I was the religious PO in 1979 in boot camp. Same thing.

When in 1967? I was in Plt. 1013, arrived MCRD 29 June. Let the fun begin!!!

@@lorinkramer5805 I arrived on 24 July 1967. I was in two platoons, because I broke my leg about half way through. I'm pretty sure that my first platoon was 3023 and my second platoon was 3054. There's been a lot of water under the bridge since then, and I lost my platoon book about 25 years ago during a move. It was for my second platoon. The one I really wanted was for my first platoon, because I had some friends that I joined with, but alas, it was not to be.

@@GradyPhilpott Small world, we were there at the same time. It was a long time ago, 57 years this June. We were kids then, getting to be old men now. SEMPER FI!

Semper Fidelis!

Yes, for me too.

May God bless you and the memory of your late husband John.

God bless him, you and his memory.

. My Dad was very proud of the USN.

Hi I listened to this beautiful song with tear filled eyes. My Dad was also USN 42-46. Saw duty in both oceans. I so miss him. I thank you for your Dad's service my Dad was so proud of his Naval service. Thanks for posting. God bless you and your family.

Also my dads favorite hymn. Naval veteran WWII. CVE-83 USS Sergent Bay. Radio man in Torpedo Bombers. 1942-1946. Yes we sang this at his funeral as he wished. I was 14. God Dammit. Now I'm crying. We are such lucky men, Rick, to have fathers like that. I wish he could have met his granddaughter before he passed. She joined up senior year in high school and is currently serving as a US Navy Chief aboard CVN 77 - George H.W Bush. It is possible that he could be prouder of her than me, but I doubt it.

@@chrisa9373 They both are proud of their sons, daughters and grandchildren. Unfortunately for my dad I didn't go into the NAVY, I enlisted in the ARMY during Vietnam. I was on an enlisted waiting list for the NAVY but my draft notice was immanent. Ended up with a unit attached to the 82nd Airborne. Thank your daughter for her service for me. I'm proud of her too.

@@jerrymccrae7202 Thank you. I write this as Memorial Day is but a week away. We will think of all of them who came before us. Was your father assigned to a particular ship?

Oh my. Mr. Person, my father was at midshipman’s school in 1942 - also at Columbia - and told me of hearing this song in church right before he was deployed. He survived the War, but 80 of his shipmates didn’t. This hymn always made him cry (and somebody’s peeling onions around here right now, too). RIP, Dad. Love you.

Thank you for your service!!

Same at Great Lakes March 1983

Bitter sweet !!!!

Semper fi! Go with God

Grew up in Pensacola. Our church began/ended services on Memorial Day with "Eternal Father". 70+ and I still tear up.

We used to sing it every Sunday at MCRD San Diego, 35 years ago. Remains my favorite.

"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration." --Nikola Tesla For me, in music, certain notes (frequencies, vibration) trigger different emotions. I can't get through this without tearing up.

I remember that as well, to this day

I too

Horsefeathers. It is for anyone who has sailed the waters be it military, civilian, fishing, lifesaving etc.

@@thehobgoblin9790 It’s called the Naval Hymn! But glad you appreciate the sentiment of the song.

@@lawrencegreen1718 Only in the US. It is also known as For Those in Peril on the Sea, but it is called, as stated in the title post , Eternal Father.

You might also check out the Ohio State Marching Band rendition. 250 brass musicians singing then playing "Eternal Father".

@S. Labouisse You have a good point there ... the Sea Chanters kind of capture that a bit better, but this is honored and beautiful ... but I'm with you on that! (I'm a Jarhead's daughter ... we're always a bit more hopped up!)

