipmates Who Were Lost on the Submarine U.S.S. Squalus."

By G.W. Lusk, MM2c [Machinist's Mate 2d class], USN

59 Men all good and true,
    59 Men, in Navy blue.
59 Men without a care,
   Going to sea to do their share

59 Men in a new "pig boat,"
   59 Men, who could sink, yet float.
59 Men in a submarine,
   Doing their bit for peace, supreme.

59 Men, and a signal crossed.
   59 Men, but some were lost.
59 Men in a tail end dive,
   Twenty-six dead - 33 alive.

26 Men in a watery grave,
   33 Men, a door did save,
Blocking the sea, with all its might,
   Saving some from their shipmates' plight.

59 Men, all tempting the fates,
   To protect our home, the United States.
26 Men of a husky crew,
   Who gave their lives protecting you.

59 Men on the ocean's floor,
   26 Men who are no more.
26 Men who gave their lives,
   Protecting our homes, our kids, our wives.


Source: The Astorian 1, no.15 (10 Jun. 1939): 5. [The Astorian was the ship's newspaper of the heavy cruiser USS Astoria (CA-34). A single fragile issue (the one cited above) is in the collection of the Navy Department Library's Rare Book Room.

20 June 2000