Bill Naulty
BILL NAULTY CROSSED THE BAR ON JUNE 5, 2003, AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. BILL WAS A FIRST DISTRICT CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE IN THE BRIDGE BRANCH, AIDS TO NAVIGATION. HE HAD BEEN RETIRED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAD BEEN A FAMILIAR FACE TO MANY OF US WHO ROTATED IN AND OUT OF THE DISTRICT OFFICE. A QUIET MAN, BILL WAS ALWAYS HELPFUL, ALWAYS CHEERFUL AND ALWAYS LOYAL TO THE COAST GUARD. HE STAYED IN TOUCH WITH MANY OF US IN THE BOSTON AREA, COORDINATING LUNCHEONS ,WHERE HE WOULD SIT BACK AND LISTEN TO US BANTER AND TELL SEA STORIES OR REMINISCE ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES IN THE DISTRICT. (BILL'S GOOD WIFE, JEANNE, REMARKED THAT SHE WAS ALWAYS REMINDED WHEN BILL HAD A LUNCHEON ENGAGEMENT WITH US: HE WOULD SING TO HIMSELF. SHE WAS BY HIS SIDE WHEN HE CROSSED OVER, I UNDERSTAND.) BILL SERVED IN THE ARMY IN WWII. HE NEVER VOLUNTEERED ANY OF HIS EXPERIENCES, AND AND I KNEW HIM FOR 30 YEARS BEFORE LEARNING THAT HE WAS A PURPLE HEART VETERAN, HAVING BEEN SEVERELY WOUNDED IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN--BATTLE OF MT. CASINO, I BELIEVE. HE WAS AUTHORIZED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN'S BADGE. ........
' SUNSET AND EVENING STAR,
AND ONE CLEAR CALL FOR ME,
AND MAY THERE BE NO MOANING OF THE BAR
WHEN I PUT OUT TO SEA......
FOR THO' FROM OUT OUR BOURNE OF TIME
AND PLACE
THE FLOOD MAY BEAR ME FAR,
I HOPE TO SEE MY PILOT FACE TO FACE
WHEN I HAVE CROSSED THE BAR.'.....
I KNOW BILL WILL HAVE SEEN HIS PILOT, FACE TO FACE, WHEN HE CROSSED THE BAR.
06/09/03 Submitted by: KENT MATHEWS
