Class of 2020's Herndon Monument Climb

The Class of 2020 triumphed in their final hurdle as Plebes. The climb took a total of 2 hours, 21 minutes and 21 seconds. MIDN Joe McGraw from Illinois was the one to finally reach the top.

The Herndon Monument Climb is the traditional culmination of plebe year at the Naval Academy. Demonstrating the teamwork and perseverance they have learned during their first year at the academy, the plebes build a human pyramid to remove the “dixie cup” hat at the top of the vegetable shortening-covered monument and replace it with an upperclassman’s hat. After successfully completing the Herndon climb, the freshmen are no longer called plebes but “fourth class midshipmen.”

The Herndon Monument is named for Commander William Lewis Herndon, 1813-1857, who possessed the qualities of discipline, teamwork and courage. In command of the SS Central America and home-bound with gold-seekers from California, the ship encountered a three-day hurricane off the coast of North Carolina. Herndon went down with his ship after a gallant effort to save it, its sailors and passengers. A monument was erected on the Yard in his honor shortly after his death.

On the day of the Herndon Climb plebes are required to remove their shoes prior to the starting the climb. Over the past 10 years, thousands of these athletic shoes have been donated by the plebe classes to various charities through the Midshipman Action Group.