USS New Jersey (BB-62): Shellback Initiation by Kevin H., on Flickr

Asked this on the Underway Life Facebook Page:

Haze Gray and underway might be an expression, but what about hazing? It was real life when I was in. What’s your experience?

Here’s a few responses:

-> I don’t know, maybe I was just to close to it or too used to it, but it didn’t seem that bad. Of course if you want to talk about crossing the line or CPO initiation that was a little more extreme in my day than it seems to be now.

-> I was in ’94-’98 when they started to go crazy about the hazing. I feel like I missed out because I couldn’t have my fish tacked on. I believe that I missed out on an important rite of passage.

-> There wasn’t much on the ole Von S. CO didn’t go for that much. Other than dolphins being blessed to ur chest the rest was minimal.

What has your experience been? Ever been schoonered? Painted someone else with prussian blue? Been taped to the piping?

Cookie, a regular reader here on Underway Life, has some great stories to share.  This one is going to hit home most with submariners. Spending time at sea though, you’ll find it immediately interesting.

Here’s an excerpt to set the stage:

“On the old fleet boats (WWII Submarines)..all the various water and sewage piping drained into the Sanitary Tanks…things like the sinks, showers, coffee urn, heads (toilets), urinals, skuttlebutts (drinking fountains) and few other extraneous systems having to do with water/sewage.”

Please click through to “Ohhh Man..I’m in reeeeal deep“.