THIS SAILOR HAS STOOD THE WATCH

FOR TWENTY TWO YEARS, THIS SAILOR HAS STOOD THE WATCH.




WHILE SOME OF US WERE IN OUR BUNKS AT NIGHT THIS SAILOR STOOD THE WATCH



WHILE SOME OF US WERE IN SCHOOL LEARNING OUR TRADE, THIS SHIPMATE STOOD THE WATCH



YES, EVEN BEFORE SOME OF US WERE BORN INTO THIS WORLD ... THIS SHIPMATE STOOD THE WATCH



IN THOSE YEARS WHEN THE STORM CLOUDS OF WAR WERE SEEN BREWING ON THE HORIZON OF HISTORY THIS SHIPMATE STOOD THE WATCH



MANY TIMES HE WOULD CAST AN EYE ASHORE AND SEE HIS

FAMILY STANDING THERE ... NEEDING HIS GUIDANCE AND

HELP...NEEDING THAT HAND TO HOLD DURING THOSE HARD

TIMES ... BUT HE STILL STOOD THE WATCH



HE STOOD THE WATCH FOR TWENTY-TWO YEARS

HE STOOD THE WATCH SO THAT WE , OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR

FELLOW COUNTRYMEN COULD SLEEP SOUNDLY IN SAFETY EACH

AND EVERY NIGHT KNOWING THAT A SAILOR STOOD THE WATCH



TODAY WE ARE HERE TO SAY "SHIPMATE, THE WATCH STANDS

RELIEVED. RELIEVED BY THOSE YOU HAVE LED, GUIDED, AND

TRAINED.



SHIPMATE, YOU STAND RELIEVED. WE HAVE THE WATCH.



"BOATSWAIN ... STANDBY TO PIPE THE SIDE ... SHIPMATE GOING

ASHORE.

OLDE GLORY PRESENTATION

I AM THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MY NAME IS OLDE GLORY.

I FLY ATOP THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDINGS

I STAND WATCH IN AMERICA'S HALLS OF JUSTICE.

I FLY MAJESTICALLY OVER GREAT INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING.

I STAND GUARD WITH THE GREATEST MILITARY POWER IN THE WORLD.

LOOK UP! AND SEE ME!!!



I STAND FOR PEACE HONOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE.

I STAND FOR FREEDOM!!

I AM CONFIDENT, I AM ARROGANT, I AM PROUD.

WHEN I AM FLOWN WITH MY FELLOW BANNERS, MY HEAD IS HELD A LITTLE HIGHER - MY COLORS ARE A LITTLE TRUER



I BOW TO NO ONE!

I AM RECOGNIZED ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I AM WORSHIPPED - I AM SALUTED - I AM RESPECTED - I AM REVERED - I AM LOVED - I AM FEARED!!



FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS, I HAVE FOUGHT IN EVERY BATTLE OF EVERY WAR; GETTYSBURG, SHILOH, APPOMATTOX, SAN JUAN HILL,THE TRENCHES OF FRANCE, THE ARGENNE FOREST, ANZIO, ROME, THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY, THE JUNGLES OF GUAM, OKINAWA, TARAWA, KOREA, VIETNAM AND IN THE HEAT OF THE PERSIAN GULF AND A SCORE OF OTHER PLACES.

LONG FORGOTTEN BY ALL, BUT THOSE WHO WERE THERE WITH ME.

I WAS THERE.



I LED MY SAILORS AND MARINES,

I FOLLOWED THEM, I WATCH OVER THEM, THEY LOVE ME.

I WAS ON A SMALL HILL ON IWO JIMA.

I WAS DIRTY BATTLE TORN AND TIRED BUT MY SAILORS AND MARINES CHEERED ME!!!!

I WAS PROUD!



I HAVE BEEN SOILED BURNED TORN AND TRAMPLED ON THE STREETS OF COUNTRIES THAT I HAVE HELPED TO SET FREE.

IT DOES NOT HURT FOR I AM INVINCIBILE.

I HAVE BEEN SOILED BURNED TORN AND TRAMPLED ON THE STREETS OF MY OWN COUNTRY AND WHEN IT IS DONE BY THOSE WHOM WITH I HAVE SERVED IN BATTLE. IT HURTS!!!

BUT I SHALL OVERCOME FOR I AM STRONG!!



I HAVE SLIPPED THE SURELY BOUNDS OF EARTH AND, FROM MY VANTAGE POINT ON THE MOON,

I STAND WATCH OVER THE NEW FRONTIERS OF SPACE.

I HAVE BEEN THE SILENT WITNESS TO ALL OF AMERICA'S FINEST HOURS.



BUT MY FINEST HOUR COMES WHEN I AM TORN INTO STRIPS, TO BE USED AS BANDAGES FOR MY WOUNDED COMRADES ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE.

WHEN I FLY HALF MAST TO HONOR MY SAILORS AND MARINES AND WHEN I LIE IN THE TREMBLING ARMS OF A GRIEVING MOTHER – AT THE GRAVESIDE OF HER FALLEN SON OR DAUGHTER I AM PROUD!



MY NAME IS "OLDE GLORY" LONG MAY I WAVE DEAR GOD, LONG MAY I WAVE.