Delco re:View Fall 2017 - 7

www.DelcoBar.org

A historical description of the battle referenced in this
poem: Through early March, The Charles F Hughes
returned to Anzio again and again, to provide shore
bombardment, screening, and patrol services. For the
American troops dug in under almost constant German
counterattack, the whistle of shells over head from
such ships as Hughes was a most comforting sound.
From 3 March to 4 April, the destroyer resumed convoy
escort duties in North African waters and patrol at
Gibraltar, then returned to operate off Anzio until just
before the final breakout from the beachhead late in
May. Returning to antisubmarine patrol and escort
duties in the western Mediterranean, Hughes arrived
at Naples July 30, 1944, to prepare for the invasion of
southern France. While protecting the eastern flank of
the shipping off the beachhead from attack on the night
of August 19/20, she spotted three German E-boats
attempting to penetrate the screen, and forced two of
them to beach while she sank the third by gunfire. With
the beachhead secure, Hughes resumed patrol and
escort services throughout the western Mediterranean,
particularly in the Gulf of Genoa. Between 7 and 16
December, she provided call-fire support off Monaco,
previously bypassed because of its neutrality, but now
under attack because German forces had invested it.

Poem by Al Alberts (Albertini), US Navy, WW II
We encountered the enemy
Three e-boats in force
They were ready and waiting
We held true to our course.

Deserted by her crew
in the face of our guns,
of the three that started
now there was one.

Our guns trained starboard
Through the enveloping black,
And the stillness was shattered,
The command was "Attack!"

The last of the schulls
of the Furher's Third Reich,
bewildered and battered,
found themselves in a plight!

Our opening salvo
followed a line so true
of the three that started
now there were two.

With nothing before them
but death or defeat,
they scuttled their ship
started using their feet.

The battle continued
that perilous night
it was kill or be killed,
and God was our might.

The battle was over,
the battle was won,
of the three that started
now there were none!

The firing was merciless,
round after round
'til we wounded another
and ran her aground.

*

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Delco re:View Fall 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Delco re:View Fall 2017
