Comments

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  Joseph Tetrault March 16, 2017 at 4:14pm

  Left my pollywog beginnings and became a Shellback on November 1, 1975 aboard the carrier Midway CVA 41. There were a large number of us pollywogs crawling about the flight deck as I recall. Pretty funny!!    
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  Larry Eugene Griffith February 26, 2017 at 10:58am

  I became a Shellback in 1969 aboard the USS Princeton LPH-5
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  george eger February 22, 2017 at 3:06pm

  In early 60s I was on the USS Munsee ATF107. We cruised to Christmas Island for Operation Dominic from Pearl Harbor, by way of San Diego. While there we set out targets for 13 aerial nuclear bomb drops. After the bomb was dropped and detonated at different altitudes, we would then go into the target area and sink the target if it was still there. Also while there, we would search for and sink any burnt seagulls in weighted canvas bags.

  After Operation Dominic, we cruised to the crossing of the equator, and that is when I was indoctrinated into the Order Of The Shellbacks.
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  FRANCIS N JONES February 22, 2017 at 10:11am

  I AM A SHELLBACK IN 1967 ON THE USS FORRESTALCVA-59. WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO WES-PAC. WHAT A CRUISE. THAT MORNING OF THE BIG FIRE ALL HELL BROKE LOSE. I WAS 03 LEVEL AFT ASLEEP WHEN FIRE WAS CALLED. THEN IT WENT TO GQ. THE FIRST BOMB THAT WENT OFF WASN'T FAR FROM OUR COMPARTMENT. I LOOKED UP AT THE OVERHEAD AND PAINT CAME OFF THE OVERHEAD. FROM OUR COMPARTMENT TO HANGERBAY 2 AFT I GOT MY PANTS ON. THE HATCH THAT LEADS INTO HANGERBAY 3 WAS RIGHT THERE BY THE HATCH I CAME OUT OF. THERE WAS A GUY ABOUT TO STEP INTO HANGERBAY2 THUR THAT HATCH WHEN THE NEXT OF LAST BOMB WENT OFF IT BLEW HIM THUR THAT HATCH. I STOPPPED TO HELP HIM UP,BUT SOMEONE HIT ME ON THE SHOULDER TO GO HE WOULD HELP HIM. THERE WAS SO MUCH GOING ON. MY DC STATION WAS PORTSIDE HANGERBAY ONE.

          ALOT OF THIS I WOULD LIKE TO FORGET. BUT I CAN'T I LIVE WITH IT. THANKS FOR THIS SITE.
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  raymond godino December 15, 2016 at 1:19am

  I entered the shellback in the late 1980's while on the USS Coronado we crossed the line going and coming back to Pearl Harbor, HI. That was my longest deployment of around 10 months. We relieved the USS La Sale while they had to receive a badly needed extended yard period. It was challenging at first but I survived.
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  James C Lebow December 4, 2016 at 6:57am

  Crossed the line twice while aboard the USS LaSalle in the Indian Ocean in '73; happened just 27 days apart. Never received a card but still have my certificate. I never did find that damn hotdog in the Royal baby's belly! lol. I found this site while trying to re-find the funniest shellback story I ever read. A vet said in '47 he crossed the line aboard a carrier; there were only 3 wogs aboard so the ceremony was brief. 3 chairs were lined up on the flight deck and the 3 men were brought out naked. As they stood in front of the chairs, a prune was placed on each seat. They had to sit down, clinch their prune in their cheeks, then race across the flight deck. The man that came in last had to eat the 3 prunes used in the race. LOL!!! I still get tears in my eyes. I'm still trying to find that story again because I was too dumb to copy it the 1st time.
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  Armando Cisneros August 16, 2016 at 8:51pm

  KNOW ye,that Armando Cisneros on the 25 day if May 1987 aboard the USS MIDWAY appeared at the equator at Longitude 151.59". 01.E thus entering Our Royal Domain, and having been inspected by My Royal Staff, was initiated into the Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep.  I do Hereby command all Hands to Honor and Respect him as a Trusty Shellback.

  Neptuns Rex 

  Ruler of the Ranging MAIN
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  John W Sargent August 7, 2016 at 5:46pm

  On-board the America CVA 66 (may her rusty bone's sleep in the deep and people who served aboard smile at her memory) on our way to Tonkin Gulf, Poly Wog day a great day for me. They can put on my stone "Here Lies a Shellback". I think that political correctness has killed this very Special day in July 1972.

    
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  Ron Olesen May 12, 2016 at 3:15pm

  We were conducting patrols/recon off the coast of Viet Nam on the USS Razorback (SS394).  We had done many of the usual Westpac ports, but also Pusan, Korea to get heads for the compressor. 

  At some point, we rendezvoused with the USS Spinax (SS489) (I had served aboard Spinax in 1964).  We did a sundowner with the Jolly Roger flying.  We had iced down the beer, opened the superstructure to expose the grills and we had a few brews and steaks.  A P3 from the JMSDF flew over with her 100K lights, flashbulbs and photos of 2 submarines tied together in the middle of the puddle, beer cans floating away!!

  We then proceeded to Singapore and tied up alongside HMS For the, a British submarine tender.  We had a great time at the British Submariners club.

  When we got underway, we proceeded to the Equator, and the initiation!!  Like most traditions in the Navy, not always fun, until it was over.  When all was said and done, we submerged and crossed the equator backward.
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  robert bennett September 26, 2015 at 9:19am

  The first time I cross was in 1983 on the USS MIDWAY (CV 41) also known as uss never dock