THERE’S A BOGIE ON THE SCREEN

All day long the men have labored,

Tired out and feeling mean –

Now sacked off in solid comfort,

But There’s a Bogie on the Screen.

"Get the hell to General Quarters,"

Threats and growls and oaths Obscene,

"Bugler! Where the hells the bugler

There’s a Bogie on the Screen."

Dah-Dah-dah-da, Battle stations

Breaks upon their sleep serene,

"Hit the deck there, on the double

There’s a Bogie on the screen."

A little dot in Radar Plot,

Is the cause of all this scene,

All this running, all this cussing,

There’s a Bogie on the screen"

"What’s the Range, and what’s the Bearing!"

Shouts the gun boss, wild and mean,

Tousled hair and pants still drooping

There’s a Bogie on the screen.

"Round the guns the crew is huddled,

Eyes are wild like Halloween,

On the Bridge the Skippers shouting,

"There’s a Bogie on the Screen."

Up the Halyards flags go racing

Signals flash in red and green

"At the dip, two block those Foxes,

There’s a Bogie on the Screen.

"Distance twenty, closing slowly,"

Down the deck the planes careen,

Roaring like the Bulls of Bashan

There’s a Bogie on the Screen.

Tally-Ho, a snooping Betty,

Streaks of tracers can be seen,

And the Dot in Radar Plot

Is fading slowly from the Screen.

Comes the word – "All hands secure,"

In their sacks they sit and lean,

Tired still but plenty happy

There’s no Bogie on the Screen.

--Warren L. Scofield.