News at Eleven (Back Page): Sitting at a computer terminal, he typed

the Jan. 1 entry in the log, the watch-by-watch report of the vessel's status and activities:

As bells toll far and near striking in the New Year
The Mighty Cutter Haddock stands the watch at the Pier
Ready to respond to any threat toward this great country
Fighting for those who rest in their beds all warm and comfy

This week, [Chief Petty Officer William] Hoffman and hundreds of other sailors performed one of the most charming customs of the Navy and Coast Guard. Aboard warships and cutters, the year's first log entry is written in verse.

from U-T San Diego: Greeting New Year With Poetry Takes a Good Ear

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