“A Sailors Reward”

Written by Ed (George Edward) Jones, S 2/c, from Blaine, Tennessee, Div. 5, Gunner, U.S.S. Indianapolis, sent to his sister Imogene(Jarnigan) in 1945.
 

I have been sitting here and thinking of the things I left behind
And hate to put on paper, just what’s running through my mind
But there is one consolation, gather close and I will tell
When we die we’ll go to heaven, for we’ve spent our hitch in hell

We’ve dived a million bilges and chipped ten miles of paint
A meaner place this side of hell, there just simply ain’t
We’ve stood by endless hours, while waiting for our mail
We’ve stood a million watches, and been on all details

We’ve scrubbed a million mess halls, peeled a million spuds
We’ve lashed a million hammocks, and washed our dirty duds
The number of inspections stood, is very hard to tell
There’ll be no such thing in heaven, for we’ve spent our hitch in hell

We’ve cruised a million miles and made a thousand ports
We’ve spent the nights in dirty jails, for trying to be good sports
When final taps are sounded, and we lay aside life’s cares
Then we take the final shore leave, right up those golden stairs

The Angels will welcome us, and the harps will begin to play
We sign a million pay checks, all to be spent in one day
And then we’ll hear Saint Peter, greet us with a loud yell
Take a front seat sailors, for you spent your hitch in HELL.