The Naval Tradition of

"Crossing the Line"

The boisterous ceremonies of "crossing the line" are ancient and their derivation is lost.  It is well known that ceremonies took place long ago when the ship crossed the thirtieth parallel, and also when going through the Straits of Gibraltar.  Early ceremonies were rough and to a great extent supposed to try the crew to determine whether or not the novices on their first cruise could endure the hardships of life at sea.  The custom then, as at present, is primarily a crew's party.
    The Vikings were reported at an early date to carry out these ceremonies on crossing certain parallels.  It is highly probable that the present day ceremony was passed on to the Anglo-Saxons, and Normans from the Vikings.  As at earlier times, ceremonies of propitiation are carried on to appease Neptune, the mythological god of the seas. 
    One who has crossed the line (equator) is called a Shellback.  The Sons of Neptune (shellbacks)  prepare the ship for King Neptune and the Royal Party's arrival and conduct the solemn ceremonies. 
    Bluejackets treasure the certificate which testifies that "in Latitude 00-00 and Longitude xx-xx," and usually addressed to all Mermaids, Sea Serpents, Whales, Sharks, Porpoises, Dolphins, Skates, Eels, Suckers, Lobsters, Crabs, Pollywogs and other living things of the sea," __(name)__ has been found worthy to be numbered as one of our trusty shellbacks, has been gathered to our fold and duly initiated into the solemn mysteries of the ancient order of the deep."
    Members of Neptunus Rex's party usually include Davy Jones, Neptune's first assistant, Her Highness Amphitrite, the Royal Scribe, the Royal Doctor, the Royal Dentist, the Royal Baby,  the Royal Navigator, the Royal Chaplain, the Royal Judge, Attorneys, Barbers and other "dignitaries" that suit the party.  The uninitiated are lowly pollywogs. 
   A Golden Shellback is one who crosses the equator at the 180th meridian (international date line).

USS Bunker Hill 18 March1944

Ensign John Titchener

"Crossed the Line" and more

John's Golden Dragon Card 18 March 1944 and Shellback Card 25 March 1944 John was flying F6Fs off the Bunker Hill at the time of the 180th Meridian crossing ceremony. It would appear that the only recipients of the festivities were the Japanese that day. John became a Shellback enroute to another raid on the Palaus Island Chain on 29-31 March.	USS Bunker Hill 18 March 1944 It would appear that the "Crossing the Line" party was very spirited indeed as the carrier and it's planes conducted raids on several Japaneese Islands that day.	USS Bunker Hill March 29-31 1944 Conducting Raids on Palaus Islands. Wheres the time for the "festivities"?	Jack and "Red" Imel as "Pollywogs" March 25th 1944 on the Bunker Hill crossing the "Line". Red was latter KIA.

Ensign Jack Titchener's time with VF-8 1944

Ensign Jack Titchener 1944	Becker and Jack at NAS Puunene, Maui With VF-8 waiting for the USS Intrepid. As the Intrepid became damaged, VF-8 later boarded the Bunker Hill.	NAS Puunene, Maui 1943	NAS Puunene, Maui as seen 2002 Became the Maui Dragstrip for a while.	VF-8 Officers at NAS Pungo 1943 VA Beach, VA
List of names on NAS Pungo VF-8 Photo	VF-8 Division	Pilot names in VF-8 Division Photo	VF-8 Pilots on Bunker Hill 1944 no list yet

Dan Dever's Broken Hook 1945

Dan and his crew had an "OK" wire until the hook broke off of their TBF.  This resulted in "catching" the BARRIER on the USS Anzio CVE-57.  These photos document that incident in 1945.  The Squadron was VC-66.

		USS Anzio CVE-57 Formerly the USS Coral Sea. Renamed

These are the photo captions taken from the pictures below:

#1

Leaking gasoline, Hellcat returns to it's carrier for emergency landing.  As the pilot, Lt Magee gets his signal and cuts his throttle, the trailing gas vapors ignite and wrap the belly of the plane in flames.  His eyes glued to the deck, pilot Magee is totally unaware that his plane is on fire behind him.  Notice that the crewman wear steel helmets indicating that the ship is at general quarters.

#2

In a perfect landing, Lt Magee picks up the arresting wire and comes to a stop, the propeller killing.  He still does not know that the Hellcat is on fire.  The landing signal officer has left his platform (top right of deck) and is running forward as fast as he can.  The plane handlers in the catwalks are breaking out their fire-fighting equipment.

#3

First fire fighters reach the scene.  Two are holding "fog applicators" which spray a fine mist of sea water, while an asbestos-clad "hot papa" (bottom) runs forward, adjusting his headgear, ready to rescue the pilot.  His elbow out of the cockpit, Magee finally realizes that his plane is burning.  The landing signal officer (top right) has now covered about 43 yards of his dash to the scene.

