While this was written as a song, it is a form of poem, that reflected the sentiments of many Marines serving in the USS BOXER (LPH-4) during the 1959-1960 era when they were assigned traditional seaman duties instead of the traditional Marine duties aboard a capital ship of the fleet, where many had served in other traditional Marine Detachments. While some few Marines did carry out those traditional duties, many were assigned to duty in the Deck Division and worked as deck hands, and operated small boats. This unimagined duty, and the cultural change which came about when Marines shared berthing spaces with sailors was quite astounding. These Marines were performing duties totally unrelated to their Military Occupational Specialty and were given many of the undesirable details by Petty Officers in their respective Divisions. Many could not see promotional possibilities while performing duties of a seaman and became quite discouraged, some felt betrayed since they were Marines but now allowed to fulfill the role of a Marine, but despite the low morale the Marines did perform their duties and put the ship in shape and kept her steaming the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea to test and validate the Vertical Envelopment Concept from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

It seems when Marines become frustrated, they also become creative, so here is the "Goat Boat Calypso" for your consideration.

(Note: This is to be sung to the tune "Rum and Coca Cola")

GOAT BOAT CALYPSO

When Marine get sent to Norfolk town,
He get drunk and fall on ground.
He's done been Hand Picked, once more
to go aboard LPH-4.

"Chorus"

Drinking Rum and Russian Vodka
way down in tidewater.
Hand picked for the Boxer
We call it Shanghaied, and you ought'a.

When Marine he step aboard dat ship,
da things he sees dey make him flip.
Cruddiest boat in de whole darn fleet,
If da smell don't get you, ya die of the heat.

"Chorus"

As soon as dey get aboard that boat,
dey say it only fit for Goat.
No more Staff NCO's it's true,
dey all is just part of ships crew.

"Chorus"

The Marines on the Boxer, dey all know
de place in the World where they would like to go.
Any place in the World will do,
as long as they're not in Boxer crew.

"Chorus"

Now when our cruise on here is thru
and we get out of Goat Boat crew,
I'm going to tell all the wheels in the Corps
"Please," don't hand pick me no more.

"Chorus"

A NON A MUS

Submitted by

Semper Fidelis
Joseph Madagan
USS BOXER
Life Member