Talk:USS Brooklyn (CL-40)/@comment-76.252.112.250-20151110034144

Our Mighty B

Brooklyn was this cruiser's name, 'Twas in the Med she got her fame, Where ancient galleys used to roam, The 'Mighty B' had made her home.

September was in Boston great, We fought the battle of the Cape. Canberra crew we gave the dope, “Call them lines, they ain't ropes”.

Then came the hurry call, Savannah's hit, we're needed all. But wait, no cans to screen, To hell with that, our eyes are keen.

Light off the boilers, up gangway, Make preparations to get underway. Go to your stations the sea detail, The watch has shifted, we're setting sail.

Baker's checks, departments ready, The watch is set, the wind is steady. Anchors aweigh! We're off to the Med, So long old Boston, full speed ahead.

The third day out we hit a gale, All turkeys mustered by the rail. O'rourke was missing in the search, We hated to leave him in the lurch.

Seventh night out we saw a light, Land Ahoy! Old Gib's in sight. The channels narrow, traffic heavy, But our old man's course was steady.

Oran we saw but not for long, We were eager, spirits strong. Due Ease we went, slowing not, North coast of Sicily was the spot.

What port it was we didn't know, Then we sighted Palermo. Such beauty we had rarely seen, Mountains high and valleys green.

Philly and the Boise were waiting there, They'd done good work in the Salerno affair. We got the Staff, they pulled away, And there we were, S.O.P.A.

Now little did we know, When we set foot in Palermo, That it was in the books to be, The home port of the 'Mighty B'.

But we liked well Modello Beach, Souvenirs were many, not bad oats. Catacombs, churches, shop and vino, We nestled close to Mt. Pellegrino.

Rugged duty was Shore Patrol, Look in the shops and take a stroll. At the Club the job was tougher, Stay on the wagon and really suffer.

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Here it was we met the Mayor, We think he liked our bill of fare. Plus other visitors who would beam, 'My gosh, you people have ice cream'.

But came the call for CL 40, To help the Army with a sortie. Gaeta felt our wrath one day, Returned to rest in Naples Bay.

Did I say rest? I take it back, 'Cause I hardly saw my rack. A new tune on the Hit Parade, Was 'Air Defence', Here come a raid.

Now Dirty Gertie from Bizerte. Is a legend of the Med. Here it was out fliers brave, Go to the DCF from 'Dugout' Dave.

SNAFU,  TARFU,  FUBAR, 'Twas the transfer of the war. “What's the dope on the two star flag? Just who's winning this game of tag?”

Off to Algiers and H.K. Hewitt, To get the dope on how to do it. Something's up, we headed west. Stopped at Gilbralter for a rest.

Gib's a rather British town, We like their Scotch and drank it down. Here we heard the Bugle Blare: “Attention for the Spanish Mayor!”

But off again, a job to do, Escorting corn-huskers was something new. G Q all night, speed at flank, Well we knew, we were outranked.

Oran's the spot that has good beer, Drop that hook in Mers-el-Kebir! Vulcan sailors out of the way, Here comes the Brooklyn down the bay.

Nurses, Wacs, Beer and snacks, At Maison Cologne some were taxed. Football on the deck we played, The Frenchies aft were quite dismayed.

To Club Thirteen and Murphy's Bar, We bummed our way in the weapons car. The women here were quite allright, Better yet was Herman's delight.

Every day the R.A.F Flew o'er the ship till we we deaf. We shore bombarded night and day, To show the Frenchies how to play.

Christmas season was drawing nigh, Malta's the spot and not too dry. Three long cheers for Admiral Dave, For out best interests he did slave.

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Cont'd			 Our 4.0 Club was lots of fun, Beer was weak, ale was bum. But jitterbug our crew could do, The Malta girls liked something new.

King's Head Bar and Union Club, Valletta's Gut had many a pub. Sliema lay across the drink, A Dhysa'll take you in a wink.

We had out Club two stories high, Three room and bath and lots of rye. The toughest duty of the week, Was staying sober while barkeep.

At Marquesa's Palace by the sea, We joined the best society. There we danced to Brooklyn's band, And shot the bull about the land.

