#1 Click this link to see News Photos page --> 05/26/2010 #1

As they have for 70 years, students at the US Naval Academy scale the 21-foot Herndon Monument to celebrate the end of their grueling 1st year on Monday in Annapolis, MD. The Herndon obelisk was not greased with lard as in the past. The Climb to the top to place an officer’s hat on the tip of the obelisk, after removing a 1st year student’s hat, took two minutes and five seconds by 3rd Company’s Keegan Albi from Eugene, OR.

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#2 Click this link to see News Photos page --> 05/22/2013 #3

The Herndon Monument Climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. The cadets climb to the top of the lard covered 21-foot-high monument and remove the “dixie cup” hat at the top replacing it with an upperclassman’s hat. After completing this, the freshmen are called “fourth class midshipmen”. This class completed the task in 1 hour 32 minutes and 43 seconds. The hat was placed by Patrick Lien from Orlando.

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#3 Click this link to see News Photos page --> 05/25/2013 #1

Members of the 2013 graduating class of the United States Naval Academy throw their caps into the air marking the end of their commencement ceremony in Annapolis, MD, Friday, May 24th, 2013, where Obummer spoke.

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#4 Click this link to see News Photos page --> 05/24/2014 #4

Graduating US Naval Academy Midshipmen throw their hats into the air during the United States Naval Academy 2014 Class graduation and commissioning ceremonies at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, MD.

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#5 Click this link to see News Photos page --> 05/28/2016 #2

U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen wait for the Academy’s graduation and commissioning ceremony to begin in Annapolis, MD.

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#6 Click this link to see News Photos page --> 05/28/2016 #3

U.S. Naval Academy graduates toss their hats in the air during graduation ceremonies at the Academy in Annapolis, MD. This is the first year that females wore the same uniform as the males.

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