(#18) The USS Midway

Hi All,
Today was an interesting and educational experience! I learned more about Aircraft Carriers today than in my entire 49 years previously. Of course I've never been on one before either. Today I went to the Aircraft Carrier "Midway Magic" museum in San Diego, Ca. I was given a tour by a retired Navy Lt.Cmdr Steven Griger, who served 9 years (of 28 years in) on various different Aircraft Carriers and some of the time people would take off their headphones and follow us around and listen to his tour. He was very informative and I'm grateful to have a friend like him who served our country with such dedication and honor. Thank you Steve!
The USS Midway is permanently anchored in San Diego, cemented in place. The Museum has been active for 2 years and they have a Audio Tour with 35 stations that tell about the ship. There's a whole new vocabulary that goes along with Aircraft carriers too. A "Berthing Space" has nothing to do with maternitiy, "SINS" are computers not something you're sorry for, a "Phathometer" (sp?)tells you how far you are from the oceans bottom, "Quarters" are not small change, but a living space and a "Forecastle" I have no idea what that is, but it is pronounced Folk-Sal. They have "Charts" and not maps and "Hangars" are for planes and not Clothes.
There are lots of different aircraft on board from different periods in history. They have an A-4 Skyhawk, T-2 Buckeye, F-14 Tomcat, F9F Panther, to name a few and quite a few different types of Helicopters also. There are models of different Aircraft carriers and the history of the Aircraft carriers. Carriers are about 8 stories high. Lots to see, and to really see it all it will probably take about 5 hours.
It was very interesting to see how they eat, sleep, shower, etc. within such tight quarters. It's a huge ship, but there is so much crammed on it that the spaces are all limited. I got to sit in the Captains chair on the Bridge (the tour guide was a little irritated with me when I kept saying "Captains Log" in my best Capt. Kirk voice) was the hightlight of the tour. If you are afraid of heights or tight spaces I don't recommend the tour. Going up and down the "stairs" (that are more like ladders I think) was a little scary. Very vertical and very tight!
They have a great cafe there too! The best pastrami sandwich I've ever had, bar none! So there is something fun for everyone :)

Have a great week! Sue