Photo #: NH 69571
"Shellback" Certificate
Illustration and headline of a certificate issued to Harry Howard
after he crossed the Equator in USS Kansas (Battleship
# 21) in January 1908, during the first leg of the "Great
White Fleet" World cruise.
Howard provided the following text with this image: "On
the eve of January 4, 1908 another importent event occurred which
all sailors do not see often. A sort of stillness seemed to have
fallen over the sea - not a breath of air was stirring, and the
same phosphorescence waters seemed to radiate the heat stored
during the day from the sun's rays. Weird it seemed as streaks
of light here and there burst from the surface of the water as
a porpoise or dolphin darted across the bow of the ship. So quiet
and dark as we sped along through the night towards the Equator,
as we expected to cross it before morning. Shortly afterwards
I received from Neptune Rex, a message which read 'You, Harry
Howard, being a landlubber serving on board the USS Kansas
and daring to enter our Equatorial Region without due ceremony
- you are ordered to appear in person before His Majestic Court
of Neptune Rex on January the 5th to explain your conduct and
to accept most heartily the penalties of the awful torture that
will be inflicted upon you.
(Signed) Neptune Rex, Ruler of the Raging Main.'"
Courtesy of Harry Howard, 1969.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 188KB; 1200 x 615
pixels
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NOTE: The actual date of these festivities was 6 January,
not 5 January as cited above in Howard's narrative. |
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