If things look ugly in this picture, it’s nothing compared to our office when we tried to pick a winner for last week’s nautical naughtiness.
We turned over the responsibility to guest judge Mark Mollan, who has been a Navy/Maritime Reference Archivist for 9 years at the National Archives.
Mark is used to tackling large projects: he is working on a collaborative effort with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to digitize Navy and Revenue Cutter/Coast Guard logbooks. NOAA will use the data to track changes in ocean and air temperatures around the globe from the 1840s.
Congratulations to Paul Croteau! Mark notes you correctly reference the long-honored US and British Naval forces’ tradition of “Crossing The Line”: a rite of passage for first-time crossers of the equator (Pollywogs) to become veteran Shellbacks. Check your email for a discount code for 15% off in our eStore.
(Mark also wanted to give Philip Croft and Janis Comstock-Jones honorable mentions. “They made me laugh out loud,” he said.)
The photograph comes from Record Group 80, General Records of the Navy, and the original caption reads: “Neptune party on USS ENTERPRISE. Pollywog V. E. Christensen, S2c., gives his shipmates a song or two on the flight deck., 09/1944”
Things are little more serious for at least one man in today’s photograph! Give us your wittiest caption in the comments below.
Rusty and the paper-training team.
Do I have to sign this? That would mean it’s all over.
“Why do I have to sit down? I always sit down. You never make any of the other guys sit a this stupid desk! Why can’t Jimmy, or Stuie, or I-R-V-I-N-G sit here? Just because IRVING’s daddy owns the Company he ALWAYS gets to stand. Poop-heads!”
Why didn’t I get to use my favorite pen?!
The collaboration team was thrilled when they found out one of them received the promotion!
Sherman once again gets put in the time-out chair for yelling “Fire!” once too often.
Weekend at Bernies: The Prequel
I wonder if the people knocking have a warrant?
Giving up a little bit of office space was okay in the beginning, but further budget cuts resulted in a tragic reduction of office furniture.
Mom always liked them best.
Why do I have to sit in the timeout chair? They started it 🙁
Melvin was again voted the “guy with the ugliest tie award” in the war department.
“Smilin’ Sam” (far right) poses with his new, enthusiastic customer satisfaction team.
Bob had a difficult time hiding his disappointment at not winning the Thursday Caption Contest.