Throughout the world there are many popular traditions to ring in the New Year, and in early colonial America that included firing pistols into the air – that’s a tradition the U.S. military now highly discourages. Instead, the U.S Navy encourages sailors to celebrate the beginning of a New Year by showing off their poetic skills.
Throughout the year, the deck log – which is prepared by the officer of the deck – is meant to chronicle where the ship has been, what happened aboard, the weather conditions, and notably anything of significance that occurred during the watch. It is almost always very by the numbers and factual, making for dry reading.
There is one exception.
The very first watch of the New Year, from midnight to 4am, it is acceptable to record the deck log in rhyming verse. This tradition is truly unique to the U.S. Navy, and according to the Naval History and Heritage Command dates back to at least 1929.
Since then, every January 1st, the officer of the deck (or another designated individual on a U.S. Navy vessel), may write the normally customary deck log entry in poetic style to mark the transition to the New Year.
“The tradition of the New Year’s Deck Log Poem allows Sailors to inject a little bit of humor, creativity, and personal expression into their duty of maintaining the deck log. It provides a way for the crew to bond with their fellow shipmates and celebrate the holiday spirit even when they are far from home and loved ones,” the Naval History and Heritage Command explained.
The New Year’s Deck Log Poem still has to fulfill all U.S. Navy requirements, noting every detail of the ship’s disposition. However, it is meant to offer a respite from marking the start of the New Year with what is often a very lonely and uneventful watch.
Rhyme Time: It Spurred a Navy-wide Contest
The tradition of rhyming logs grew – perhaps by word of mouth – and in the 1960s, the Navy Times held a contest that drew hundreds of entries. However, the special New Year’s Day content and poetry spirit appeared to be dwindling until 2020. That year the Naval History and Heritage Command started a new contest for the best example of a ship’s log written in verse.
Although the officer of the deck is often the most common author of these poems, it’s not uncommon for other crew members, especially those with a talent for poetry or a knack for creative writing, to contribute or collaborate on the New Year’s Deck Log Poem.
This tradition has helped foster a sense of camaraderie and allows sailors to collectively celebrate the holiday in a unique and meaningful way.
“In the lines of the Navy’s New Year’s Deck Log Poems, we find a unique tapestry of resilience, camaraderie, and tradition, woven together by the men and women who serve with unwavering dedication,” said Sam Cox, director of Naval History and Heritage Command, Rear Adm. (retired). “As we boldly go and plot our course for the New Year, we are hopeful that this cherished naval tradition continues to be a source of unity and inspiration, reminding us that even in the most challenging of times, the spirit of the U.S. Navy perseveres.”
To be eligible for the competition:
- Entries must be from a commissioned US Navy vessel deployed or at shore.
- Entries must be submissions to the ship’s official deck log.
- Entries must be written as the first entry on January 1, 2024.
- Entries must be unclassified.
- All paygrades active and reserve are eligible.
First to third place winners will be announced in April, National Poetry Month. The first-place author will receive a piece of historic copper sheathing from the USS Constitution.
The winning submissions for the 2022 NHHC New Year’s Deck Log Entry Contest included First Place: USS BUNKER HILL (CG-52); Second Place: USS FITZGERALD (DDG-62); and Third Place: USS FARRAGUT (DDG-99).
USS Bunker Hill’s deck log entry reminisced on important milestones in the ship’s history, as well as noting that it would be the final New Year’s Deck Log for the Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser.
“As New Year’s bells ring out tonight/ We celebrate our warship’s might/In poetic form we must recall/ Bunker Hill’s life before her 2023 mothball,” wrote Lt. Artem Sherbinin on the first night of 2023 while aboard USS Bunker Hill (CG 52).
“Our ship is slated to decommission in Fall 2023, so this will likely be our last-ever deck log poem,” explained Lt. Sherbinin,. “Our team focused its poem on Bunker Hill’s history, given that she is the oldest commissioned grey-hull surface combatant in service.”
