HomeHistoryMid-Watch in Verse: USS Maryland

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Mid-Watch in Verse: USS Maryland — 6 Comments

  1. Dave, I think you’re on to something here. There is a book in all this, especially if you could gain access to deck logs from other times during the war. Could make a really interesting and unique perspective on WWII. And if you needed help editing, I’d be glad to do that.

    • I’d love to do something like that! Alas, it would require some time spent at the National Archives in DC. I’m not sure I’m up to that! 😀

    • New development: I found that a number of deck logs for ships active in WWII are now available at the National Archives. I was unaware of this. After just a few minutes, I already found one poem from a WWII destroyer from January 1, 1945.

  2. Dear Dave…I surmise you are the intrepid investigator doing this research. I happened to be watching a WWII documentary the other day and thought of MY GREAT UNCLE JACK. So…I Googled him and up came this link to check out. I was immediately fascinated. I thought, for sure, I know someone who would thoroughly enjoy seeing this.

    As it happens, I am now sitting here with my mother, the last remaining niece of Jack Allen Shefrin. She is 88 and still kicking. Mom’s brother, Gary, lives in Philadelphia. I had no idea of this curious, but fantastic, tradition. We excitedly enjoyed seeing his thorough description of the mid-watch that night.

    The history of his time in the Navy is more detail than we could ever get out of him. Like many others, he certainly did not like talking to us about the war. So this incredible, direct connection for us, imagining him sitting and penning these words, was a small joy and opportunity for us to think of him again.

    Uncle Jack was a tremendous person, to everyone. He laughed all the time and had an incredible vitality for life. His camera was always with him. His acting was a great outlet for his always gregarious nature.
    We miss him.

    • Randy,

      Thank you so much for your response. I am, in fact, the person who compiled the information about your great uncle. His was the first of my series Mid-Watch in Verse and I continue to research and write the series. I chose your relative for my first entry because I thought his poem was very good and because he seemed like an interesting person who I would probably enjoy being around. I also spend a fair amount of time in the Kansas City area, so am familiar with his locale later in life.

      One of the things that has been very rewarding about this project is the contact I’ve had with the verse writers’ families. I’ve gotten some amazing accounts of both personal and navy experiences.

      Thanks again for your response! I’m glad you found the item!

      Regards,
      Dave

  3. LOL, guess I should have mentioned Mom’s name (Dorothy). I hear many stories, of course, but rarely about the war.
    As well, Mom’s older brother Jack, enlisted in the Navy right near the end of the war. And then he came home.

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