U.S. Sailors and Marines participate in traditional nautical ceremonies marking the crossing of the Equator, aboard the Landing Ship Tank, LST 554, during World War 2. This involves "Shellbacks" (sailors who have already crossed the equator) intiating "pollywogs" (sailors who have never crossed the Equator) into the Kingdom of Neptune. "Pollywogs" are seen assembled below, and then brought up on deck where they are subject to various forms of horseplay and embarrassment (all in good fun). Some are seen in silly lookout poses. One is seen nearly atop the ship's mast. One, naked, pours water over the head of another. Another is made to dance with a mop. Then two are made to dance together, after which they must mop the deck. Finally, the Pollywogs have their heads shaved, and dunked in water, after which they run a gauntlet of shellbacks who hit them hard (with soft paddles). Initiates being sprayed with water on deck.
Line of U.S. battleships, including 1917 class (New Mexico class) such as the USS Idaho, USS Mississippi, USS New Mexico. Image of U.S. Capitol in Washington seen. U.S. Navy sailors parading in Washington, DC. Crowd gathered at Washington monument. Sailors on signal bridge of a U.S. warship, hoisting signals. Ships in distance. U.S. Navy sailors, aboard a destroyer, launching depth charges which explode and produce upsurge of water, behind the vessel. Sailors hurrying to their battle stations.
Officers aboard U.S. Navy's first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CV-1). View of the Langley passing through the Gaillard Cut in the Panama Canal, her deck filled with airplanes, en route to join the Pacific Fleet. Activities aboard the Langley as U.S. Navy works to refine carrier operations. Numerous views of Landing mishaps, including landing hook problems, nose-overs, wings striking deck, power-on stalls, and even a VE-7 ditching in water between the Langley and a U.S. Destroyer.
"Crossing the Line" initiation ceremony on a cruise ship. Shipboard ceremony marking the equator crossing. Passengers who have never crossed the equator before are "pollywogs" and initiated into the Kingdom of Neptune, by being messed up and tossed into the ship's pool, by members of "Neptune's Court" who wear masks and costumes and make fun of the whole event. A woman and a man are seen being dunked in the pool. Men play instruments.
Sailors stripped to the waist, working in a triple 8 inch 55 caliber gun turret of the American Cruiser USS Chicago (CA-29) in the Southwest Pacific, during World War 2. They bring up and load 8-inch shell followed by gunpowder charges, for one of the three guns in the turret. After firing, they repeat the process. Closeup as they open the gun breech, insert a metal chute to guide the shell and follow it with two propellant charges. Interesting view looking upward from below the gun as the sailors repeat the process. They step back briefly, as the gun fires. Next, sailors are seen below deck, partially rolling shells into a lift and sending up to the gunners.
Activity aboard USS Chicago in Southwest Pacific. United States sailors operate machinery in the engine room of the ship. A sailor looks into periscope eye and turns a wheel. Another crew man wearing headphones checks equipment and speaks over a mouthpiece. A group of sailors lifts a lid and takes out shells from it.
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