Came one evening to a party, Malta's Prefect, big and hearty. He told great tales, all blood and thunder, But Andy Burgess drank him under.

Christmas Day found spirits high, Thirty orphans shared our pie. “Goodbye Grand Harbor, it's been fun, Let's get to work, the war's not won”.

A good friend of the “ Mighty B:, Was H.M.S. Penelope. She'd done a lot for freedom's sake, Now she's gone, our heart does ache.

The Dido and the Phoebo, Joined with us to Napoli. There's another landing in the Med. Brooklyn'll guard this beachhead,

One dark night on the Italian coast, We moved in quietly like a ghost. At Anzio our troops did spring, A great surprise for Kesselring.

The Army landed, no strain at all, We stood nearby to wait their call. And call they did many times, We blasted guns behind the lines.

Brooklyn men will not forget, The Night they hit Mayo, Plunkett. Glider bombs and flares he dropped, But Jerry missed his jack-pot.

Our old friends were Edison and Trippe, With heavy smoke they screened our ship. They dodged with us each German shell, Returned with us to give 'rm hell.

Beans and coffee, bread's dessert, Seasoned with a red alert. “Red Anzio” from the Bosn's Mate, Was the password 'fore we ate.

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Cont'd.                                  Up the coast one morn we sailed, Wind hit sixty, then it hailed. The Mighty B could take a lot, Her salty crow was troubled not.

But one jg from Radar Plot, Had lips of white and looked half shot. Mumbled he: ”Just let me see, The Recruiting Officer who talked to me!”

The gallant Trippe took waves of green, O'er mast like a submarine. “Now you see her, now you don't; Forget this storm, you bet we won't”.

The Philly's back, came the day, To rendezvous in Tunis Bay. French Algiers next we saw, Where CincMed reigns and ComNavNaw.

Hotel Aletti is one spot, To see Algiers and what is hot. Bright uniforms and clothes bizarre, Were gathered here from near and far.

We're off again on the 'Mighty B', To do a job upon the sea. Six months of cruising in the Med, You've heard a bit of the life we led.

-- - - - Six months Later - - - - - -

Southern France got her “D” Day, For invasion barges we cleared the way. The Riviera felt our roar, With French and British men-o-war. An Army Pilot downed at sea, Owes his life to the 'Mighty B'. Propriano was not much at all, So here we had our swimming call.

Time overseas has reached a year, Hopeful rumors we still hear. Off St. Tropez long we waited, Long glass liberties the best we rated.

On Gravesend Bay our hearts are set, It's been a year we'll nor forget. Some things are in my mind to stay Like “loading drills' and 'Staff Gangway'.

When old Vesuvius for mad one day, We got her dust in Sorrento Bay. In Naples Bay 'mid summers heat, The King of England reviewed the Fleet.

When Combat's planes are comin' in low, One mile out at two double oh. 'Combats' lost them, God knows where,' And the O.D.'s got another gray hair.

When to Sky Six the O,D, said, 'Permsission not granted to go the head”. Get on the ball up in Sky Aft, How's to track those two small craft.

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Cont'd.			     When our G.K did pace the deck, And old O.K was the Exec, When broken toes and a hundred ills, Were cure by Sick Bay's three white pills.

When our Baseball Team was hard to beat, And in War Bonds we led the Fleet, Now Jerry respects our six inch gun, And Brooklyn's proud of what she's done.

We cussed those watches, swore like bums, About things in general we beat our gums. But there's not a ship on any sea, That we would swap for the 'Mighty B'.

L.M. Robbins Lieut(99)USNR 09/14/44

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-addendum-

The Fightin' Philly's fame was great, Her tale was told in every state. The 'Gallopin Ghost of the Sicilian Coast', Received much glory in the 'Post'.

Those Salerno days, long and hard, Gave her three months in the yard. Returned to the Med with Campaign Bars, On her Bridge with battle stars.

At Anzio with dawn's first light, Out of the Laub she took a bite. “The Fightin' Philly, what' the dope on her? Now she's known as Fleet Canopener”.