The crew of the escort carrier USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) poses in elaborate costume for the traditional 'Crossing the Line' ceremony, held in August 1944 as the ship crossed the equator. This time-honored naval tradition, presided over by the mythical court of King Neptune, initiated first-time equator crossers, known as 'pollywogs,' into the ranks of 'shellbacks,' offering a lighthearted morale boost amid the demands of wartime service in the Pacific. Project: 218455