Aloha to San Diego: USS Midway (part 1) - Hanger Deck

Last week, I traveled to San Diego for the Romance Writers of America (RWA) Annual Conference. I arrived a few days early to soak up the local sights, including the USS Midway.

From USSMidway.com,

Prepare yourself for a lifetime memory aboard San Diego's top attraction. You'll explore a floating city at sea and relive nearly 50 years of world history aboard the longest-serving Navy aircraft carrier of the 20th century. 

Exhibits range from the crew's sleeping quarters to a massive galley, engine room, the ship's jail, officer's country, post office, machine shops, and pilots' ready rooms, as well as primary flight control and the bridge high in the island over the flight deck. Especially popular are the museum docents you'll meet throughout the ship. Each is eager to share a personal story, an anecdote, or amazing statistic, adding to your amazement throughout your adventure.

The USS Midway is docked along the Navy Pier in San Diego's Embarcadero waterfront.

The USS Midway is the 41st carrier vehicle - CV 41.

According to Navy tradition, the ship's bell informs the crew of the time ... and when to change crew for watch.

John Paul Jones, father of the US Navy, invites tourists to join the adventure ...

Sign on and sail with me
Our will is to keep
the torch of freedom burning for all.

Heed my call
Come to the seas
Come sail with me.

I walked into the hanger deck that felt like a large warehouse ...a floating warehouse!

The aircraft is lovingly restored by volunteers.

I was curious about the VF-161.  From its website (link),

Fighter Squadron ONE SIX ONE, the Chargers, began their history during WWII flying in combat actions from the USS Lexington and USS Randolf. The Chargers participated in many pacific campaigns including the battles for Tarawa, Wake Island, the Gilbert Islands, Truk, and the famous Marianas "Turkey Shoot".

On 1 February 1971, the squadron was attached to CVW-5 and the USS Midway. In March 1971 the squadron returned to duty for its fifth combat deployment and flew 1168 combat sorties. The Chargers left for its sixth SEA deployment in April of 1972, again on the USS Midway. During combat operations the squadron downed five enemy MiG aircraft, flew 2322 sorties, and was on the line for 205 days. The squadron returned on 3 March 1973 to commence turnaround training.

Have you visited any military museum?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts wins a book choice from my convention stash. Comments are open through Saturday, July 23, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 24.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Next:  Crew Quarters .... 

Aloha to San Diego - America's Finest City

F/A-18 Hornet flying over San Diego
Public Domain (link)

I recently booked my flight to San Diego for the RWA Annual Conference (link).   I arrive four days before the conference to soak up the local sights:

Gaslamp District, from its website (link),

In an effort to establish a town on San Diego’s waterfront, San Franciscan William Heath Davis begins developing land near what is now the foot of Market Street. For his own family, Davis builds a pre-framed lumber “salt box” house, one of the first residences in town. The oldest surviving structure in San Diego’s New Town was actually built on the East Coast and shipped around Cape Horn. After an economic depression causes Davis’ venture to fail, his town becomes known as Rabbitville, for its principal inhabitants.

gaslamp.org

Coronado Island, from the Visitor's Center (link), 

Modern-day Coronado began in 1885 with the purchase of a one-time Spanish rancho that spanned Coronado, North Island and the Silver Strand. A small partnership led by Elisha Babcock and Hampton Story purchased all this for a mere $110,000. Their vision was to establish “the grandest hotel on the Pacific coast” set within a master-planned community featuring wide avenues, parklands, handsome public buildings, and attractive beachside residences.

Coronado Bay Bridge
Public Domain (link)

USS Midway, from Wikipedia (link)

USS Midway (CVB/CVA/CV-41) was an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, the lead ship of its class. Commissioned a week after the end of World War II, Midway was the largest ship in the world until 1955, as well as the first U.S. aircraft carrier too big to transit the Panama Canal. It operated for an unprecedented 47 years, during which time it saw action in the Vietnam War and served as the Persian Gulf flagship in 1991's Operation Desert Storm. Decommissioned in 1992, it is now amuseum ship at the USS Midway Museum, in San Diego.

Learn more about the USS Midway at midway.org.

Midway in 1963 after SCB-110
Public Domain (link)

Authors - if you want to join me for preconference sightseeing, please contact me at sos.aloha@yahoo.com.

Readers - can you recommend places to see or eat in San Diego?  Or do you want to visit San Diego, too?  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blog posts wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Saturday, February 27, 10 pm in Baltimore.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, February 28.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

A surfer at Black's Beach

Public Domain (link)