US Naval Academy Herndon Climb
Plebes climb the Herndon Monument at the U.S. Naval Academy, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Annapolis, Md. Freshmen, known as Plebes, participate in the climb to celebrate finishing their first year at the academy. The climb was completed in two hours, nineteen minutes and eleven seconds. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner) (Tom Brenner, Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
ANNAPOLIS, MD. – A US Naval Academy Tradition is taking place Wednesday morning.
The Herndon Monument Climb marks the culmination of plebe year at the Naval Academy.
Demonstrating the teamwork and perseverance they have learned during their first year at the academy, the plebes build a human pyramid to remove the “dixie cup” hat at the top of the vegetable shortening-covered monument and replace it with an upperclassman’s hat.
After successfully completing the Herndon climb, the freshmen are no longer called plebes but “fourth class midshipmen.”
Copyright 2025 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.
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