
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 31, 1990                   TAG: 9005310555
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A/1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ANNAPOLIS, MD.                                LENGTH: Short

`NAVEL' GRADS CONTEMPLATE DIPLOMAS

No, midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy have not been contemplating their bellybuttons for the past four years. But they may have thought so after receiving their degrees because of a mistake by a printing contractor.

"The Seal of the Navel Academy is hereunto affixed," read the diplomas handed out to 990 graduating midshipmen Wednesday.

Lt. Cmdr. Mark Van Dyke said the printer has agreed to reprint the diplomas and distribute them to graduates at no cost to the government.

"We're trying to look on the bright side," he said. "There are 990 of our graduates tonight with a very unique souvenir from the Naval Academy - and that's with an A."

by CNB