I reported on board the USS Los Angeles in 1996, about a year after a young sailor committed suicide following a hazing incident. This is my understanding what happened, although it is all second hand information and may not be entirely accurate.
The sailor had just received his dolphins and the ritual of "tacking on dolphins" went way too far, and when the command found out about it, they started an investigation. The crew was confined to the submarine until the command found out who was responsible. Naturally, everyone that was not involved put a lot of pressure on the kid to tell the investigators who had been involved, because they didn't want to be locked on the boat. The guys that were involved were pressuring him to keep his mouth shut.
The sailor was under a lot of pressure from both sides. He was then assigned a midwatch as the Petty Officer of the Deck and was left topside alone with a gun and bullets. Apparently, he felt it would be better to end his own life then to tell on the people that had assaulted him in the name of ritual and tradition.
As I said earlier, this happened about a year before I reported on board. When I arrived, there was an incredible level of sensitivity to anything that could be construed as hazing. Even the lightest tap on someones new crow or dolphins was strictly forbidden. I have heard of other hazing incidents, and some of them have really turned my stomach.
I just read an article about a Japanese submarine sailor that was dropping out of an elite navy training program in Japan, and in the name of tradition, had to engage in a 15 round kickboxing fight with his classmates.
The sailor had just received his dolphins and the ritual of "tacking on dolphins" went way too far, and when the command found out about it, they started an investigation. The crew was confined to the submarine until the command found out who was responsible. Naturally, everyone that was not involved put a lot of pressure on the kid to tell the investigators who had been involved, because they didn't want to be locked on the boat. The guys that were involved were pressuring him to keep his mouth shut.
The sailor was under a lot of pressure from both sides. He was then assigned a midwatch as the Petty Officer of the Deck and was left topside alone with a gun and bullets. Apparently, he felt it would be better to end his own life then to tell on the people that had assaulted him in the name of ritual and tradition.
As I said earlier, this happened about a year before I reported on board. When I arrived, there was an incredible level of sensitivity to anything that could be construed as hazing. Even the lightest tap on someones new crow or dolphins was strictly forbidden. I have heard of other hazing incidents, and some of them have really turned my stomach.
I just read an article about a Japanese submarine sailor that was dropping out of an elite navy training program in Japan, and in the name of tradition, had to engage in a 15 round kickboxing fight with his classmates.
"The 25-year-old petty officer died of internal injuries on Sept. 25, nearly two weeks after being knocked unconscious in the 15-round kick boxing-style fight, the ministry said in an interim report from the investigation."
Story from the Washington Times
The supervisors even signed off on this before it happened. I noticed in the report that the Japanese Navy did not even classify this as hazing, just a ritual that went too far. Well, they can call it what they want, I guess, but it doesn't change the fact that a young sailor died at the hands of his fellow sailors, and that their naval officials have to explain to the parents why this happened.
1 comment:
On my sub, a young sailor could go to the Horse and Cow after qualifying. He could find some people there that would help him drink his dolphins or tack them on if he wanted. It was entirely optional.
The right of passage was the process of qualification and adapting to life in the submarine community. Not everyone was able to do it.
Some other subs were probably different.
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