Coast Guard Heroes To You and Me
©1997
Dolly Juhlin
- Heroes they aren't, the Coasties we know
Can't pin that name on them
They're only just guys in uniforms
They're simply uncommon men
Unwelcome intruders to all they meet
As they board the foreign ships
Fishery patrol is harmless duty
Just keep your guns on your hips
Drug interdiction is a merry old job
There's no chance of getting blown away
Floating around on balmy seas
Painting leaves on your ship every day
Isolated duty is their favorite of all
Leaving family and friends far behind
A year of loneliness is good for the soul
It helps to broaden one's mind
Icebreaking is a joy to most Coasties
The Great Lakes are their friend
Beards frozen stiff and fingers numb
Pounding noise through the hull end to end
Pulling and setting those buoys
Is child's play to one and all
Don't smash your fingers, watch out for that winch!
Damn you if one should fall
Fix it again and again and again
Coasties love their left over gear
Hand-me-downs, fixer ups, broken and used
Let's see if it lasts one more year
They're blamed for all the bar room brawls
"Fleet's in, let's see what's up"
The locals think it's all a joke
When the Coasties run amuck
Did they serve in Nam? Gee, I didn't know that
Thought there were just real soldiers there
There couldn't have been many or I would have known
Guess we don't have to bother to care
A thankful job which many share
Is saving drunken yachtsmen
From ships they can't sail when sober
And who bitch if you're not kindly to them
And then there's the idiot fishermen
Who don't know enough to stay at home
When storm clouds and seas overtake them
They're stranded out there all alone
- Yes, our guys have to deal with them all
And save their worthless lives
With no time to think of their safety
That's a job left to Coastie wives
You have to go out, but some don't come back
They're memories, but not heroes at all
A Commandant's bulletin will praise their work
To cross the bar is just answering the call
Moving cross country to new jobs and homes
Is a challenge they look forward to
What kind of housing will wait for them?
Where do the kids go to school?
Who's the new boss? Will we like it here?
Answers matter not much at all
You're there and that's that, for a couple of years
Answering whatever duty calls
Watching your family break all apart
'Cause you spend so much time out at sea
The seamen hear stories of marriages ending
And muse "Will it happen to me?"
Just 'cause your ship's pulled up in port
And you've been out to sea for so long
Stay away from the women, the CO says
Or you'll be singing a woeful song
Keep your hands in your pockets, watch out for your mates
And sure, have a really good time
But should any trouble just happen your way
You'll definitely be walking the line
Ah, it's fun to be part of the Coast Guard
The pay, the bennies are great
We're the smallest and poorest service
The one all others love to hate
Though many don't call them heroes
Not understanding what they do
We know what our Coasties are made of
They're brave, dauntless men through and through
They know what their job is and do it
Not expecting the world to pay homage
In our eyes they stand straight and tall
Exemplary in their courage
They're heroes to their Coast Guard family
A membership sought after and won
By our Coasties being Semper Paratus
For whatever job needs to be done
Reproduced with permission of author