THIS IS WHAT A SNIPE IS:

By MM 3 Jesse Fox 1959 aboard USS Henry W. Tucker DDR-875

This is what a snipe is,

This is what I know,

They’re the mighty men that make the ship go,

Down in the bilges,

Or in the steam drum,

There is always someone to call him dumb,

Down in the hole,

Whether early or late,

The watches he stands are always 4 and 8,

Now you never see a snipe with a good tan,

Though he gets all the sun that he possibly can,

Dirty and tired they come up for air,

One at a time or pair by pair,

Down in the engine room, fire room too,

None has pity, no, none for you,

Now this is what a snipe is,

The usual type,

This is what a snipe is,

But there is no gripe.