I spent 3 1/2 years on a 45,000 ton, 968' long aircraft carrier from 60-late 63.  Many tales of adventure, both true and exagerated linger in my foggy mind.  This is the tale of the crossing of the equator at the international date line--Lat. 180, Long. 00-00 in April, 1963.

There is an unknown beginning going back over 400 years in many navies of the world, where the un-initiated slimey polywogs were brought to enlightenment by the ceremony of the deep.  Our ship, the Coral Sea was sailing to Austrailia for the twentieth celebration of the battle of Coral Sea, which turned the tide of the Pacific War and saved Australia from invasion.  For two weeks before crossing, the old salts, or "Shellbacks" would warn us of the dire happenings waiting for us.  The day of the crossing, ships mess served the most vile concoction of "food" which unknown to us was laced heavily with ex-lax---After a meal which we could not fully consume, we were hearded to Neptune's barber, where we were shorn like sheep, (we were at the equator), hair wuz left all over without brushing off, then herded to the ships elevator, about 150 at a time.  Up we went to the flight deck to be met with fire hoses turned on us full, forced to our hands and knees and pushed forward by cattle prods--(them damn things hurt), crawling along in line, the shellbacks were whacking us with shelielies, (canvas pieces of fire hose, soaked in sea-water to make them stiff!--remember the ex-lax?--things got messy--reely, 

Then we got to Baby Neptune-- tha fattest guy on the ship, sitting on a throne in a diaper, with grease and an olive in his belly button--You were then forced to kiss his belly and retrieve the olive--wow, what fun.  The next station was Davy Jones Locker where Davy would recite all your shortcomings for being on his seas.  You were then sentenced to walk a plank over a huge pool of water containing the morning breakfast leftovers and anything else that happened to be handy.  After wading through this mess, you climbed out and the shellbacks started whacking you again, and forcing you into a sixty foot parachute tunnel filled with, what else, left overs from that magnificent breakfast--they banged on you all the way through, and then you emerged in the presence of King Neptune himself.  You were then sworn to loyaty to the King and all the oceans and seas of the world and declared a Golden Shellback--the reward, they gave you a piece of fire hose so you could go and beat the s--t out of the poor suckers at the beggining of the line.

The other reward, I am a Golden Shellback, crossing at the international date line, also an order of the Blue Nose, (Artic Circle), Silver Dragon, (10 times crossing the international date line), a Plank holder, (aboard a ships commishening), Twelve times under the Golden Gate bridge, and One Salty Ass Sea Dog, jus sayin, Rex
 

Oh, My! Your story makes me so glad I did my military service in the Air Force, Rex. Do they still do that?

Yup!

First of all, Rex, thank you for your service,.and then, thanks for sharing your story. I'm sure we would rather have it told to us than to experience it first-hand. Jus' sayin'.