Newly commissioned Navy officers celebrate by throwing their Midshipmen covers into the air as part of the Naval Academy class of 2005 graduation and commissioning ceremony in Annapolis, Md., on May 27, 2005. The hat toss originated at the Naval Academy in 1912 and has become a symbolic and visual end to the four-year program. President George W. Bush delivered the commencement address and personally greeted each of the 976 graduates during the ceremony. The men and women of the graduating class were sworn into the Navy as ensigns or into the Marine Corps as 2nd lieutenants.

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Photo credit: © Vital Archive / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: archive, armed, defence, forces, military, reportage, servicemen, usa