THIS ORDER HAS BEEN PASSED ON NAVAL SHIPS FROM THE 1500’S THROUGH TODAY. SPANISH, FRENCH, ENGLISH, DUTCH, YEA ALL THE NAVIES OF THE WORLD USED THE BOATSWAIN, SIDEBOYS AND THE CALL TO BRING ABOARD OR SEND ASHORE ALL SHIP’S COMPANY OFFICERS, VISITING OFFICERS, DIGNITARIES AND VIP’S.
THE SIDEBOYS WOULD HAUL ON THE ROPES TO RAISE PR LOWER THE BOARDING PLATFORM SO OFFICERS WOULD NOT HAVE TO CLIMB THE RAT LINES, WHICH WERE USED BY THE ENLISTED CREW, WHEN GOING ASHORE OR TO GET ABOARD. THIS HONOR WAS EXTENDED TO VISITING OFFICERS, DIGNITARIES AND PORT OFFICIALS.
IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF A SHIP TO ORDER UP THE JOLLY BOAT, A CREW OF EIGHT STRONG BACKS, SIDEBOYS AND BOATSWAIN TO SEND AN OLD SHIPMATE AND FELLOW OFFICER TO HIS SHORE RETIREMENT HOME, ... NEVER TO SAIL ON NAVAL SHIPS AGAIN.
“ALL HANDS ON DECK” WAS PASSED, SPEECHES WERE MADE ABOUT GREAT VICTORIES FOUGHT UPON THE OPEN SEA, RAGING STORMS WEATHERED AND VOYAGES TO DISTANT AND STRANGE PORTS OF CALL OTHERS ONLY DREAMED ABOUT.
THEN A FINE SWORD, A BRACE OF PISTOLS, A RIFLE OR MUSKET, OR MAYBE A SEA CHEST OF FINE WOOD AND BOUND IN BRASS, WAS PRESENTED TO REMIND HIM OF THE CREWS AND SHIPS HE HAD SERVED WITH. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THESE CEREMONIES, THE BOATSWAIN WOULD STAND TALL THE SIDEBOYS, THE RETIREE WOULD REQUEST TO GO ASHORE, STEP TO THE PLATFORM AND THE SIDEBOYS WOULD LOWER AWAY. AS THE JOLLY BOAT PULLED AWAY, THE SHIP’S GUNNER WOULD FIRE A SALUTE FROM THE MAIN BATTERY. THE RETIREE SAT IN THE STERN SHEETS,... GOING ASHORE.
IN THE LATE 1700’S, THE U.S. NAVY SET SAIL WITH NEW IDEAS, NEW GOALS AND A DESIRE TO BUILD TRADITIONS THAT WOULD LAST THROUGH THE TESTS OF TIME. THE U.S. NAVY LED THE WAY WITH PROVIDING HONORS FOR ENLISTED CREWMEN. THE 1800’S SAW ENLISTED MEN HOLDING RETIREMENTS FOR ENLISTED MEN FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE CAPTAIN WOULD ALLOW THE JOLLY BOAT TO TAKE THE ENLISTED RETIREE ASHORE. THEN AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, COMMANDING OFFICERS BEGAN TO HOLD THE ENLISTED RETIREMENT CEREMONIES TO SHOW THE CREW THAT HE, AND THE NAVY, RECOGNIZED THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ITS ENLISTED CREWMAN.
TODAY, OUR NAVY HAS GIVEN UP MOST OF THE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE, THE HONORS, TRADITIONS AND CEREMONIES BACK TO HISTORY. TIME ITSELF DOES NOT GIVE US THE FREEDOM TO DO THESE THINGS FROM THE PAST, BUT WE STILL ANCHOR TO PAY HONOR TO ONE OF OUR SHIPMATES GOING ASHORE, TO HONOR THE YEARS SERVED, TO HONOR THE EXPERTISE, LEADERSHIP AND FRIENDSHIP THAT THIS SHIPMATE HAS FREELY GIVEN THESE LAST TWENTY-TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
(HAVE THE RETIREE STEP FORWARD)
AYE MATES, FOR MANY YEARS THIS SAILOR HAS STOOD THE WATCH. BEFORE MANY OF US WERE BORN, THIS SAILOR STOOD THE WATCH. WHILE OTHERS WERE ATTENDING SCHOOL, THIS SAILOR STOOD THE WATCH. AS WE LAY SLEEPING IN OUR BUNKS AT NIGHT, THIS SHIPMATE STOOD THE WATCH. AS STORM CLOUDS OF WAR BUILT ON THE HORIZONS OF HISTORY, THIS HONORABLE SHIPMATE STOOD THE WATCH, AND YES, THOUGH HE CAST A LONGING EYE ASHORE, SEEING HIS FAMILY STANDING THERE, NEEDING HIS GUIDANCE AND COMPANIONSHIP THROUGH LONG, LONELY TIMES, HE STILL STOOD THE WATCH. FOR OVER TWENTY-TWO YEARS HE HAS STOOD THE WATCH, SO THAT WE, OUR FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND ALL OUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN COULD SLEEP SOUNDLY, SAFELY AND IN FREEDOM EACH AND EVERY NIGHT.
TODAY, WE ARE HERE TO SAY, “SHIPMATE, THE WATCH STANDS RELIEVED.” RELIEVED BY THOSE YOU HAVE LED, GUIDED AND TRAINED, RELIEVED BY THOSE YOU HAVE MADE READY TO TAKE YOUR PLACE.
(SALUTE THE RETIREE AND WAIT FOR RETURN SALUTE)
YOU STAND RELIEVED. WE HAVE THE WATCH! BOATSWAIN, STAND-BY TO PIPE THE SIDE, SHIPMATE GOING ASHORE!
