Ship's Log January - March 1998

This is a transition log between the old entries and the new Logbook. Most of the entries between November and end of December were lost due to a system crash. Please feel free to resubmit if you don't see your entry below and it will be posted promptly.

This poem was written by a Bancroft radioman: Alfred S. Crowd RM3(SS) and sent to me by the widow of Lonnie J. Coats RMCS(SS) - USS George Bancroft SSBN 643 - Nov. 1969 to July 1974

Lonnie B.
And Robert G
Stanley A.
And Lonnie J.

Side by each
and locked in series
If you talk to them
You may get the wearies

Worthley and Sheetz
Talk of diesel boats
While I, House, and Stred
Get chewed out by Chief Coats

Speaking of Chiefs
Here's another goat
His name is Al Weeks

As a matter of fact
He's rode quite a few
Twenty years in the Navy
He retires in two.

Then there's squared away Pitchford
Short hair cut and all
It's his first submarine
On here he has a ball

"If they let me", he says,
"I'll stay in thirty years"
That fool would'nt get out
For a car load of beer.

Raymond C. Parks,
RM 1 (SS)
A darn good sailor
And good people, no less

As for the junior men
I'll start with Stred
If sleeping was fatal
That man would be dead

House, and Steele
And Lundgrem too,
Are three other men
Who sail the blue

Yes, they're all brave Radiomen
of the Gomer B.
Yes all of these men
and me, A.S.C.

Written while the Bancroft was in the Portsmouth,New Hampshire Naval Shipyard for conversion from Polaris to Poseidon -April 1971-August 1972. My late husband was RMC (SS) Lonnie J. Coats. He was on the Bancroft from Nov. 1969- July 1974. Very good picture of the Bancroft.

Faye Coats

Sincerely,

Matt Anderson