The Reuben James was an anti-submarine vessel accompanying a lend-lease convoy to England before the US officially entered World War II. It was sunk on Oct. 31, l941, the first US warship sunk in the war. The song, of course, is by Woodie Guthrie, and uses Wildwood Flower for the verse; the chorus is a variation. --seed

again off the top of my head, Gargoyle--I guess it's the folkie in me that keeps me from consulting official sources. (I do know all the words, and thanks to someone--was it you, know that the last verse was written not by Pete Seeger but by Fred Hellerman.)