Fletcher (DD 992) - Naval Cruise Book

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Miss Fair Wog 8

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Since The Vikings, Stiips And Men Have Paid Homage To Neptune Although a crossing the line ceremony is like a flicker in time, waiting for the day to arrive seems to encompass an eternity. Word leaks out early about some of the bizarre initiation rites that have been handed down from mariner to mariner. Right from the beginning, you know where you stand. Either you have crossed the equator, or you haven ' t, and there ' s no middle ground. Salty old chiefs and senior officers alike, wince at the thought that perhaps they have lost their shellback card . their sole defense against having to undergo the ritual as a lowly pollywog . The shellback population maintains a smug silence until the day of reckoning arrives. Long before the fateful day arrives, pollywogs are forewarned that they should set aside their worst uniforms for the days ' activities and stubborn sailors seek every means, including bribery, to be exempt from the ritual. As the day approaches, various clues intensify the suspense. A menu is distributed offering a normal cuisine for the lucky shellbacks and a variety of suspicious-sounding dishes for his counterpart. Shellback meetings appear in the ships ' plan- of-the-day. Then, a frightening silence descends, leaving three or four long days for the pollywogs to imagine the rest. In FLETCHER, pollywog under- grounds sprout up everywhere, from a diplomatic call-to-action from COMWOGFLEET, to inflam- matory graffiti scribbled during a visit to the ships ' head. The ships ' THE MEETING OF THE GOLDEN SHELLBACK LINES. The actual equator: Latitude QCO x Longitude 180° CO West. usually routine newscasts are modified to include pollywog happenings and propaganda for those who tune in to hear an encouraging word. By the eve of the day of reckoning , the crew has worked itself into a state of frenzy. Pollywogs begin a very active campaign for justice before their time draws near. Ambushes are common, eggings frequent, kidnap- pings rampant. A civil war is brewingi a modern-day mutiny threatens. The wogs stage a ' Miss Fair Wog contest for the enjoy- ment of the Honorable Shellbacks and the lucky winner is allowed to be seated at the royal court beside King Neptune. Each and every pollywog is summoned to appear before the court, with no exceptions. A summons is to be issued to all those whose very presence has incurred the wrath of His Majes- ty , Neptunus Rex. Many sailors go to great lengths to charm or offend the enemy shellbacks, or perhaps even claim the superiority of their own species. Some highly- colorful shirts are designed, but in most cases, the language is too salty to repeat. As befits the occasion, the ship ' s Plan- of-the-day calls for early revielle, separate chowlines, hoisting of the Jolly Roger and the frightful words: Commence Shellback ini- tiation. Continue initiation until the fair ship FLETCHER s no longer contaminated by having in her a single pollywog.

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CROSSING THE LINE The Royal Executioner Faithful Wog Dog 83