The costumed "Royal Court of Neptunus Rex" poses on the flight deck of USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) in August 1944, marking the ship's crossing of the equator. This time-honored Navy tradition initiated "pollywogs" (sailors who had never crossed the line) into the ranks of trusty "shellbacks" through an elaborate and often raucous ceremony, providing a welcome morale boost during the long months of wartime deployment. Project: 218490