A passage from “John Brown’s Body”

By: Stephen Vincent Benet

The sinking of the world’s old sea-bitten names,

Temeraire, Victory, and Constellation,

Serapis, Bon Homme Richard, Golden Hind,

Galleys of Antony, galleys of Carthage,

Galleons with gilded Virgins, galleasses,

Viking long-serpents, siren-haunted galliots,

Argos and argosies and the Achaean pride,

Moving to sea in one long wooden wall

Behind the huge ghost-flagship of the Ark

In such a swelling cloud of phantom-sail

They whitened Ocean–going down by the head,

Green water seeping through the battened ports,

Spreading along the scrubbed and famous decks,

Going down—going down—going down—to Mermaid-pools,

To fiddlers Green—to the dim barnacle thrones,

Where Davy Jones drinks everlasting rum

With the sea-horses of his sunken dreams.

Chief Petty Officers – The Backbone of the Navy
Stole this one off the net.

This is how you tell if you are in the presence of a “real” Chief:

The Chief is not afraid of the dark; the dark is afraid of the Chief.

The Chief once visited The Virgin Islands. They are now simply called “The Islands”.

Superman owns a pair of Chief pajamas.

The Chief has never paid taxes. He just sends in a blank form and includes a picture of himself.

If the Chief is late, then time had damned well better slow down.

The Chief actually died four years ago, but the Grim Reaper can’t get up the courage to tell him.

The Chief can divide by zero.

The Chief has counted to infinity … twice!

If the Chief ever calls your house, be in!

The Chief doesn’t leave messages; he leaves warnings. You had better pay attention to them.

The Chief can slam a revolving door.

The Chief was sending an email one day, when he realized it would be faster to run over with it.

When the Incredible Hulk gets mad, he becomes the Chief.

When the Chief exercises, the machines gets stronger.

Bullets dodge the Chief. If not, he catches them in his teeth.

Chiefs think Ensigns should be seen and not heard, and should not be allowed to read books on leadership.

Chiefs do not have any civilian clothes. As civilians, they keep their uniforms forever.

The Chief’s favorite national holiday is CPO Initiation.

The Chief’s favorite food for breakfast is SOS.

Chiefs don’t know how to tell civilian time.

Chiefs only dream in Navy blue, gold, white, haze gray and khaki.

Chiefs have served in ships that are now war memorials or tourist attractions.

Chiefs get tears in their eyes when the Chief dies in the movie “Operation Pacific.”

Chiefs have pictures of ships in their wallets.

Chiefs do not own any pens that are not inscribed “Property of U.S. Government.”

Chief’s favorite quote is from the movie Ben Hur: “We keep you alive to serve this ship.”

A Chief’s last ship (or duty station) is always best.

Chiefs know that the black tar in their coffee cup makes the coffee taste better.

A Chief’s idea of heaven: Three good PO1’s and a Division Officer, all of whom do what they’re told.

Chiefs believe John Wayne would have made a good Chief, if he hadn’t gone soft and made Marine movies.