Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The annual tradition of topping Herndon Monument was fulfilled Monday afternoon by the class of 2016.
Though drenched in sweat, lard and even a little bit of blood, the U.S. Naval Academy's class of 2016 reached the peak of Herndon Monument and placed a midshipmen's hat at the top. Watch a video of the climactic final moments of the climb here. An hour into the event, the hat was knocked off by flying clothing, but the event wouldn't end until someone put it back on top. Just over an hour and a half after the event began, a plebe named Patrick Lien of Orlando, FL came the closest to the peak and was able to toss a cap to the top, ending the event to the cheers of all of his classmates. The young men and women chanted, "Plebes no more," in celebration.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Watch as a plebe finally tops the statue with the help of his classmates.
Covered in sweat, water, lard and blood, the U.S. Naval Academy's class of 2016 continued a legacy in climbing Herndon Monument on Monday. The annual event is all a part of a rite of passage for the academy's freshmen class. Herndon, a 21-foot tall monument, was covered in greasy lard before the event began, and a naval hat was placed at its peak, stuck down with a mound of lard. The plebes had to find a way up to the top, to take the hat. Tossed shirts and socks clung to the monument with a satisfying smacking sound—clothing is used to mop away the lard and ensure a firm grasp on the structure. Bodies were chained together and climbed over to reach the peak. An hour into the event, the hat was knocked off by flying clothing, but the …
Friday, May 10, 2013
The pilot died in 1966, but his remains were recently identified using DNA that matched his mother's, according to the Department of Defense.
Did you hear that sound overhead Friday at noon? It was the sound of four fighter jets flying over the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in honor of a funeral for a Vietnam War Navy pilot whose remains were recently identified. Naval Academy spokeswoman Judy Campbell said the jets were flying in a missing man formation in honor of Lt. Richard Laws, a 1962 graduate of the academy, who went missing in Northern Vietnam in 1966 when his plane crashed in the area. "Laws was strafing enemy targets in Thanh Hoa Province, North Vietnam, when his F-8E Crusader was struck by enemy ground fire. His mission commander saw his aircraft crash into a nearby hillside and explode. As a result, Laws was declared killed in action," according to a release from …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
The sea anchor from the U.S.S. Constitution and other artifacts are on display in Annapolis.
A new exhibit on the War of 1812 kicked off this month at the U.S. Naval Academy to offer a historic collection of art, artifacts and ship models from the era. Seas, Lakes & Bay: The Naval War of 1812 Exhibit is free and open daily for the public to visit in Annapolis. William Marks from the Naval Academy spoke with Fox45 News this month about what makes the War of 1812 important to American history, including the formation of our national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." Some of the historical pieces on display include a piece of a flag that was on board the U.S.S. Constitution, large portions of old ships, and several displays explaining the rich history of the era surrounding the war. "Come to Annapolis to see the sea anchor from the…
Monday, April 22, 2013
Dressed in "Where's Waldo" attire, the Johnnies lost to midshipmen in a 4-1 match on Saturday.
Bucking a trend, the U.S. Navy triumphed over the favored St. John's College in a traditional match of croquet on Saturday. The Navy midshipmen's 4-1 victory over the so-called Johnnies is just its sixth in the 31-year history of the two teams in the battle for the prized Annapolis Cup. According to The Capital-Gazette, the Navy last won a match against St. John's College in 2005. More than 2,000 spectators attended the match, crowding around the lawn of St. John's College in downtown Annapolis. The occasion regularly draws fans wearing attire inspired by era of The Great Gatsby, many of whom enjoyed a casual picnic lunch at the game. Instead of their traditional painters outfits, the Johnnies came dressed this year in red-and-white …
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Hundreds cheered on the Grammy-award winning band as they sped through a country classic.
The Zac Brown Band entertained the U.S. Naval Academy and local fans Friday night with a raucous live show that crescendoed with a lighting-fast rendition of "The Devil Comes Down to Georgia." A portion of the live show was recorded and uploaded to YouTube Wednesday. The Grammy-award winning band was well received in Annapolis, as evident on its Facebook page, where dozens of fans thanked them for the concert. "Outstanding concert at the Naval Academy last night...you guys are tight! Keep bringing smiles and joy, Lord knows this world needs it," said Leo Mehalic. The band also sat down for a meal with select midshipmen on Friday night.
The college will host the 31st annual match and festivities Saturday on the front lawn.
Players from St. John's College and the U.S. Naval Academy gathered on the lawn at the college Tuesday for practice in preparation for the weekend's big croquet match. The college will host the 31st annual match Saturday between the two institutions on the front lawn in what has become a local rite of spring. The winner will take home the coveted Annapolis Cup. The "Johnnies" have taken the cup home 25 times out of the last 30 games. Drew Menzer, St. John's imperial wicket or team captain, said his team has gathered a variety of players who enjoy taking competitive risks. Their strategy this year relies on some outside-the-box thinking, he said. "We practice aggressive, difficult, high-risk plays, and often choose the one that has the …
Naval Academy midshipmen have won the trophy eight times in 10 years.
For the eighth time in 10 years, President Barack Obama has honored the U.S. Naval Academy with the Commander-in-Chief Trophy for defeating the other service academies in football. The trophy is awarded to the winner of the Navy, Army and Air Force series of football games. In 2012, Navy won 17-13 over the Army in December after beating the Air Force 28-21 in October. Obama told the midshipmen Friday that soon he'd be visiting them for commencement in Annapolis. Commissioning Week for the Class of 2013 is May 17-24. Following that, many of them will be sent across the world, and the scope of their teamwork would be greatly enhanced. "Together, your victories will not simply be about football trophies—as impressive as that trophy is—but it …
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
A former marine and Naval Academy graduate who ran in the Boston Marathon already is planning his next big race.
Runner Mosi Smith, who returned home safe from the Boston Marathon on Monday, already is back to work at Fleet Feet Sports in downtown Annapolis, less than 24 hours after the explosions. Smith, a former marine, and a triathlete, said he and his teammates in the U.S. Naval Academy Marathon Team had completed their runs by the time he heard about the explosion. They were all celebrating several blocks away when the attack occurred. While on the phone with a fellow runner, Smith said his friend heard the explosion and hung up. Smith then went outside and saw the chaos in the streets. "My main concern definitely was just ensuring the midshipmen were all accounted for and OK—and they were. We all got back around 3 a.m.," Smith said. Three …
Volunteers are needed May 19 to participate in MDvsHunger, a joint venture between two communities to purchase, pack, and send out meals to people in need.
There's currently a friendly rivalry between Annapolis and Glen Burnie to see which community can package more than 200,000 meals the fastest as part of an effort dubbed MDvsHunger. In partnership with Stop Hunger Now, residents from each community will be put to the test on May 19 at two locations to package the enormous amount of meals to be delivered to the hungry. The packing sessions were held Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy (just for midshipmen), and will occur again in May at Glen Burnie High School and Annapolis High School. More than 500,000 total meals will be packaged, according to Andrew Sullivan, regional program manager for Stop Hunger Now. Sullivan said 100,000 of these meals were packaged by midshipmen at the Naval Academy…
