History

In 1931, Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Theodore W. Metcalf found himself to be Acting Governor for several weeks. To please some of his friends, he appointed 20 to 25 "prominent Nebraskans" as Admirals; hence, the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska was born.



While the practice of awarding commissions to the more or less "prominent" has persisted, a requirement for some meaningful act or service to the state or community has become more and more necessary to obtain an Admiral certificate.

A curious mystery is related to the Admirals, that of appointment of women as "Yeomanettes" in 1934. No information is known concerning them except that a few of the "appointments" have surfaced. Perhaps they were the results of attempts to recognize the Admirals' spouses, or women themselves for their own significant contributions.





It is believed that several hundred thousand Admirals have been appointed. Many Nebraskans and visitors to our state have not heard of our navy; they have not heard of the waves of prairie schooners that at one time plied our plains under which lies our real wealth---Nebraska's under-ground sea.





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