Twenty Plus Two

Launched on 3.6 of '48
And ghosted 6.27 in '75
And was sadly sold for scrap in ninety three
Flagship of the Sixth and the Second Fleet was She
Her call sign was Thunder the pride and terror on the seas
More guns on Her deck than any cruiser in U.S. history
Fast in the wake of Her screws and keen on Her keel
Many battles on the high seas she never never did yield
No shell ever hit Her and She would never turn heel
From Her three turrets She showed Her big guns were nine
She would launch 8 by 55s that would shake the ocean floor
Ninety shells went air born before the first hit the ground
An 18 mile journey to their target well planned
Like hitting the bulls eye when the bombs hit land
Havoc within the enemy as they all ran
Many guns beside this She showed waiting on deck
Always ready she was to set sail and to serve
Crew general quarters ready like iron was their nerves
She sailed for Cuba in October of sixty two
During the missile crisis the Soviet navy was on their cue
Newport News told the Commies to do an about face
Or get blown out of the water with all the world to see
The Commies with any move they didn’t dare place
When taking flight to home port was all ahead in their flee

In seventy two long after the Cuban event
Again ordered to 'Nam she set sail and went
When a living horror took place in the ships history
In a different October after thirty years had spent
Though could never be stricken from memory of young men
This is a true story which survivors never say
The still living story that is to them the living hell
October 1st at midnight the nightmare unveiled
Young sailors at general quarters when at Nam’s DMZ
A PTSD nightmare that imprisons a man’s mind
When defending their brothers the VC they did shell
Crew at general quarters when inside of T Two
Young men during combat were aware and they knew
Such a strong blast bigger than Her nine guns
When the explosion did shake her wood decks and the crew
Unbelievable still inside her deck made of wood
There was a boiling inferno inside of T Two
With flames that were so hot it melted the steel
And twenty gave their lives when they knew
Such a horrifying death that they all could feel

Two others gave their lives prior to these
One was killed on the wood deck as he served his country
The other lost overboard and is yet resting at sea
True story of young men who gave their lives
Thunder on the Flag Ship CA148

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