Saratoga (CV 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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Neptunus Rex, himself. This was the test of worthiness for the Ruler of the Deep carried always within his right palm an electric eel. At this point the victim's screams surpassed all previous efforts. For instance, when Yorgie Johnson, pollywog watertender, clasped the Royal Hand his throat unloosed an eerie, nerve-shattering sound that was like nothing else on heaven or on earth. The Gfficer-of-the-Deck, who! was peering intently toward the Penn- sylvania, ten miles away, through a long glass, swore that a moment or so afterwards he noticed that men on her decks leaped in a startled fashion and glanced fearfully about them. But at last there remained on the Sara- toga only shellhacks, whereupon King Neptune, Queen Amphitrite and the Royal Cortege returned to the depths from whence they came. In the Course of the Royal Works Did You See . . . Lieutenant Commander Sackett display evidence of being a descend- ent of that famous family of the English peerage that was granted the per- manent privilege of remaining hatted in the presence of royalty? Ensign Sellars do an impromptu Hhornpipen? f'Dat ol' davill' Gibbons handle a three-pronged fork as if to the manor born? That Neptunian version of an old Irish tradition which in this case was known as Kissing the Royal Pork ? A mess boy travel the last half of the final gauntlet on his back with undiminished speed? The scared look on the pollywogs, faces when the fake pass-out was pulled and the supposed victim carried away in a stretcher? The be-ootiful Princess? The mess boy who halved the world's record for a hundred yards? The f'special attention given George Wells, Blackmore, the Bridge electrician and other noted Pirates ? , The expression of disappointment on Red Shipman's face when he failed to get the haircut he'd been anticipating? What an ideal customer for the electric chair Aviation Chief lVIachin- ist's lVIate Galley turned out to be-no shaving a spot for the electrode in his case? Bird's deflated appearance when he learned the meaning of the adjec- tive that embellished his title? ' l Bates lose his sang-froid when he shook hands with His Roval Majesty? ' Hines' nonchalant promenade through both gauntlets? Sidney Gahan's quivering approach to get his? Plummer turn pollywog and doan Annette Kellerman into the tank Biffo Gates, the Senior Communication Watch Officer, seeming t1 have the idea that by using his Strong Arm tactics on the initiation teaxr it would have effects? Effects resulted but not in his favor, and when reached the last gauntlet he was able to make nothing more than a snail. pace to the end. Dramatis Personae KING NEPTUNE- ROYAL ELECTRICIANS- Hicks, L. J., CMM Gibbo, EM2c nanshy. mmf DAVEY JONES- Arnold, M., CTC Saunders, EINIZC ROYAL SCRIBE- QUEEN- Hicks, C. B., CY Falcon, C. J., CY BARBER'S CAT- PRINCESS- Bartlow, EIVIIC Hershelman, BMZC ROYAL BABY- Beech, SF1c ROYAL BOOTLEGGERS- Morgan. CY Bagnell, ESI! ROYAL PRINTER- JESTER- Martin, G. S., Prtrlc McGrath, H. F., CWT ROYAL DENTIST- SATAN- Koch. CERT Gibbons, J. M., CVVT ASSISTANT SATAN- Larson, BMZC CHIEF OF POLICE- Calloway, C., CCStd ASSISTANTS- Riley, E. W., CVVT Havvs, H., MM1c ROYAL COPS- Dickerson, SK1c Cole, B. F., AMMZC McWhorter, BMZC ROYAL BEARS- VViltrakas, B., CINIINI Gutcher, VV. R., ACMM Smith, R. H., BM1c VVilliams, Bill, MM2c JUDGES- Captain VVheeler, USMC ROYAL DOCTORS- Barnett, PhM1c Dodson. Phkli ROYAL NURSE- ' Lt Comdr. R. VY. Shruni :,ChC ROYAL INTERNE- Comdr. YY. J. C. Agnew .NIC ROYAL UNDERTAKER- Chandler, ACMM CHAPLAIN- Lt. Comdr. XYhitfielcl ROYAL 0.0.D.- B-IcGuire, SM1c ROYAL NAYIGATOR- Maloney, SMIC ROYAL ASTROXOMER- Kiederling. CSK QUEENS CHILD- Bird, CBM ROYAL BARBERS- Lieut. Blackwell Lieut. McCarty Pruit, Seah' Ducey, E. J., CGIXI Hassan, Mhllc Carey. Sealy Booe, J., BMstr PROSECUTORS- Lieut. Verge Chief Mach. Cozine Dolan, CEM YValton, CSK O'Connor, GySgt Time and space prohibit us froi Plummer. MMIC Dow, ANIME CHIEF OF STAFF- Fertig, GINIIC KEEPER OF THE ROYAI. SP.-XI - Barrett. CPhM ROYAL TAILOR- Garriz, L., Cox D S y b i P . , . . . n listing a large number of tai: Cru Peafs fulffffs- ' P Shellbacks who performed valiant service as Bears and Cups. in the 'I 3 OWHY S PFIUIIUVC Police methods. and down the Royal Line. Twenty-two

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THE RUYA URK ER BOXVS lifting and 'scending to the gentle urge of swells racing up from the under side of the world, the Saratoga steamed southward toward the Line, carrying a cargo of 1785 pollywogs in the Royal Do- main of Neptunus Rex. Ahead, stretching unto the horizon, was the battle line of the Fleet. Close astern followed the Lexington, Ranger and Lang- ley. Dimly seen in the haze to port and starboard were the cruiser and destroyer formations. Gray dawn filtered through an overcast sky to reveal that all was in readiness for the arrival on board of King Neptune, Queen Amphitrite and their Royal Retainers. At 0830 the Saratoga steamed into the Royal Realm of the Deep at Sli 05' VVest Longitude. Came then a sonorous hail from the depths. The ship hoye to and His Royal Nlajesty boarded with his party. Following the welcome by those loyal subjects of His lVIaritime Majesty, the shell- backs, the Royal Navigator was ordered to the bridge. Neptune and his lovely queen ascended the throne, their retinue assumed their places and immediately the King cried out in a terrible voice: f'The Royal VVorksl At the time the Royal Party were taking their places, the Royal Cops had formed in two lines, facing each other, that extended from the forward end of the throne dais to the bow. As the voice of His lVlajesty rang out, the Royal Heralds sounded a flourish and the first pollywogls doom was sealed. ln ominous tones the Royal Judge demanded: iiWllZIt have you to say for yourself?', Your Honor . . . , he began. 