The Herndon Climb
A History of the United States Naval Academy’s Greatest Tradition
James R. McNeal and Scott Tomasheski
Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, Maryland, 2020, 228 pages (Kindle edition)
Book Review published on: June 23, 2023
For those not familiar with the Herndon Monument Climb, it is a tradition at the end of the plebe (or freshman) year at the Naval Academy. Plebes literally build a human pyramid to remove the “dixie cup” hat on top of an obelisk affectionally known as Commander Herndon’s Monument. To make the challenge more difficult, vegetable shortening is placed all over the monument. Once the original hat is removed, the plebes must replace it with an upperclassman’s hat. The monument is twenty-one feet tall, and if one views pictures or videos from the event, it is obvious that this challenge is no easy feat. The philosophy behind this task is that it culminates the teamwork they have learned during their first year at the academy, requiring grit and perseverance together.
The Herndon Climb is a meaningful tradition in Naval Academy culture. Scaling the greased, twenty-one-foot-tall Herndon Monument collectively marks the major turning point in the lives of all midshipmen. Once the task is complete, they are immediately relieved of their low status. The Herndon Climb: A History of the United States Naval Academy’s Greatest Tradition is a culmination of interviews with over fifty subjects. These subjects have collectively participated in climbs over the past six decades and share their memories as well as what the climb meant to them based on their individual reflections. There is quite a bit of information shared on the 2018 and 2019 climbs. Coauthor Rear Adm. (Ret.) James McNeal recalls what it was like for him and the pride he felt when participating in the climb as a plebe in 1983. This brings about a very real-life component to the book and there is no doubt regarding the camaraderie felt among the alumni who are united by this event.
The book also does a good job describing the career of Cmdr. William Lewis Herndon, for whom the monument is in honor. Herndon was a heroic U.S. Navy officer and explorer. He was known for leading a U.S. expedition to the Amazon in 1851 and was instrumental in capturing a report of the event that was later published in 1954. He became a legendary hero when he secured the rescue of 152 women and children onto another ship during a hurricane off the coast of North Carolina. When traveling on a ship called the SS Central America, they lost power during a three-day hurricane and lost all control of the ship. Herndon chose to stay with the ship, passengers, and crew, ultimately drowning as the ship sank on 12 September 1857.
McNeal graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1986, bringing credibility to the book. He served for six years on active duty in the Supply Corps. His assignments included time on the USS Constellation and on the USS Merrill. He then transferred to the reserves and eventually retired in 2017. McNeal was mobilized as commander of Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group Forward in 2013 and as the commander of Defense Contingency Support-Kuwait in 2009. He was the deputy director of the Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center for Operations Noble Eagle, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. His decorations include two Legion of Merit awards, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and two Meritorious Service Medals, among other accolades.
The Herndon Climb is truly the first book to comprehensively capture the story of this traditional and historic event. It is a book that military and history buffs will enjoy. It is probably most appreciated by those with a military background, especially those that have completed some sort of service school that requires a great deal of comraderie to achieve successful completion. It is one of those motivating, feel good stories. It does a great job of keeping the reader’s attention through combining the author’s personal experiences, the history of the monument, as well as the tradition itself, and interviews from many others who have experienced the climb. The Herndon Climb is well worth the read.
Book Review written by: Rodney S. Morris, EdD, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas