Oklahoma City - DD-748 Memorial Service

At our reunion each year, we hold a Memorial Service to honor our newly departed shipmates. This year it was held at an outdoor park with a raised reflection pool that had small waves flowing across the pool every few minutes. At the end of the pool was an art structure under which the service was performed. Seated all around the pool were my dear friends and shipmates from the USS Harry E Hubbard, DD-748, listening to the service.

Oklahoma City - Artsy Stuff

After we left the American Banjo Museum, we went to the Bricktown Brewery for lunch. Not only was their home-brewed beer good, their
bison burger was to-die-for delicious!

After lunch, we went to the Red Earth Art Center that represents Oklahoma's Native American Heritage primarily through contemporary art. We saw some beautiful pieces there.

Our next stop was at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art that has a very large collection of Dale Chihuly glass sculptures including one that is 55 feet tall!

On another floor was a beautiful solid glass evening gown (not by Chihuly).

Oklahoma City - American Banjo Museum

Day 2 of my ship's reunion. Our first stop was at the American Banjo Museum in the Bricktown district. Wow, over 1,000 banjos on display from the mid 1800's to modern day banjos.

Some of the old banjo players.

The most historically significant banjo in this collection:

an 1845 Wm Boucher (the first commercial maker of banjos).

 The first of many display cases.

The banjo on the lower left side has the most detailed sides.

Then there are some beautifully inlaid backs.

Susan pretending to play a 1929 bass banjo.

  A triangular banjo?

A wood-topped banjo.

A steel-topped banjo.

A Dale Small Carousel banjo. Talk about detail!

 You've probably seen a Player-Piano. How about a Player-Banjo?

And, of course, there were lots of banjo ukes (banjoleles) on display.

There was also the Hall of Fame for banjo players.

 Pete Seeger had an interesting statement on his banjos:

"This Machine Surrounds Hate and Forces it to Surrender"

Earl Scruggs' banjos and Hall of Fame trophy.

A large display of Roy Clark's stuff.

Another banjo being restored for the museum.