The Herndon Climb: A History of the United States Naval Academy's Greatest Tradition

The Herndon Climb is an important and meaningful ritual in Naval Academy culture. Scaling the heavily greased, 21-foot tall Herndon Monument as a group at the very end of the year for plebes, or freshmen, the Climb marks a major turning point in the lives of all Midshipmen, who are relieved of their low status at the moment they complete the task. The book is culled from interviews with more than fifty subjects, including participants in Climbs over the past six decades, with personal observations from the 2019 and 2018 events. Co-author James McNeal recalls the joyful pride of participating in the Climb as a plebe in 1983, and his experience helps bring vivid detail to the memories and reflections of his fellow Midshipmen.

The book also includes a discussion of the career of William Lewis Herndon, whose heroic sacrifice at sea inspired the monument, and also traces the history and development of the modern Climb to its roots in the earliest plebe celebrations.

Author: James R. McNeal, Scott Tomasheski
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
Published: 08/05/2020
Pages: 248
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 7.90h x 4.90w x 0.70d
ISBN13: 9781682474389
ISBN10: 1682474380
BISAC Categories:
- History | Military | Naval
- Technology & Engineering | Military Science

About the Author
Rear Adm. James R. McNeal, SC, USN (Ret.) was born in Hawaii and raised in Southern California. The son of a 1962 USNA grad, he graduated from the Naval Academy in 1986. After six years on Active Duty in the Supply Corps, he transitioned into the Reserve component, retiring in 2017.

Scott Tomasheski is a Los Angeles-based novelist and writer, author of three books in the TIME DEFENDERS series.