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To: rawhide

“humiliating initiation ordeals on board ship”

Sounds like some of the Pollywogs got a bit upset by their treatment by the Shellbacks during the Crossing the Line ceremony.

Anyone know the full story?


8 posted on 04/25/2011 11:27:13 AM PDT by BwanaNdege ("If we don't stand for something, we shall fall for anything" - Peter Marshall)
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To: BwanaNdege

That’s an interesting point. It’s possible that the ship was just following the old shellbacking traditions, and someone whined about it. In that case, the skipper may not have been all bad, but instead weirdly caught up in some PC-motivated crackdown.


14 posted on 04/25/2011 11:35:36 AM PDT by Bruce Campbells Chin
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To: BwanaNdege

after reading the story, it would appear one of the pollywogs was a gay dog handler....figures, centuries of tradition out the window because of one fag with an attitude...


16 posted on 04/25/2011 11:35:57 AM PDT by joe fonebone (Project Gunwalker, this will make watergate look like the warm up band......)
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To: BwanaNdege

I was in a Golden Shellback ceremony. We had one guy not want to do it and he did not. Everyone else had a lot of fun.


20 posted on 04/25/2011 11:42:06 AM PDT by edcoil (Democrats doing to America what Reagan did to russia. Driving it to bankrupcy.)
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To: BwanaNdege
“Sounds like some of the Pollywogs got a bit upset by their treatment by the Shellbacks during the Crossing the Line ceremony.”

I don't think a sheelback ceremony is what this is. Back in the late 70s and 80’s when I was in, there was truly humiliating initiations on my ship that just doesn't belong in any mans Navy. And nobody was punished, because victims were afraid to talk. Where talking young terrified sailors being held face down, having their pants pulled down and objects such as broom handles, grease guns hoses, whatever put you know where.

I was going to make a career of the Navy, but the scum that joined (mostly during the Carter years) made me change career paths. It was not my Dad's Navy.

22 posted on 04/25/2011 11:47:00 AM PDT by NavyCanDo
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