My day on the Midway Aircraft Carrier museum.

John Baker

John Baker

Final Approach
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John Baker
I've been taking a few days off from work, just to see what it's like waking up and having nothing to do. I flew up to Hemmet and visited my brother in Idylwild. I flew up to Bracket Field in Los Angeles just to have one of their great breakfasts.

Today I decided to visit the Aircraft Carrier Midway in San Diego harbor, never been on a navy ship in my life. I had several bonuses, I got the veterans discount, it was only ten dollars. Then The Ronald Reagan was coming into port after a long deployment. The best part was I was given a private tour of the bridge by a retired navy lieutenant, who also so served as watch commander on another aircraft carrier. He gave me the whole thing, from navigating, helmsmanship, communications, flight boss deck, everything. It was a great day.


I took some pictures with my very cheap cell phone, so they are not all that great. I guess I shook a little on the hanger deck, that was the worst one.

John
 

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John Baker said:
I've been taking a few days off from work, just to see what it's like waking up and having nothing to do. I flew up to Hemmet and visited my brother in Idylwild. I flew up to Bracket Field in Los Angeles just to have one of their great breakfasts.

Today I decided to visit the Aircraft Carrier Midway in San Diego harbor, never been on a navy ship in my life. I had several bonuses, I got the veterans discount, it was only ten dollars. Then The Ronald Reagan was coming into port after a long deployment. The best part was I was given a private tour of the bridge by a retired navy lieutenant, who also so served as watch commander on another aircraft carrier. He gave me the whole thing, from navigating, helmsmanship, communications, flight boss deck, everything. It was a great day.


I took some pictures with my very cheap cell phone, so they are not all that great. I guess I shook a little on the hanger deck, that was the worst one.

John
Click to expand...

John a story to go with the midway CVA 41.

My cousin was a AT, and spent his entire 22 year career in Albany Ga in heavies.

He was due to go to sea duty for the last time, his detailer found out he had never been aboard any ship in 17 years.

Guess where he got sent when it was assigned as the forward deployed carrier in Japan.
 
Got to go on board When I was taking care of my in-laws. Very, very cool. Best part of the trip.
 
Almost lost my son on the Midway.

He was 2 years old and wandered 1 compartment away. Yelling doesn't help find people on an aircraft carrier. The whole ordeal lasted about 15 seconds.
 
Tom-D said:
John a story to go with the midway CVA 41.

My cousin was a AT, and spent his entire 22 year career in Albany Ga in heavies.

He was due to go to sea duty for the last time, his detailer found out he had never been aboard any ship in 17 years.

Guess where he got sent when it was assigned as the forward deployed carrier in Japan.
Click to expand...
What Navy base is in Albany, GA? That is a pretty land locked area.
 
ScottM said:
What Navy base is in Albany, GA? That is a pretty land locked area.
Click to expand...

NAS Fallon NV, NAS China Lake, NAS Lemore Ca, NAS El Centro Ca.

and your point was ?
 
Tom-D said:
NAS Fallon NV, NAS China Lake, NAS Lemore Ca, NAS El Centro Ca.

and your point was ?
Click to expand...
My point was what base in in Albany, GA. Typically Navy bases are closer to water or are air bases by a training area. You answered with bases in Nevada and California. I had never heard of a base there before and I have spent a little time in that area. I thought it was a simple question. Apparently it isn't.
 
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ScottM said:
My point was what base in in Albany, GA. Typically Navy bases are closer to water or are air bases by a training area. You answered with bases in Nevada and California. I had never heard of a base there before and I have spent a little time in that area. I thought it was a simple question. Apparently it isn't.
Click to expand...
Turner Field - Albany Naval Air Station
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turner_Air_Force_Base

Back to Midway ... I did the tour last year and really enjoyed it. A good friend of mine and best man at my wedding was a pilot with VAW-115 when they and the Midway were based in Japan.
 