'fShut up, shouted the cops, plying their clubs right lustily. To the Royal Barber with him! cried the judge with a wave of dismissal. The cops dragged him away, a red devil prodding him from behind with Satan's traditional weapon, which in this case was typical of the Twentieth Century, being energized with electricity. Screaming with the volume of a battleship's siren, the pollywog was hustled onto the platform adjoining the tank, slammed into a chair and relinquished to the tender mercies of the Royal Barber. Here a lather of ebony hue and unsavory ingredients was applied in generous quantities to the pollywog's agonized face. Nor can one blame the barber that the wog's mouth was agape nor that a goodly portion of the lather was deposited therein. ln the meantime, the sefond pollywog had traversed the path of pain and was quaking in the presence of the Royal judge. Seeking to profit by his predecessors mistake, this pollywog said naught when asked what he had to say for himself. But there was apparently no correct course, he thought, as clubs made merry with his anatomy and cries of Say some- thing! Say somethingln rang in his ears. Searing needles shot through his body at the touch of a fork in the hands of a gleeful devil. Without quite knowing how it came about, he found himself in a chair next to the first pollywog. Then his mouth and nostrils were filled with the vile concoction from the Royal Barber's brush. He heard a splash and noted that the chair which a moment ago had con- tained his companion was now empty. But ere the significance of this flashed into his mind the world turned suddenly turtle as his own chair snapped backward. Holler 'shellbacklln voices shouted in his ears. ' I He gasped. Water Hooded his mouth. Again the cold darkness en' veloped him. Up again, his lungs near bursting. Again the commands that he yell Ushellbackf' Shell-,H he began, but his cry ended in bubbles as hands forced his head beneath the surface. Joy and a great relief suffused his being as he suddenly found himself across the after rim of the tank. Sweet freedom. But the joy died swiftly. He was being held in an inglorious position across the rim, his head and feet dangling on opposite sides. That portion of his anatomy at the greatest altitude burned beneath the blow of what seemed to his tortured mind to be thousands-nay, millions of paddles, striking with an unerring accuracy and with the rapidity of a machine gun. A At last the pollywog found himself on his feet outside the tank. But yet another horror was before him, a repetition of the double line of cops that brought him into the Royal Court. A line that to his tottering senses seemingly stretched into infinity. At the first blow of a water-soaked club, however, he became painfully aware that there was life in the old body yet. He was on his way. A moment of hours' duration passed and he was through. He grinned. lt wasnlt so bad after all. He felt a glow of satisfaction. lVhy, he was a SHELLBACK! Albeit, an aching and battered one. Scouts at the head of the first gauntlet kept a vigilant eye upon the entering pollywogs and occasionally a Hspecialw would be discovered in the act of trying to sneak through. These specials in most instances were the ringleaders of the now historic Hpollywog Rebellionl' which had occurred on the preceding day. ln every sense of the word they were given the Royal lVorks-and howl j After a lusty draught the pollywog was presented at Court, advancing along the line of the Royal Family until, after kissing the Queenls flower- like hand, he attained the supreme honor of clasping the regal hand of Twenty-one

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Right-Now we come to the morning of the Cere- nzony. dll anxiously await the arrival of the denizens from the deep. The lllarine detachment gorgeously attired in shifvvies and fatigue shirts stand by to act as tlze Royal Guard of Plonor. Snappy appearance, those soldiers of the sea made that day. Left-In the darkness of the night, up out of the depths over the anchor chain ana' through the hawse pipe came the Royal Scribe, Davey Jones himself, accompanied by the Chief of Staff. Captain Halsey' is glad to greet them, and smiles while Davey reads greetings and instructions from the King. 'Q i rd!! 'Q 1 X - digg-, A , , X. 1 A f1s:ug,sw: ' X , X h w L! MM' get Avid? Q v- rs 33 L ig is ,, ,cs. W i, Twenty-three