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.