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ScottM said:
My point was what base in in Albany, GA. Typically Navy bases are closer to water or are air bases by a training area. You answered with bases in Nevada and California. I had never heard of a base there before and I have spent a little time in that area. I thought it was a simple question. Apparently it isn't.
Click to expand...

C'mon. We have Coasties deployed here in Colorado.

United States Coast Guard Cryptologic Unit - Colorado
http://www.buckley.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4455
 
ScottM said:
My point was what base in in Albany, GA. Typically Navy bases are closer to water or are air bases by a training area. You answered with bases in Nevada and California. I had never heard of a base there before and I have spent a little time in that area. I thought it was a simple question. Apparently it isn't.
Click to expand...
You'd be suprised where we have bases.

Then there are places like Tinker AFB where we keep the E-6 TACAMOs....the Navy guys that wind up assinged to those could easily spend most of their naval career in the fine state of Oklahoma.

But to answer your question, NAS Albany is no longer a Naval Air Station....it is now Turner AFB (Navy gave it up in 1976)
 
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gkainz said:
Turner Field - Albany Naval Air Station
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turner_Air_Force_Base
Click to expand...

Fearless Tower said:
But to answer your question, NAS Albany is no longer a Naval Air Station....it is now Turner AFB (Navy gave it up in 1976)
Click to expand...
Thanks for taking the time to answer a question that apparently was too hard for Tom.

I see now why I had not heard of it before, it closed long before I was there. It has an interesting history. I like hearing about these closed bases. Some really fascinating stuff. I live close to a couple of closed Army bases that housed Nike missles in the 50's and 60's. Up until a few years ago there were still remnants. But post 9/11, for some reason, all structures were finally tore down.
 
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One of the largest Naval Air Stations was in Ottumwa, Iowa -- as far from any ocean as you can get. (Which was, of course, the point. It was invulnerable from air attack.)

Incidentally, because they were unable to obtain enough wood, most of the base was built of brick. Because of this historical fluke, much of the base is still there, 66 years after the Navy walked away from it. It's very spooky and cool to explore.

We have the USS Lexington floating museum near us. I have toured it 6 times in the 20 months we have lived here. It is THAT cool.
 
Fearless Tower said:
You'd be suprised where we have bases.

Then there are places like Tinker AFB where we keep the E-6 TACAMOs....the Navy guys that wind up assinged to those could easily spend most of their naval career in the fine state of Oklahoma.

But to answer your question, NAS Albany is no longer a Naval Air Station....it is now Turner AFB (Navy gave it up in 1976)
Click to expand...

And how does this piece of three creep apply to my Cuz being there in the 60s?
 
ScottM said:
My point was what base in in Albany, GA. Typically Navy bases are closer to water or are air bases by a training area. You answered with bases in Nevada and California. I had never heard of a base there before and I have spent a little time in that area. I thought it was a simple question. Apparently it isn't.
Click to expand...
Nope and not pertanent to the thread. and the bases I mentioned are to point out that the navy typically has bases all over the US. as has been pointed out by several others.
 
ScottM said:
That does no surprise me at all. USCG has responsibility for all federal waterways. Lots of inland federal waterways. Lots of inland coasties too.
Click to expand...
I didn't think there were any waterways at all in Colorado, let alone inland coastlines. :rofl:

For someone who grew up near water I have never thought Colorado had any rivers larger than what I would call a creek...
 
Tom-D said:
And how does this piece of three creep apply to my Cuz being there in the 60s?
Click to expand...
What I want to know is how your cuz made it 17 years at Albany without going to sea. According to Wiki, it was a big base for RA-5Cs and A-3s which were carrier based.

And when are you going to answer my question in the trim tab thread about rigging on a ragwing???
 
In keeping with the spirit of this thread about my trip aboard The Midway Museum, There is actually a Navy Base in the middle of Ft. Campbell, KY. It is a top security base called Clarksville Base and is guarded by cleared space, electric fences, and of course, a detachment of Marines. At least it was there when I was stationed there in the early 1960s. It was also a no fly zone, even for Army aircraft.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/clarksville.htm

John
 
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