Thursday Photo Caption Contest: March 15
When crossing the equator, the crew loved dancing to the “Shellback & Pollywog Polka.”
If things look ugly in this picture, it’s nothing compared to our office when we tried to pick a winner for last week’s nautical naughtiness.
We turned over the responsibility to guest judge Mark Mollan, who has been a Navy/Maritime Reference Archivist for 9 years at the National Archives.
Mark is used to tackling large projects: he is working on a collaborative effort with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to digitize Navy and Revenue Cutter/Coast Guard logbooks. NOAA will use the data to track changes in ocean and air temperatures around the globe from the 1840s.
Congratulations to Paul Croteau! Mark notes you correctly reference the long-honored US and British Naval forces’ tradition of “Crossing The Line”: a rite of passage for first-time crossers of the equator (Pollywogs) to become veteran Shellbacks. Check your email for a discount code for 15% off in our eStore.
(Mark also wanted to give Philip Croft and Janis Comstock-Jones honorable mentions. “They made me laugh out loud,” he said.)
The photograph comes from Record Group 80, General Records of the Navy, and the original caption reads: “Neptune party on USS ENTERPRISE. Pollywog V. E. Christensen, S2c., gives his shipmates a song or two on the flight deck., 09/1944″
Things are little more serious for at least one man in today’s photograph! Give us your wittiest caption in the comments below.
"Your caption here!"
Posted by Hilary on March 15, 2012, under Photo Caption Contest.
Tags: Coast Guard., Crossing the Line, Mark Mollan, Neptune Party, NOAA Navy, Pollywog, Revenue Cutter, Shellback, USS Enterprise
Comments: 14
Comments
Comment from Ruth
Time March 15, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Do I have to sign this? That would mean it’s all over.
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Comment from Phillip A. Bobrowski
Time March 15, 2012 at 3:50 pm
“Why do I have to sit down? I always sit down. You never make any of the other guys sit a this stupid desk! Why can’t Jimmy, or Stuie, or I-R-V-I-N-G sit here? Just because IRVING’s daddy owns the Company he ALWAYS gets to stand. Poop-heads!”
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Comment from Mickey
Time March 15, 2012 at 4:04 pm
The collaboration team was thrilled when they found out one of them received the promotion!
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Comment from Bonnie
Time March 15, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Sherman once again gets put in the time-out chair for yelling “Fire!” once too often.
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Comment from Martin
Time March 15, 2012 at 4:40 pm
I wonder if the people knocking have a warrant?
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Comment from Wendy Gish
Time March 15, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Giving up a little bit of office space was okay in the beginning, but further budget cuts resulted in a tragic reduction of office furniture.
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Comment from Mariecris
Time March 15, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Why do I have to sit in the timeout chair? They started it 
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Comment from alisa
Time March 15, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Melvin was again voted the “guy with the ugliest tie award” in the war department.
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Comment from Roxanne
Time March 16, 2012 at 11:24 am
“Smilin’ Sam” (far right) poses with his new, enthusiastic customer satisfaction team.
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Comment from Mike
Time March 21, 2012 at 12:43 am
Bob had a difficult time hiding his disappointment at not winning the Thursday Caption Contest.
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Comment from Corrie
Time March 15, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Rusty and the paper-training team.
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