Naval Academy Tour

We took the official Naval Academy tour in Annapolis, Maryland. The tour starts at the Halsey Field House, which includes the visitor's center, the gift shop, a small museum, and an indoor field. 

Halsey Field House

Across the way from the field house is a statue of Bill the Goat. The story goes that in the first Army vs. Navy football game in 1890, the cadets had to go to West Point (the Army's institution of higher learning). On the way, the Navy team realized they did not have a mascot. They stopped in a field and captured a goat who became their mascot. The tradition continues today. I mean, having a goat as a mascot, not kidnapping livestock on the way to a game.

Bill the Goat

Since we visited in August, the full student body was not present. Some of the athletes had returned early to get ready for their season, e.g. the football team. Plebe Summer, the warm up for freshmen at the Naval Academy, was well under way. We saw a group of them in formation, learning some sort of drill.

Plebes in action!

Our tour took us into Lejeune Hall, a building dedicated to athletics. We saw the indoor pools, which include a deep pool where cadets have to dive in, fully clothed, from a very high platform (like 40 feet high!). It simulates having to abandon ship on modern vessels. I am not sure I could do it.

Pools

Maybe if I practiced on the lower platforms?

Our tour took us along a row of houses for the teachers and leaders of the Academy. The houses are free to the faculty but they have to forego their housing stipend, which could be as much as four thousand dollars a month. So the houses are not really free. They are very impressive, with high ceilings to accommodate for the lack of air conditioning when they were built in the 1800s. 

(Not really) public housing on campus

Dahlgren Hall was originally used to train cadet on the large guns mounted on battleships. The architecture was inspired by French train stations which, with our recent trip to Europe, we could confirm.

Dahlgren Hall

In the nearby plaza are several items from World War II. A pair of torpedoes like the ones the Japanese used in Pearl Harbor are on display as well as a memorial to submarine officers and enlisted men.

Japanese torpedo

Cool sub memorial

The cadets live in Bancroft Hall, a large, impressive construction that houses all 4,500 students. Also built in the 1800s, it has gone through many modernizations (and the addition of some wings). 

Bancroft Hall

The entrance hall used to be lit by gas lights. Now LEDs are all over the place.

Dome of the entrance

Visitors can see a sample of a cadet's room. The cadet has to climb up to the bed, that's why there's a space in between the two drawers on the right below. One foot between the drawers, another on the desk, and up you go! Text books and other materials are provided by donations. The government does not fund everything at the Naval Academy.

Typical student accommodations

Just across the plaza from Bancroft Hall is a replica of the masthead from the USS Delaware. It depicts Tamanend (c. 1628-1698), a chief of the Lenni-Lenape clan in the Delaware Valley. The USS Delaware was burned in 1861 to prevent it from falling into Confederate hands. The masthead was salvaged in 1866 and taken to the Naval Academy. After about thirty years, the weather had worn it down. The class of 1891 had the masthead cast in bronze. Students, during exam periods, try to toss pennies on the quiver to get good grades.

Tamanend

A random gazebo on the grounds

A star attraction at the Academy is the Naval Academy Chapel. It was originally completed in 1908. In 1940, additions were made that doubled the seating capacity to 2500. It is an impressive structure inside and out.

Naval Academy Chapel

Nave

One pew is set aside with a candle and flowers for those who died while serving our country.

Memorial

The chapel is non-denominational, with regular services for Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and Muslims. The stained glass is impressive.

Main altar

Great glass

More of the glass

The back balcony has the organ along with a ship hung from the ceiling. The tour guide said that it is a tradition in naval chapels to have a boat hanging in the back for good luck.

Back of the chapel

The crypt of the chapel has the tomb of John Paul Jones, the most famous American naval commander during the American War of Independence. He is called "the father of the American Navy."  

Tomb of John Paul Jones

Bust of Jones

Another view of the chapel

Our tour ended with the chapel, though we walked back to the visitor center (obviously to drop us off at the gift shop!). We passed Lejeune Hall again and I took a quick picture of the Lieutenant General John Lejeune.

Last memorial