Photos and commentary courtesy of Fred Clark who shared a few recollections from that memorable day.
"It's been so long that I don't remember a lot of the details (getting older is a pain in the @$$). However, some things I definitely do remember:
* those who had crossed the line before were known as "Shellbacks" and were in charge of the initiation ceremony, while those being initiated were known as "pollywogs;"
* Commander Layman was CO and was a pollywog, too;
* there was a route around the deck of the ship that each pollywog had to traverse, on his hands and knees (no standing), from one initiation station to another; at each station, the "Shellbacks" manned the station for various initiation rituals.
Fred Clark
Ensign and LTjg, USS Joseph Strauss, '68-'71
Gunnery Division Officer, then First Division Officer, then Navigation Department Head
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