{"id":2092,"date":"2020-09-11T07:46:08","date_gmt":"2020-09-11T12:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.socpsy.com\/casks\/?p=2092"},"modified":"2023-10-10T08:50:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T13:50:21","slug":"mid-watch-in-verse-uss-radford-dd-446","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.socpsy.com\/casks\/mid-watch-in-verse-uss-radford-dd-446\/","title":{"rendered":"Mid-Watch in Verse: USS Radford (DD-446)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a continuation of the Mid-Watch in Verse series. A Deck Log from a US Navy vessel chronicles exacting administrative detail regarding the status of the ship, its location, speed, etc. However, for a four hour period at the beginning of each year, the Officer of the Deck (OOD) is allowed to be creative by writing the Mid-Watch report (0000 \u2013 0400) in verse if they choose to do so. This series highlights examples of this tradition and the officers who posted them. I focus on WWII era deck logs. For a more thorough history of the practice check out this article from the Naval History and Heritage Command<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Midwatch in Verse is now available as a book that features poems from 29 ships during WWII. See the book’s website<\/a> for details.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The USS Radford<\/em> (DD-446)<\/a> was a Fletcher-class destroyer<\/a> that was commissioned 22 July 1942. She was the second of this very successful class to be commissioned. Many of the Fletcher-class ships continued their service into the 1960s and 1970s in the US Navy and other navies around the world. A website dedicated to the Radford<\/em> can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Radford<\/em> is best known for participating in more campaigns than most ships during her time of service. During WWII, she received the Presidential Unit Citation<\/a> for her action during the Battle of Kula Gulf<\/a>, in which she rescued 440 crewmen from a sinking USS Helena<\/em> (CL-50)<\/a>, all the while dodging enemy torpedoes and gunfire. Additionally, the Radford<\/em> teamed up with another destroyer to sink a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer and to damage another destroyer (see part of the action report here<\/a>). This action earned the Radford<\/em>‘s commander, William K. Romoser, the Navy Cross (see this link for the citation<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Just a few days before the Helena<\/em>‘s sinking, the Radford<\/em> caught a Japanese submarine on the surface and attacked it. The operational report indicated that the sub’s conning tower was blown away by the initial attack. Radford<\/em> also recorded many hits with her guns on other parts of the sub. The sub disappeared below the surface, and a huge sub-surface explosion was felt in the ship after dropping depth charges. This marked the end of the Japanese sub I-19 (see action report here<\/a>). Commander Romoser received the Legion of Merit for this action (see citation here<\/a>). In an interview later that year, Romoser said of the sub, “He was caught with his pants down.”<\/a><\/p>\n

The Radford<\/em> went on to earn five battle stars during the Korean War and four during the Vietnam War to add to the 12 earned during WWII.<\/p>\n

The poem in this post is coincidentally written by the aforementioned William K. Romoser. When posted to the Radford<\/em>‘s log on 1 January 1943, Romoser was the skipper of the ship. In all of the New Year’s deck logs I’ve seen, this is the only one that was posted by ship’s captain. Junior officers, or the occasional Chief, usually post the mid-watch deck log. Here is a link to the copy of the original log containing the poem<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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U.S.S. RADFORD (DD 446)<\/p>\n

W. K. ROMOSER, Commander, U.S.N., Commanding<\/p>\n

00 \u2013 04<\/p>\n

Yesterday was December\u2019s last<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s the second, time goes fast!<\/p>\n

For us no New Year\u2019s has there been<\/p>\n

As we steam on with Force Eighteen.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The reason is that just in nine<\/p>\n

The Good Ship RADFORD crossed the line.<\/p>\n

So now all hands can boast quite true<\/p>\n

They\u2019re Shellbacks and Golden Dragons too!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

GIFFEN, Admiral is our Pa<\/p>\n

And is riding in the WICHITA<\/p>\n

In cruising pattern one we\u2019re seen<\/p>\n

We\u2019re number two in five George screen<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We\u2019re steaming on at speed sixteen<\/p>\n

All\u2019s clear ahead, so says our screen<\/p>\n

Fifteen knots is standard speed<\/p>\n

One four four turns is all we need.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We\u2019re using boilers one and four,<\/p>\n

Steaming on just one, no more<\/p>\n

For now we\u2019re where the sea may be<\/p>\n

Infested with the Japanese!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Most nights at sea are quite alike<\/p>\n

Baker\u2019s set, as is two Mike<\/p>\n

The ship is darkened so that we<\/p>\n

Won\u2019t for a sub a target be.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And so the RADFORD steams ahead<\/p>\n

No running lights of green and red<\/p>\n

Prepared to fight with any foe<\/p>\n

And strike for Freedom one more blow.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Romoser’s Annapolis “Lucky Bag” photo<\/p><\/div>\n

William Kilian Romoser was born on 21 July 1903 to William H. Romoser and Elizabeth W. Kilian in Baltimore, MD. He attended Lehigh University for a year before accepting an appointment to Annapolis on 11 July 1922. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1926, Romoser embarked on a remarkably successful career (Here is a link to his Lucky Bag yearbook graduation entry<\/a>). From 1926 through 1937, he served aboard five different ships (three destroyers, a light cruiser, and a battleship). He also attended Naval Flight School at Pensacola, FL. Nineteen thirty seven began his career of commanding a wide variety of posts and ships.<\/p>\n

Romoser served as commander of six vessels:<\/p>\n