DD-748 Reunion - Day 3

We began our third day of the Hubbard reunion by visiting the USS Midway, CV-41, a famous aircraft carrier that was launched and commissioned back in 1945 and served until it was decommissioned in 1992. We then took a boat tour of San Diego Bay that took us all the way from the mouth of the bay at the Pacific Ocean then under the Coronado Bridge where we saw the US Naval Base and shipyards where I remember the Hubbard spending time in 1960 to get its mast updated. A very appropriate day for a bunch of sailors.

My iPhone GPS shows where the Midway is on display.

Walking up the gangplank.

And we enter the deck below the main deck where there were many airplanes on display.

There were large walls with details about the Midway.

We arrive on the main deck where even more airplanes were on display.

An A-7 Corsair hooked up for takeoff.

The bridge with a life-sized display on the deck showing the different colors of clothing worn by the crew that defined their duty during takeoffs and landings.

We begin our climb up to the bridge.

The view of the main deck from the bridge.

One of the radar stations.

The electronics room.

Back on the main deck, here is a view of the bridge from up forward.

Up on the bow as far forward as you can get.

We then depart the Midway and head back to the bus.

A statue of the famous kissing sailor at the park across the water from the Midway.

We then boarded a boat for our harbor tour.

We cruised by Point Loma.

There were two floating docks off of Point Loma. One populated by seals.

And the other dock was populated by cormorants.

The view of San Diego from the entrance of San Diego Bay.

Our next destination was the Coronado Bridge.

The Naval shipyards begin near the bridge.

The Coronado Bridge from below.

One of many dry docks here. When a ship needs service, the dry dock sinks, the ship enters and the dry dock rises.

Here is a modern trimaran destroyer in a dry dock.

We passed by the USS Midway as we returned.

That was one big ship.

DD-748 Reunion - Day 2

On day 2 of the Hubbard reunion our group went by bus to La Jolla, CA. Our first stop was at the Mt Soledad National Veterans Memorial where we held our annual memorial service for our departed shipmates. Then we visited the Stephen Birch Aquarium.

The entry sign.

The memorial monument was undergoing restoration.

 The views from the memorial were breathtaking.

 The monument is surrounded by many rows of circular walls with thousands of black marble plaques honoring our veterans.

Both sides of the walls had plaques.

 Some of the more notable plaques were for General Patton,

Jimmy Stewart,

 Bob Hope

and Dwight Eisenhower.

 The DD-748 reunion group gathers for our memorial service.

 The traditional wreath honoring our departed shipmates is carried down to the flagpole.

 And gently placed as Taps is played.

The DD-748 wreath.

Could there be a better place for our wreath?

Our next stop was at the Stephen Birch Aquarium.

 Lots of coral reef displays,

 fish,

 exotic sea horses,

turtles,

 and baby gators.

 We then stepped outside to enjoy the views.

 Purdy!

 Susan and I pose with our Navy friends Otto and Charlene Brock.

 I never knew that a Manta Ray could jump that high!

Nice jumping Whale and Porpoise art in front of the aquarium.

 We then stopped at Tom Ham's Lighthouse restaurant for a catered lunch.

We then stepped outside to enjoy the view. . .

. . . of San Diego.

A land-locked model of a Navy ship that is used to train sailors.