Ancient Order of Shellbacks
While the family was having a busy summer day in Kentland, my grandfather was having a completely different experience. I possess one document regarding the time my grandfather spent at sea in August 1942. This document is my grandfather’s Shellback certificate. On August 19, 1942, Lt. (jg) R.S. Yegerlehner crossed the equator for the first time. He participated in the long standing naval tradition of “crossing the line”. By all accounts, participation was mandatory. It did not matter whether one was the captain of the vessel or the lowliest cabin boy. Some of these rituals seemed to have lasted an entire day or more. Some ceremonies were more elaborate than others. Regardless, it was navy tradition. My grandfather went to sea a pollywog and returned a shellback.
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- August 19, 1942 Envelope
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- August 19, 1942, p. 1
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- August 19, 1942, p. 2
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- August 19, 1942, p. 3
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- August 19, 1942, p. 4
Letter transcription:
Kentland, Ind
Aug 19-1942
Dear Daddy,
We had another busy morning. The boys washed the car and I applied “car-nu” and Mark polished it while John washed lunch dishes. Also cleaned the windows and and [sic] the inside, so it looks respectable again.
I have been loaning Servie’s glass jars. I thought they should use them rather than just let them stand empty. Rev. came out this morning and got a box full. He told me
(page 2) that Kenny Jones is enlisting in the Navy. Also his son is thinking about enlisting. That is all I know of at present. I was in the drug store not long ago and Al Myers was talking about enlisting and said Art had gone to Indpls to see about enlisting but don’t know any more about them. I think Ed has gone by now. I believe he said he had to report for duty in Indpls this Tues, and Emery was to go to Indpls this week. Dotty is going to work at the Kentland Café. Someone said Hilda was going to work at Kenny’s but Ed didn’t mention it. May be just talk. Jean is
(page 3) still running the fountain at Boonies. She talked about getting a girl sometime ago but hasn’t anyone yet. I understand Mrs. Baer is going to live here and is wanting work. Too bad she can’t teach since this is such a demand. Elsaleah resigned at ade and Mrs. Olsen is going to teach there. Mr. Boomershine is coming back here this year. He signed a contract just last week. I think that takes care of the high school teachers this year.
John’s class went to Monticello on a picnic yesterday and he forgot all about it. You
(page 4)remember – the annual sunburn- Well, he didn’t get his from that picnic this year. I was sorry he forgot it because he always enjoyed that so much in spite of the after effects.
Buddy just came out and was talking to Mark about the work on his models. Buddy was going to offer some suggestions but I am not sure it will do much good.
John is wanting to take this as he goes to the library so will finish and let him go.
Love Mother
I don’t have a clue what this is about: “I have been loaning Servie’s glass jars. I thought they should use them rather than just let them stand empty. Rev. came out this morning and got a box full.”
“Jean is still running the fountain at Boonies.” This must refer to the soda fountain at the other drug store down the street from Kenny’s.
I don’t remember the Kentland Café.
“Elsaleah resigned at ade and Mrs. Olsen is going to teach there.” Ade was the really tiny town north of Kentland, named after the Hoosier poet, George Ade, as I recall.
Very interesting: the Shellback certificate….never heard of it.
I think the glass jars must have been canning jars. I found a Rev. Servie and his wife living down the street in 1940.
I was looking at the map on Kentland today and also noticed an Ade street. What street would the first house in Kentland have been on?
Another possibility is that there was a chain of “Servie Oil & Gas Stations” back then. Just a thought…
David, if I may… The “shellback” was also referred to by a couple of other names: “Domain of Neptunus Rex” or “Imperium Neptuni Regis”. My neighbor Old Man Jack still proudly displayed his. They varied in appearance and level of detail; I am sure if you google either of those two names, you can see a sampling. http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/us_navy_battleship_photos/uss_maryland_bb46/domain_of_neptunus_rex_as.jpg
Also, even during WWII, the “ceremony” accompanying the issuance of the certificates to nubies was nothing short of zany. A sailor would typically make himself look like King Neptune, using a mophead or similar. Other “subjects” (i.e., sailors) would grovel at his feet to signify his “omnipotence”. All of this was done to break up the boredom during the crossing. I’m sure a level of hazing accompanied the ceremony…and first time “pollywog” officers received a bit more “abuse” than plain sailors.
Since I know a little about cars, I thought you might be interested in this. “Car-Nu” was a Johnson Wax product. If you scroll down on this webpage link, you will find the period-correct product in a bright yellow can on the left side.
http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-Hap-Hazard.html
Thanks I had actually searched a bit on Car nu and then realized that I needed to write about the shell backs instead. I had an old car nu advertisement that I was going to post. I guess I will have it ready next time they wax the car.
Our first house was on East Dunlop Street, and the second house was on West Graham, clear on the other side of town.
I was hoping it was Dunlap street. I have been looking at the map of Kentland and trying to visualize the layout of town based on your description of walking to school. I wish Google maps had a street view of Kentland, but they aren’t there yet.