194 Crossing the Line 



1943, continued 



the day we crossed the equator. That day the ocean was flat and 

 the sky was clear. We had our "general quarters" moved up to 

 8 A. M. so the ceremony could be held at 10:00. And at 9:55, the 

 uniform for "poUywog" initiates was announced as pajamas, over- 

 seas caps, and bare feet. The war was completely forgotten as we 

 appeared before Neptunus Rex, the enhsted man enthroned on 

 the boat deck. Rank meant nothing, of course, as we were paddled, 

 soaked with hoses, speared by the electric trident, and generally 

 abused. One Marine officer did an elaborate strip tease, and some- 

 one else read a long defense, typed on toilet paper. It was comic 

 rehef from the war, stiU hundreds of miles ahead of us. 



McCarthy was nearly through his initiation when he was hurt. 

 He was going dovsTi a ladder vidth a bucket fastened to his foot 

 when he sHpped. His other foot caught on a lower rung — an iron 

 pipe a few inches from the steel bulkhead — and he fell backwards, 

 injuring his foot. . . . After my initiation was over and I had rinsed 

 the stain from my shaved head, I went to the sick bay to see how Joe 

 was getting along. They had decided that three bones were broken, 

 and I watched them put a cast on his foot. 



Joe was in a good humor as he hobbled around on his cast, but he admonished 

 his buddies: "Don't ever teU that I broke my foot in this silly way." They 

 never suspected that, before Joe's war career was over, his prank injury woidd 

 grow into a "severe leg injury" and he would be cited by Admiral Nimitz for 

 bravely refusing "to be hospitalized." 



(Jack Anderson and Ronald W. May. McCarthy, the man, the senator, 

 the "ism." Boston [1952] p. 62-63.) 



A United Press story from Washington dated December 29, 1952 reported that Senator 

 McCarthy "received today a Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal with four gold stars 

 for "heroism and extraordinary achievement' as a Marine Corps officer in the Pacific during World 

 War II." ( New York Times, December 30, 1952, page 2, column 4. ) Earlier, Time Magazine on 

 July 7, 1952 had quoted the Milwaukee Journal statement on the "shellback" initiation. 



When Headquarters of the Marine Corps in Washington was asked by the compiler for word 

 of verification as to accuracy, it replied that the practice of the Corps was not to quote citations, 

 but to refer inquiries of this kind to the principal. 



A letter to Senator McCarthy, addressed to him at the Senate Office buuding April 10, 1954, 

 remained unanswered and unacknowledged, nor was it returned because of mistaken or in- 

 adequate address. It asked if he would give a few words about his experience to be included 

 in what was intended to be an objective study of this bit of sealore, as tlie compiler was trying 

 to gather as many first-hand stories as possible. 



Reprinted with permission of Beacon Press, the publisher. 



I first crossed the equator aboard an LCI(L) — Landing Craft, Infantry 

 ( Large ) — in late February or early March, 1943. We had an early type of 

 LCI which in those days were awkward, uncomfortable vessels about 155 feet 

 in length designed to transport some 100 or so troops onto the beach on am- 



