USS Charles F. Hughes DD428
"OF THE THREE THAT STARTED"

LISTEN MY CHILDREN
FOR FOLLOWING ENSUES,
THE MID-NIGHT JAUNT
OF THE CHARLES F. HUGHES.

IT WAS "D" PLUS SIX
OF AUGUST FORTY FOUR,
WHILE PATROLLING OFF CANNES
IN FRANCE, TO BE SURE.

WE ENCOUNTERED THE ENEMY,
THREE E-BOATS IN FORCE,
THEY WERE READY AND WAITING
WE HELD TRUE TO OUR COURSE.

OUR GUNS TRAINED STARBOARD
THROUGH THE ENVELOPING BLACK,
AND THE STILLNESS WAS SHATTERED,
THE COMMAND WAS "ATTACK"!

OUR OPENING SALVO
FOLLOWED A LINE SO TRUE,
OF THE THREE THAT STARTED,
NOW THERE WERE TWO

THE BATTLE CONTINUED
THAT PERILOUS NIGHT,
IT WAS KILL OR BE KILLED,
AND GOD WAS OUR MIGHT.

THE FIRING WAS MERCILESS,
ROUND AFTER ROUND,
TILL WE WOUNDED ANOTHER
AND RAN HER A GROUND.

DESERTED BY HER CREW
IN THE FACE OF OUR GUNS,
OF THE THREE THAT STARTED,
NOW THERE WAS ONE.

THE LAST OF THE SCHULLS
OF THE FURHER'S THIRD RIECH.
BEWILDERED AND BATTERED
FOUND THEMSELVES IN A PLIGHT.

WITH NOTHING BEFORE THEM
BUT DEATH OR DEFEAT.
THEY SCUTTLED THEIR SHIP
-STARTED USING THEIR FEET.

THE BATTLE WAS OVER.
THE BATTLE WAS WON,
OF THE THREE STARTED,
NOW THERE WERE NONE.

ALBERT N. ALBERTINI