A Tribute - USS Batfish SS310

A Tribute, USS Batfish SS310

A command was given, the lines slipped away,
And once again the Batfish, was underway.
Her engines purred with a subdued roar,
She was off to hunt the enemy once more.

SS310 was her number back then,
Manned by ten officers, sixty eight men.
Her men honored Neptune, and other gods,
Each cruise was completed against high odds.

She was special, sank three subs in three days,
Torpedoes that were fired, set ships ablaze.
Often their fish would hit ships broadside
Eventually they’d sink, many men died.

Time at sea was tough, the sub quite small,
In storms it was tossed around like a ball.
Fairbanks Morse diesels drove it at twenty knots,
Submerged, the battery provided the watts

While underway, they had little time to sleep,
Despite being a sub, they rarely dove deep
Rest came when they had a moment to doze,
And yes, for days they wore the same clothes.

She survived the war, and was decommissioned,
Was rescued from salvage, in poor condition.
Oklahoma claimed her, in Muskogee she sits,
Welcoming all those who pay her a visit.

See a piece of history, remember those days,
When we fought on the seas in violent ways
Back then men were men, and ships were steel,
But to my memories, she does appeal.

Jim Dorrell
6/27/16