I AM THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MY NAME IS OLD GLORY. I FLY ATOP THE
WORLD’S TALLEST BUILDINGS. I STAND WATCH IN AMERICA’S HALLS OF JUSTICE.
I FLY MAJESTICALLY ABOVE GREAT INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING.
I STAND GUARD WITH THE GREATEST MILITARY POWER IN THE WORLD.
LOOK UP AND SEE ME!

I STAND FOR PEACE - HONOR - TRUTH AND JUSTICE. I STAND FOR FREEDOM.
I AM CONFIDENT - I AM ARROGANT.
I AM PROUD.

WHEN I AM FLOWN WITH MY FELLOW BANNERS, MY HEAD IS A LITTLE HIGHER,
MY COLORS A LITTLE TRUER.
I BOW TO NO ONE!

I AM RECOGNIZED ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I AM WORSHIPPED - I AM SALUTED - I AM RESPECTED - I AM REVERED - I AM LOVED, AND
I AM FEARED!

I HAVE FLOWN ON EVERY U.S. SUBMARINE FOR THE LAST 100 YEARS:
I FLEW ABOVE HOLLAND WHEN THE U.S. PURCHASED THEIR FIRST SUBMARINE.
I WAS WITH SQUALUS WHO WAS LOST AND THEN RAISED TO FIGHT AGAIN
I FOUGHT WITH TAUTOG AS JAPANESE PLANES BOMBED MY SHIPMATES AT PEARL HARBOR
I FOUGHT VALIANTLY WITH EVERY SUBMARINE DURING WORLD WAR TWO. SOME THAT RETURNED,
BUT MANY DID NOT. I WAS WITH HOWARD GILMORE WHEN HE GAVE HIS LIFE TO SAVE HIS SHIP AND
YELLED
“TAKE HER DOWN”. WORDS OF COURAGE THAT WOULD SET THE TONE OF THE SUBMARINERS.
I WENT TO A WATERY GRAVE WITH HEROES LIKE MUSH MORTON AND SAM DEALEY.
I WAS WITH BOATS WHO SENT THOUSANDS OF TONS OF JAPANESE MERCHANTS AND WARSHIPS TO
THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.
NAMES LIKE ARCHERFISH, FLASHER, BATFISH, AND NARWHAL
I WAS THERE!

WHENEVER MY SUBMARINERS WENT IN HARMS WAY I WAS THERE WITH THEM.
I SAILED WITH DIESEL BOATS IN THE PACIFIC, THE MEDITERANEAN AND NORTH ATLANTIC DURING
THE COLD WAR.
I WAS WITH NAUTILUS WHEN SHE WAS “UNDERWAY ON NUCLEAR POWER” , WITH TRITON WHEN SHE
SAILED AROUND THE WORLD. SKATE WHEN THEY SURFACED AT THE NORTH POLE
EVERY FBM WHO SAILED ON DETERRENT PATROLS, AND EVERY SSN ON SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
I WAS LOST ON THRESHER IN AND SCORPION
I WENT WITH MY SUBMARINERS WHEREVER THEY WENT
THEY LOVED ME.

I WAS WITH LOUIVILLE, AND PITTSBURGH AS THEY LAUNCHED TOMAHAWKS DURING THE PERSIAN
GULF WAR. I WAS WITH MIAMI AND OTHER BOATS FIGHTING IN BOSNIA.

I SAIL TODAY WITH THE WORLDS FINEST SUBMARINE FORCE. ON BOATS LIKE ALEXANDRIA,
SEAWOLF, CONNECTICUT, OHIO, TENNESSEE AND AND A SCORE OF OTHERS.
AND I AM PROUD!

I HAVE BEEN SOILED, BURNED, TORN AND TRAMPLED ON THE STREETS OF COUNTRIES THAT I HAVE
HELPED SET FREE. IT DOES NOT HURT.
FOR I AM INVINCIBLE.

I HAVE BEEN SOILED, BURNED, TORN AND TRAMPLED ON THE STREETS OF MY OWN COUNTRY - AND
WHEN IT IS BY THOSE WHOM I HAVE SERVED IN BATTLE WITH -
IT HURTS.

BUT I SHALL OVERCOME.
FOR I AM STRONG!
I HAVE SLIPPED THE BONDS OF EARTH AND FROM MY VANTAGE POINT ON THE MOON,
I STAND WATCH OVER ALL U.S. SUBMARINES OPERATING IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEANS ON EARTH
I HAVE BEEN THE SILENT WITNESS TO ALL OF THE SUBMARINE FORCES FINEST HOURS.
BUT MY FINEST HOUR COMES WHEN I AM WAVING PROUDLY ABOVE MY SHIPMATES AT A TWO BELL
CEREMONY, TOLLING FOR ALL BOATS ON ETERNAL PATROL AND FOR ALL SUBMARINERS WHO HAVE
SERVED THEIR COUNTRY, BUT NEVER RETURNED.

I AM PROUD.
MY NAME IS “OLD GLORY”
LONG MAY I WAVE,
DEAR GOD, LONG MAY I WAVE

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