As kids we knew that when my Dad was younger, he had served in the United States Navy. On bookshelves in our basement, we would look at pictures of the USS Midway aircraft carrier in what appeared to be a yearbook, but we never asked any questions and Dad never talked in detail about his days in the Navy. Last summer when my family was visiting Idaho, I noticed that old yearbook in my Dad's office. I asked him to tell me some details about his service. Dad told me that he had served on the USS Midway aircraft carrier when he first joined the Navy at 18 years old. In 1958-59, he completed a tour of the Pacific ocean that took him to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, Okinawa, and the Philippines. After the tour, he was assigned to study Nuclear Engineering in a program located near a number of nuclear reactors in the desert west of Idaho Falls, Idaho. It was during this time that my Dad met my Mom one night in Idaho Falls and a romance was begun. After graduating from this program and marrying my mother, he was moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and assigned to serve on the first nuclear powered naval ship....it was a destroyer named the USS Long Beach. He served another long tour on the USS Long Beach in the Atlantic Ocean where he visited a number of ports in Europe. My dad mentioned that this was very unusual to be assigned two different ships and to complete two tours on opposite sides of the world. My Dad also mentioned that while waiting to begin the tour on the USS Long Beach, he was assigned to assist with the building of the USS Bainbridge. This ship was featured in the recent movie: Captain Phillips. After our conversation, I asked my dad if he had any desire to visit the USS Midway which was now a museum floating in the San Diego harbor. When he said "yes", I began putting a plan in motion to bring him to San Diego the next summer....so on June 24, 2014, I flew my Mom and Dad down to San Diego and spent a wonderful day walking the decks and halls of a naval ship that my Dad served on 55 years ago. I apologize for the detailed information and numerous pictures, but this was a very special moment for me learning about parts of my dad's life that I never knew before.
The main mast (island) of the USS Midway. The emblems on the sides represents awards the ship earned and enemy planes shot down during times of war (Vietnam/Korea).
Each naval ship is assigned a number which identifies the ship.
Kelley and Aubrey are excited to get onto the ship.
We were given headphones to do a self-guided tour, but after a while we put them down and just listened to Dad talk. In fact, other people followed us around just to hear Dad talk about life on an aircraft carrier.
Walking once again the narrow hallways that Dad walked years ago. These hallways are located under the flight deck where the aircraft were catapulted off the carrier deck into the air. Dad said that when he was in these hallways and an aircraft took off, it was absolutely deafening. You could only communicate to others by yelling as loud as possible.
Bunk beds where my dad slept. The sailors with the highest rank were assigned the lowest bunk. Since my father was enlisted (lowest rank) he was given the top bunk. Now my Dad was a tall man, and it was difficult for him to get into the top bunk. He had to grab the pipes above his bunk and literally pull himself up to the top. The bunks were so short that he could never stretch out his legs and he hit his head on the pipes above all of the time. Dad also indicated that he literally slept only 4-5 hours a night because life on a carrier required constant work.
It was amazing to me that my father slept in a small area like this...look how many beds are crammed into this area!
The room where the anchor was stored. Dad told us that when the anchors dropped, the chains that Kelley is standing by would fly by at 40-50 mph and the sound was incredible. Sailors who were the youngest were assigned to work in the anchor room because it was so dangerous and loud. Dad said he was glad he never was assigned to be in this room.
Ian is sitting in the room where the pilots sat just before going on a flying mission. Dad never visited these rooms because pilots did not associate with the sailors and sailors were never allowed into these areas of the carrier.
The (brig) jail for disorderly sailors....Aubrey and Ian....really?
Dad and I posing next to a F4U-Corsair that was used when he was on the USS Midway. This plane also happens to be one of my favorite World War II aircraft. When Dad was on the USS Midway, many propeller -driven/World War II aircraft were being used, along with the newly developed jet aircraft.
Ian in a flight simulator.
Aubrey has no clue how to fly this aircraft????
On a plastic model of the USS Midway, Dad points out where his sleeping area was located. He was 3 decks down from the flight deck and located just above the fuel tanks for the aircraft. Dad admitted that if even an explosion caused by an accident or in a wartime situation had occurred in this area of the ship, he would have had no chance of surviving because he was above the jet fuel tanks. He also said that his sleeping area smelt strongly of jet fuel all of the time.
This moment had to be the highlight of the whole Midway experience. My dad had me push him to an exact spot on the carrier flight deck. When we reached the spot, my Dad called for Aubrey and Ian to come over to him. My Dad then pulls out of his pocket a picture of him that was taken in 1958 on the Midway. My children had never seen a picture of their Grandpa at this age and were so excited to see it. My Dad asked them to figure out where he was sitting on the main mast (island) when this picture was taken.....they actually figured it out. Aubrey snapped this picture that means so much to me.....it really was an amazing moment.
My Dad pointed out that his job on the carrier was to operate the set of lights that were used to assist in the landing of the aircraft. He pointed out that his "post" was located right behind this aircraft just below the flight deck. He also said that he was an engineer, so when he was not at his assigned post, he ran all over the ship fixing wires and electrical objects. When the ship was at port, he was often selected for MP (Military Police) duty because he was so tall and big. He would go round up disorderly sailors and bring them back to the ship.
An aircraft on the catapult being ready to be launched. This aircraft was in service during my Dad's time on the carrier.
Aubrey "messing around" with a figure of a sailor who made this motion when the aircraft were to be launched for take off. It appears that both of them are showing some amazing dance moves!!!
Ian and I standing on a piece of metal that hangs over the edge of the carrier. After the catapult system launched the aircraft, the system would continue down this piece of metal until the aircraft was clear of the carrier.
Since San Diego is a major naval base, just across the harbor from the Midway museum we noticed this massive carrier that was docked. It is called the USS Carl Vincent and is a "super carrier" currently being used by the US Navy. This carrier is twice as large as the USS Midway.
Everybody is hanging out on the flight deck watching the ships in the harbor.
Ian inside one of the helicopters on display.
More Ian playing pilot....I laugh how the cockpit dwarfs him.
The entire group poses in front of an F-4 Phantom. This plane came after Dad's service on the Midway.
Posing in front of an F-14 Tomcat.....I love this plane and it came many years after Dad's service was over.
Relaxing under the wing of a large bomber plane that was used during Dad's time. This plane was the only plane on the ship that could carry a nuclear weapon. Notice how long and wide the flight deck is....hard to believe that you were on a ship.
My dad wanted to buy this picture of us to remember the day....it truly was a memorable day for me and my family!!!
