United States Naval Academy - Lucky Bag Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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Crossed the Yard I remember we all talked a lot. I talked because I was seared stiff. The eloser I j;ot to that final moment, the more terrifying became the thought of surrendering myself lock, stock, and barrel to a new way of life. The bronze Indian statue in front of Bancroft looked grim and I wondered how throwing pennies could ever bring luck from that frowning personage. Inside Bancroft the fellow at the information desk (we thought his white uniform looked like a pair of pajamas) said, Just sign in here, then follow the signs. The llerii«loii Monunienl. Well, we got off of the bus and, just to prove we were men used to finding their way around, walked to the Academy grounds. It saved taxi fare, be- sides. At the gate the jimmylegs pointed out Bancroft Hall and we started slowly across the green mat of the Yard. Tecuniseh, penny target. Am ' aii«l . pajamas. Page 11

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I Entered Cate 3 I ' ajif 10

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And the Adventure Began Well, it could l«e a 7 Finally we found Sick Bay. The first thing the doctors and corpsmen did was to have us strip down to our undershorts and put numbers on our chests ... in niercurochrome. One of the corpsmen said that was to make us take a shower. (I believed him until the rest of the guys started laughing.) I only remember hazily what happened then. I don ' t believe I was ever exam- ined more closely. I found that I had a couple of cavi- ties I didn ' t know about, that I had one rib bent a little from an old football injury, and that when you get your eyes dilated, you can ' t see ' ' nuttin ' . Luckily before the eye episode we had all filled out the forms given us . . . forms? Did I say forms ? There were mountains of them. Piles. Droves. Gallons. Stacks. I felt as though my hands were becoming deformed . . . but, it was all finally over, except for the swearing. So, with a brand new hair cut exactly three quarters of an inch long, I went up to Memorial Hall and raised my hand, promising allegiance forever to the United States of America and the Naval Service. I was now a part of the system ... a part of the CHAIN OF COMMAND. I am exhaling! If you ran sifiii this . . . you ' re hooked. Page U