Hey Krauss_Brat, it was nice to read that posting by your dad. I was one of the wogs that took part in his tar and feathering, and have a couple pictures of it myself. I had alot of respect for your dad, and he was one of the best officers aboard the Cochrane during my tour. Tell him that an old shipmate said hello, and hope that all is well with him!


Michael Gray HTC USN Ret.
Cochrane HT3 1977-1979

HOLY WOW AND ALL THIS TIME I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING OLD, MR. KRAUSS HAS GOT TO BE SOMEWHAT OF AN OLD FART BY NOW. HE IS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER ABOUT THE COCHRANE. AS I REMEMBER IT I LOOKED UP AND SAW HIM PAINTING A BIG RED E ON THE STACK AS I WAS WALKING DOWN THE PIER SHIPPING OUT. WHAT A LIFE!!!!!!!! RUSSELL SEAMAN MMFA X 2. '78 TO '80

One of my fellow mechanics at work got out of the Navy less than 2 years ago. He said that the Shellback Initiation has been shitcanned entirely due to the females onboard everything now. Said too many ambulance chasers were getting rich off sexual harassment suits from this bit of naval tradition.
I know when I crossed on Cochrane(74 I think... ), it was optional to participate. I remember "Gramps" Feltz, torpedo master extraordinare, opted out in the Sonar Gang, and nobody messed with him at all. I cant imagine in the politically correct above all else that is todays military, that this choice would not be available. Oh but all that quick lawsuit cash though...
I think its sad to scrap the entire tradition for those that wish to participate, to placate lawyers and political corectness.
Reckon Bruce "Bubbles" Benton is SOL now!!!
All the best from the Tuton house to all yall!
mt.

www.goatlocker.org/resources/nav/crossline.pdf

This paper written by MIDN 4/C Swartz in 1998 pretty much describes the tradition and where it originated. It is truly unfortunate that some land lubber shyster lawyers have ruined another tradition that bonds sailors together. This is true of the Chiefs initiation too. I guess the Navy has transitioned again, first it went ships of wood and men of steel, to ships of steel and men of steel; I guess it is now ships of steel and boys & girls of squeeze cheese.

I was one of the lowly polywogs that was 'transformed' into a royal shellback. I have the certificate from King Neptune from that Christmas day in 1968 to prove it. I also have 8MM color film of that day for anyone that's interested in a copy. There is no sound but the film is in very good condition. I remember having a brand new pair of dungaree's on and after the initiation the dungarees went into the ocean. One of the ironic twists of this crossing was that the captain of the ship was a polywog. A buddy of mine, Terry Evans, was in front of me in the "line of terror". When we got to the end and the dunk tank, they kept dunking his head under the water and asking "What are you?" He would answer "A lowly polywog sir." After several of these they asked again and he answered "Drowning sir!" He was supposed to say "a royal shellback sir" but they don't tell you that. What a fun day....................NOT.

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I made a dvd from the 8mm that I took while on the Cochrane.
The Christmas Day crossing was part of it...
Great memories!
Maybe we can talk John into putting part of it up..