MURMANSK RUN

Young men in years, the battle strain showin,
While the Liberty's deck was pitchin and rollin,
The fog banks came on and the arctic gale blowin,
Ammo afire set deck plates a glowin.

Icebergs and U-boats make mighty tough goin,
The lifeboats they had were horrendous for rowin,
And many a merchantman's frayed nerves were showin,
To the hell of North Russia their ships were a goin,

There were many back then, and today still not knowin,
Who called them draft dodgers, and the place they were goin,
Was far from the fronts the newsreels were showin,
Their gallantry screened by the Arctic snow blowin.

Some men sailed twice and again fully knowin,
The Condors and Heinkels and tracers a glowin,
The Stars and the Strips above them was blowin,
The merchantmen kept the war cargoes flowin.

Ian A. Millar