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Oak Hill Carries on Navy Tradition while Crossing the Line

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090703-09
Release Date: 7/3/2009 5:54:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Cory Rose, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East

USS OAK HILL, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors aboard USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) took part in a historical Navy tradition when the ship held a "crossing the line" ceremony while deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet Area of Responsibility June 19.

This traditional rite of passage is carried out when a ship crosses the equator. The ceremony was created for seasoned Sailors aboard a ship to test new Sailors to see if they could withstand long, rough times at sea.

At the completion of the ceremony, new Sailors also known as "pollywogs" are brought before King Neptune, the mythical god of the seas, to see if they are worthy to become "trusty shellbacks."

"Once you have become a shellback, you have earned the right to be known as a true salty Sailor," said Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Shawn McCandless, a shellback since 1991.

Oak Hill has completed four deployments in three years and has crossed the equator during three of the four deployments.

Two-hundred and nine personnel became shellbacks in the "crossing the line" ceremony, which included embarked Army Soldiers from the 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera) and foreign personnel on board for Southern Partnership Station 2009.

"I thought that it was pretty cool that Oak Hill allowed us to participate in a long standing Navy tradition," said Army Specialist Corey Idleburg with the 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera).

Concerned with the welfare of Oak Hill Sailors, the ship's leadership ensured the events were in keeping with good order and discipline.

Oak Hill is participating in a combined multination exercise Southern Partnership Station (SPS) '09. SPS '09 is a combined naval and amphibious operation with Oak Hill and maritime forces from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. Oak Hill will also support a U.S. Marine Corps Forces Southern multinational amphibious exercise known as Southern Exchange 2009.

For more news from USS Oak Hill, visit www.navy.mil/local/lsd51/.