Crossing the Equator

Photograph

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Destroyer Escort Historical Museum

2012.7.27

2012.7.27

Name/Title

Crossing the Equator

Entry/Object ID

2012.7.27

Tags

Royal Baby, Queen Neptune, CANNON-class, Ceremony, Enlisted, King Neptune

Description

SLATER crew dressed as King Neptune (left), the Royal Baby (center), and Queen Neptune (right) for the Crossing the Equator ceremony. Sailors taking part in the Ancient Order of the Deep ceremony. This is a celebration of the ship crossing the Equator. Those that had never crossed are called pollywogs, whereas those that have crossed are called shellbacks. To become a shellback, the pollywog must complete a hazing ritual and answer for crimes committed against King Neptune! USS SLATER (DE-766) crossed the equator on November 4, 1945, while en route to Biak, Indonesia from Yokohama, Japan.

Context

Equator crossing

Collection

USS Slater DE 766