Herndon Monument Climb is Back

The Naval Academy is keeping the annual Herndon Monument Climb. It will be held at 1:30 p.m. May 23 and will be open to the public with identification.

Midshipman 4th Class Keegan Albi of Eugene, Ore., scaled the 21-foot-tall Herndon Monument in two minutes, five seconds last May, marking the end of freshman, or plebe, year for the Naval Academy Class of 2013. For the first time in recent memory, the monument was not coated in lard, and upperclassmen could not spray the plebes with garden hoses as they attempted the climb.

Plebes scale the greased obelisk as a rite of passage to mark the end of their freshman year. The previous superintendent considered canceling the event, and ordered the monument not to be greased last year.

The grease has been re-ordered.
“Conducting the ceremonial climb in the same manner as so many previous classes helps to instill spirit and camaraderie among plebes and better links them to the many classes that have gone before them,” said academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Michael H. Miller.