Naval Academy plebes end their first year with daunting traditional climb of Herndon Monument

FILE – A freshman midshipman takes cover at the Herndon Monument during the Herndon Monument Climb at the U.S. Naval Academy, May 22, 2021, in Annapolis, Maryland. First-year students at the U.S. Naval Academy will take part in an annual ritual Wednesday May 15, 2024, that marks the end of their plebe year, the Herndon Monument Climb. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)