We are naval divers of NDU,
warriors of the deep, band of brothers too.
Tadpoles to frogmen, the alma mater,
we swam, jumped, climbed and breathed underwater.
VO2 max, drown-proofing, of fourteen,
ten; inaugural naval diving team.
Brains, bravado, brawn, Robert’s Raiders forged,
right to rule the seas, the Trident affords.
Physics, chemistry, physiology,
partial pressure many a malady.
Vertigo, narcosis, the dreaded Bends,
the medic and chamber; indeed your friends.
Anti-frogman barriers, nets and grenades,
hazards we avoid as we navigate.
Flag Alpha hoist, code of signals decreed,
diver below; keep well clear at slow speed.
Our gear: bottles, BCs, fins and masks;
for clarity, a good spit is a must.
SCUBA, closed-circuit or surface-supplied,
the diver’s cocktail, blends of hydroxides.
Grid-search in zero visibility,
sharpened and honed our ability.
Clearance, husbandry, salvage and demo,
these we conduct in waters friend or foe.
From “break-out” to “secure” and in between,
Boat PT and Chow-Runs to build the team.
Wet and sandy, flutter-kicks, sleep deprived,
not quite seven days; Hell Week we survived!
The easy day may have been yesterday,
tomorrow nothing stands in our way.
No need to ring the bell the chosen few,
we are combat divers of NDU.