I, too, was in the Blue Jacket Choir in Boot Camp, but at RTC Great Lakes in January 1969. I remember the second verse as beginning “”Lord guard and guide the men who fly through the great spaces in the sky…”

Hi, Your late Grandfather may not have actually seen "action" at sea whilst in The King's African Rifles, but he definitely would have experienced the conditions of "war at sea" in Royal Navy Transport Ships in getting to (presumably) India on his way to fight the Japanese in Burma. At sea he would therefore have constantly been aware of the dangers of being suddenly torpedoed, at any time, or attacked by Surface Raiders and would have heard/ learned this British Hymn at Sunday Services. Having "done his bit" at Sea I would say he qualified himself by "sea-time" to sing this Hymn???? As a matter of interest, are you aware that if your Grandfather was not already serving as a Regular in the KAR when WW2 commenced in 1939, then he almost certainly would have been a 100% Volunteer with all the other East, West & South Africans, Caribbean Islanders and Indians within the British Armed Forces as "Colonials" were never subject to Conscription into the Military. He therefore fought for what HE believed in and not what he was pressed into doing by others. I hope these few words increase the already high esteem you have for your Grandfather and this KAR Marching Song would have been very familiar to him, kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qr6ejZufl5zIYps.html The descendants of this soldier at 2:13 mins still join the British Army today (as ALL Commonwealth men/women of good character have as their birth-right) as shown here, kzfaq.info/get/bejne/adB7Zc-hsNDcgXk.html Respects to you.

@@stuartmccall5474 I can't help bawling all over my tab now!!! I can barely see!! And to think that my daughter's dual nationality has been Sooooooooo problematically , sought for years , .... Oblivious to all this entitlement!!!??? How tables slowly turned, for us!! My dear grandpa has mercifully rested for a few decades now ..... If he truly served as you say out of more conviction, than duty, then he must have felt honored, despite getting little if nothing to show for it at the end !! What is perhaps the saddest thing ... Is to be a close descent of his and still ,feel disenfranchised over a stolen legacy that has been ,if nothing else... Simply deserved!!!!! Ironically, this wealth, was meant to be, not so common after all !! Thanks for the info and links . Are you a veteran ? Would love to hear more from you if you're ever off the horn !! Thank you 💕😌 !

@@gathsfamily2866 : Hi, Glad you found the email informative, not only for yourself but so your children, grandchildren and future grandchildren will be knowledgeable about the lineage they are descended from. The records of the KAR will still be available in the archives if you want to find out more about your grandfather's War Service. My Service was in the peace-time Navy, and long may that situation continue. Where are you living now?

@@gathsfamily2866 : Hi, Thought this might "tickle your fancy" , an African Colonial "Done Real Good", kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eJ6SgZleuc7egH0.html.

@@stuartmccall5474 it's 3, in the morn in Nairobi now !! But the notifications have jolted me right up !! Let me tell you of my familiy's phenotypical... Nightmare's... And possibly of my Scottish genotypical suspicions later !!! Surprise surprised!! We have a McEwan lineage that I have to thread back through... Properly interwoven with true Kikuyu genes going back five generations !! I love all Scottish lore and would love to find out more about the clans !! Maybe you can be very instrumental after all , will get in touch privately sometime . Aye , bless yee sir ! Oh this Ghanaian fella would pass for a coconut 🥥 around here now !! Tee hee !

Spot on shipmate.

Agree. Way too much talking at the beginning.

I trimmed the video to start immediately this week.

To be fair the all most recent presidents who've passed away were all Navy veterans. Kennedy Johnson Nixon Ford Bush 41 Carter will be on that list as he too was in the Navy. Reagan is an odd one. While it's clear he was in the Army, where he mostly served was the Army Air Corps. As we all know in 1947, the Air Corps became a branch in its own right: the United States Air Force. In his case, both the Army and Air Force can claim him. I think any records, awards, information thereof would come from the USAF as the successor branch.

You are/were correct! I took the time today to cut out the introduction. The trimmed version is processing now, should be online in an hour or two, getting to it straight away. Thanks.

@@RollTheBones1966 lol...Now I feel like a cad for noticing that.

Please...it is midshipmen!. Cadets are those other folks, from some school up on the Hudson..

I trimmed the narrative out this week. Enjoy.

agreed

It is obvious that you have never sung in a group. His arm movements were not for you but for the singers. He was beating time and that was critical to make the song so beautiful.

@@larrymcever4601 Absolutely!

Appropriate. He was in the Navy. Bush 41 also had it at his, also a Navy veteran. I think Ford did too, also a Navy veteran. I don't know for sure if Nixon had this played but he too is a Navy veteran. Carter likely will when his time comes as he too was in the Navy