The 43 (USS Tappahannock) (Hayes)

I received your long, long letter today,
and I was glad to hear you’re doing okay
I left Virginia ‘round the middle of August,
found myself at Aruba Bay

We took a load of oil and headed for Cologne,
through the blue Pacific’s great unknown
With a stop in Panama, and through the canal,
wishing all the while I was home

Your kid brother helped the wounded,
stood watch over twenty-five dead,
saw U.S. blood spilled on U.S. decks,
in the battle at Espirito Santo

We dropped the hook, New Cadelonia Island,
and there we fueled the fleet
Then off to Aukland for another load,
after two days this trip was complete

Pago Pago to the Fiji Islands,
our crew made many long trips
The merchant tankers filled the 43,
then we gave our fuel to the fighting ships

Your kid brother helped the wounded,
stood watch over twenty-five dead,
saw U.S. blood spilled on U.S. decks,
in the battle at Espirito Santo

Late October and our big moment came,
we were sent up to New Hebrides
We met the USS San Francisco,
the best that ever sailed the seas

We took a load of oil and headed for Cologne,
through the blue Pacific’s great unknown
With a stop in Panama, and through the canal,
Wishing all the while I was home