2012 Naval Academy Herndon Monument Climb

Annapolis Naval Academy freshmen make a human wall to climb the Herndon Monument which is covered with lard, on May 22, 2012 in Annapolis, Maryland.

Each year the freshman class, known as 'Plebes,' climb the monument at the Naval Academy to retrieve the Plebian Sailor's hat and replace it with an officer's hat.

The tradition is one step in marking the end of wearing freshman headgear and moving up to headgear more like a U.S. Naval officer.

The Naval Academy's Class of 2015 succeeded in replacing the plebe hat with a midshipman's hat on the pinnacle of the 21-foot greased Herndon monument in 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 13 seconds.Midshipman 4th Class Andrew Craig, 19, of Tulsa, Okla., places the upperclassman's hat on top of the Monument.