#4

Magee gets out, scurrying along the burning plane's wing.  In his understandable haste he has failed to unbuckle his parachute, which drags behind him at the end of it's harness.  By now, the hot gasoline flames have started the wooden flight deck smoldering and the firefighters close in.  Thirty seconds have passed since the plane landed.

#5

Off the wing tip, Magee jumps to the deck, still trailing his chute, as his hook man (who unhooks arrestor wire) runs up.  The flight deck officer (center left) moves forward to direct two fire fighters with fog applicator while crewmen along the catwalk turn on water hydrants.  Note that the 1 1/2 inch hose in foreground is carrying pressure.

#6

Firemen open up from the front and side.  One man with fog-nozzle on 2 1/2 inch hose (top right) has started his spray and is seen walking forward.  Another team (bottom right) gives a preliminary squirt while the men to the left jockey for favorable position.  Meanwhile, one fog applicator up under the wing at right is already working on the blaze.  The time elapsed since landing is one minute.

#7

Fog-application crews (far right) close under the wing and a fresh crew crouches in shadow under the belly of the plane as the fire dies down.  The big hose (center right) is apparently not needed now and is about to be turned off.  Hot papa, with nothing to do watches by the wing tip at the right and the crew members start coming up.

#8

Fire goes out as fog sprays a flame.  Foam, which comes out of the hose looking like tooth paste squeezed from a tube, blankets engine.  Total time:  One minute, 30 seconds.  Heat of the blaze has ruinously damaged the plane's stressed metal skin.  After being stripped of all useful parts, plane will be turned in for scrap.  But firefighter’s swift action has prevented serious damage to the carrier.

Garland "Buddy" Bell's Cruiser "Brush-off" in 1944

  Note in the 4th photo Buddy and his crewman trying desperately to keep their shoes dry.  The other photos depict the SOC-3 during uneventful hookups and Cat shots.

Garland "Buddy" Bell	Buddy in the OS2U Kingfisher cockpit 1944 Scouting 45, NAS Trinidad, BWI, March 1944			In the ship's wake You can barely see Buddy and his crewman trying to keep their shoes dry up on the upper float.
A normal recovery	Hoisted aboard	SOC-3 Seagull in flight	USS Tuscaloosa CA-37 1944 Note the SOC-3s mounted amidships.

Great WWII Color footage of the Curtiss SOC Seagull in Cruiser Operations

Launch & Recovery

Naval Gunfire Spotting (Cruiser Aviation 1945 in the Pacific)

The USS Tuscaloosa CA-37 hove to off the enemy-held bastion of Iwo Jima Island the morning of 15 February 1945, and carried out pre-invasion bombardment and also covered the operations of Underwater Demolition Teams and mine sweeper operations.

The morning of 19 February 1945, Tuscaloosa joined the battleships and cruisers that hit the southwestern tip of Iwo Jima with the heaviest pre-landing bombardment of World War II.  Tuscaloosa had four SOC scout planes available for gunfire spotting.  Prior to hitting the beaches, pilots reported that the armada of landing craft milling around the mother ships was a most impressive sight.  When assault troops neared the beach, Naval gunfire shifted to targets about 200 yards inland.  The ships then formed a rolling barrage that constantly adjusted to the troop’s actual rate of advance to clear across the island. Fire Control Parties ashore then requested gunfire on targets.  The pilot would spot the shell hits and referring to a Air Plot Chart, he would direct corrections in deflection, elevation, and depression to effect a direct hit.

Air Support Chart Iwo Jima This is one of the actual charts that Buddy used while "spotting" over Iwo Jima.

Buddy's Pacific War Items

Dick Beckner's "Smoker" 1948

Dick, as SDO with VX-3, NAS Atlantic City NJ, accepted a mission after hours replacing the scheduled pilot.  The primary plane went "down" and he took a bird just out of maintenance.  Dick's wingman noticed a thin trail of smoke as they headed out to sea.  When he pulled the power back, the smoke disappeared giving the appearance of "all is well".  He pushed the power back up and continued out to sea.  When time came to transfer fuel from the full belly tank, he had second thoughts and turned back to base.  Upon landing the crash trucks were on him as he turned onto a taxiway and sprayed him down.  Time in the air less than 15 minutes.   The maintenance department told Dick that the plane was a write-off but the webmaster found evidence that bureau number 95184 was sold to the French AF and eventually to the Royal Thai AF.   

Richard Beckner	Arrow shows Dick looking on			F8F During better times