Manatee (AO 58) - Naval Cruise Book

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HAIL NEPTUNIS ABCJUJ 1HE SHKLLEnCI SHIP USS MANATEE (»C-5 FFO Sun Fmnclsc. J SATURDAY v 197C OF THE DAT BAl IS • nevep NEPTUNES REX PLAN ' LIEP USUAL COMMANDING OFFIC DUTY SECTION A C. E. FAAS, C A NTI!a US I ' JTY CAPT, USNP OFFICER (CDO) UNDERWAY WATCH EILL 08-12 LTJG :lack OIL 3B0VNING 12-16 ENS SHORTY FINLEY 16-18 LTJG HICK NADER 18-20 LT SOCKET ' .. ' KTSCN 20-24 LTJG .- ' • . • WEYL - ENS SHORT HITTER MILLER 00-04 LTJG BLACK OIL 3PCSNING 04-08 ENS SHORTY PDJLEY NO CHARGES WILL TE MADE TO THIS TYPE? ' . ' ATCH ILL WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF NEFTUNTS REX, HIS COURT, OS ANY ROYAL SHELLOACK. seipt r.oirriNE C600 REVEILLE FOR ALL SLIMY POLLI GS ALL POLLIWCGS I I! UN I FOE ' OF TBI OFFICERS ANT CPC ' S WASH KAKI UNIFORM ON 3ACKHARDS, H .T ' . ' SIDEWAYS: SHOBS ON WRONG FEET, STAR30ARD PANT LEG RCLLE:: I ' , POr.T PANT LEG TIED !XWH, CO FASHION. ENLISTED : DUNGAREES ON BACKWARD, W.ITE HAT TIT NET rOHN, WHITE BELT, PCFT PANT LEG TIED OT GO. FASHION, STAP ' CAPX PANT LEG ROLLED UP. 0630 SLIMY PCLLIWOGS STAND-CLEAR OF THF AREA FORWARD OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE. (PASS THE ATOVE WORD) . 0635 BREAKFAST PR ALL TRUSTY SHELL ' AC:S 0645 LTJG, FOOL SEOVICE TECHNICIAN, GABRIEL ANT CHIEF FATRACK CARNEY, REFORT TO THE SCULLErY 0700 RREAKFAST FOR ALL SLIMY POLLIWDGS 0705 SECURE THE MESSDECK - SLIMY PCLLIWCGS DEAF A BANS AND CLEAN THE MESS CECK BY 0745. 0745 HAVICUESSET STASH ' ' CALKINS MDSTES EIGHT (T) POLL HOGS (SLIMIEST) ON THE QUARTERDECK. TWO WITH SHADS, TWO WITH ROOMS, TWO WITH PLUM3ERS HELPE: ITH FOXTAILS FCT, SIDEOOUYS 08CO POST POLLIWG LOOKOUTS IN ACCORDANCE WIT PATCH LIST POSTED ' ar HELCOME ADOARD KING NEPTUNE ANT THE ROYAL C URT 0815 II ' STER ALL LO ' XY POLLIWOGS FOP PERSONNEL INSPECTION. INSPECTING OFFICERS: HONORAOLE SHELL: ACK • LT KOEL L ' . ' cMl ' RTRY TC TBUSTT SHELLBACK SPFINGES EMC ALL POLLIWOCS FAILING INSPECT; ' N W ILL NOT H A E LTOERTY TODAY EVERT HOUR ON THE BCD ' PCLLIWOGS TILL KNEEL AND FACE THE EQUATOR, AND SOUND OFF, ALOUD; I AM A I V UNWORTHY, SLIMY POLLOT3G ' : l 1 1 1 1 ! I ! 1 1 1 0930 ALL POLLIWOCS STAND3Y TO TARE ' RDERS FRDM TRL ' STT SHELLDACKS , DETAILS WILL OE ASSIGNED BT ALL TRUSTY SHELL OACKS, i.e., SHINE SHOES, ETC. V CONTEST ENTRIES EST PARADE I [T CCNTES1 ■ ' - 1 JUDGE 1130 MUSTER ALL POLLIHOG PECK TEC3JICIA8S FOR HOTAL rAINTINC CONTEST DECK TECH OKMNDCS, LT ' EfCKET TBOWSON, LTJG SMILFY WEYL, AND LTJG HIGH KA2SB WILL CHIT. 1105 ALL POLLItrRGS PREPARE FOR I ' INCH 123 r ALL 1 LLIWOCS F LR IN ON THE FOEEHABt TANK DECK. ' N IS SOUNDED, ALL SLIfY PCLLIWDGS WTLL KNEEL 5H THE DECK F. ' .C:-; it: HANDS 1 ■ ' .: I SET, BOH THEIR BEADS THrEE TIMEi KBIR VOICES MUST ?K HEART THROUGHOUT THE ship, tee arm sheriff will take a r .npEets muster, the royal scrise WILL PROVIDE THE MISTER LfST. AFTER ISITIATTJN ALL HAN ' 0. WILL - AND CLEAN SHir. SINCE ALL ARE SBELLDACKS, NO 3NE WXL] I 160C DAE3BQ0E ' N i: NOTE: THIS PLAN OF TOE AY ' - ' ILL SUTFPCEEE ANY THEB tLAN of THE DAY PUBLISHED F ' R 3 JANUARY 197 ' . On the evening of January second at 7:15 and at loca- tion Latitude 00-00. Longitude 105 16 ' MANATEE crossed the equatorial line, and in so doing, entered into the realm of King Neptunis Rex and his Royal Shellbacks. As dictated by Maritime tradition the world over, when- ever a person crosses the line for the first time, he must be initiated into the Royal Order of Shellbacks, those per- sons who have previously transversed this zone. Before the initiation, the neophyte is known as pollywog and during the formal ceremony must display the utmost humility and reverence for all Royal Shellbacks and, of course, the King himself. U SHALL C ' .A I SCRIOE VQja RULE! r f THF :-U ' .ING 1IAIN 50

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The Coplain meels King Neplune afler being piped aboard. In times past, the initiation ceremony required for en- trance into the Royal Order was often barbaric and demand- ing, requiring the pollywog to subject himself to numerous trials and ordeals to prove his good intentions to the King and his subjects. However, time and the Navy have brought moderation to this solemnity. The crossing is now an event looked forward to by all hands, even though the old timers enjoy spooking the younger members of the crew with tales of times past. As MANATEE ' S schedule has precluded commitments or liberty ports near the equator for many years, all of the crew save 15 Trusty Shellbacks came under the doomed cate- gory of slimy pollywogs including all but one of the officer contingent. (That was not MANATEE ' S own Captain FAAS either!) It was for this reason that MANATEE was allowed to take an extra day enroute to services off the coast of Vietnam and swing south long enough to dip over the equa- tor and initiate a shipload of anxious neophytes into the realm of Neptunis Rex. ; ' « Some Pollywogs head for the mess decks for a special treat. 52