When we said we would be staying near Corpus Christi, almost everybody we talked to recommended going to see the USS Lexington (CV-16), a WW2 aircraft carrier. We’ve been to the Yorktown (CV-10), also a WW2 carrier, in Charleston, SC several times, so we weren’t sure if we needed to go to another one. Looking at things to do in Corpus Christi on our first weekend here, though, a visit to the Lexington got very high ratings and it sounded like it might have more interactive displays than the Yorktown.
Since Friday was a foggy, drizzly day on the island, it was a good day to head over to the mainland . . . although it was just as foggy there!
The view of downtown Corpus Christi from the flight deck,
and the Texas State Aquarium, on the bay next to the Lexington.
The bayfront area of Corpus Christi was very nice – with some very beautiful, big homes overlooking the water, and a nice walkway along the waterfront. From downtown, we crossed that bridge, above, and arrived at the Lexington.
They have a shuttle from the street to the entrance to the carrier, with a few displays to look at while you wait. We arrived along with a group of Boy Scouts who were having a campout on the carrier that evening – that would be fun!
The shuttle dropped us off at the hangar deck entrance, which also happens to be the elevator that carries the planes from the hangar deck to the flight deck, and the shuttle driver directed us over to a sign explaining the presence of a Japanese flag on the Bridge of the carrier.
It marks the location where the ship received a direct hit from a suicide Kamikaze pilot during WW2, killing 49 Sailors and injuring 132.
We bought our tickets then, and entered the carrier. The tour is set up pretty much like the Yorktown, with the ship divided into 5 sections that you can tour in any order.
Each of the 5 individual tours began and ended on the hangar deck, which meant we climbed and descended LOTS of these narrow, steep ladders!
The ship also has a small IMAX theatre, where the movie “Aircraft Carrier” is shown every hour on the hour. We arrived about 20 minutes before the hour, so that gave us time to check out the hangar deck while we waited for the movie.
There were several planes on display,
including a photo op,
and the restored airplane that George H. W. Bush flew during WW2.
The IMAX movie highlighted the current US Navy super carriers, with operations onboard the USS Ronald Reagan during the RIMPAC exercises demonstrating the the incredible capabilities of these great ships. It was a very interesting movie, and cool to see . . . even if there were only very simple references to Nicolas’ job. Most of the movie focused on flight operations, with some cool footage of the huge number of ships involved in the exercise, with the Reagan in the lead.
After the movie, we followed the 1st tour route, which took us up to the flight deck,
and then to the Bridge.
We walked around the flight deck, looking at the vintage airplanes and fighter jets.
We liked the message on this one – “Don’t bother running, You’ll only die tired”.
Then it was time to checkout the guns on deck, with their very explicit directions . . .
It was a small space with just the 2 of us in there, but according to the sign on the wall, during normal operation, there would be 11 Sailors in that tiny area, and a bunch of equipment and supplies for loading the guns – Yikes!
Sailors must have been really small back then!
Good Warning – but I think they need a comma . . .
With our tour of the flight deck complete, we climbed up to the Bridge.
Don’t touch that!
I don’t know what this motor does, but I took a picture of it because it was made by Singer – you know, the sewing machine company!
Looking around on the ship, everything looks so ancient . . . I can’t wait to see Nicolas’ ship . . . I know it won’t look totally new (because his ship was commissioned in the 1970s), but I think it will look a lot newer than this one!
Kindof reminds me of some of the calibration equipment we used in cars when I first started at Ford (and that was the late 80s)!
Nicolas says they still have the old phones on the wall to communicate between departments!
Actual phones . . . not just the speaking tube!!
Tom looks right at home there in the Captain’s Chair!
Back down to the Hangar Deck, and we made our way to the Forcastle (Foc’sle). the area of the ship where the anchors are raised and lowered.
Everything is big on an Aircraft Carrier!
Even the anchor chain!
With its homeport in Pearl Harbor, the USS Lexington was actively involved in WW2 through the end of the war. It got its nickname, “The Blue Ghost” from the fact that it kept re-appearing everytime the Japanese claimed to have sunk it in the Pacific.
The Foc’sle was dedicated to Pearl Harbor, with a memorial listing the name of every Sailor lost in the bombing, and many pictures and props from the movie “Pearl Harbor”, much of which was filmed onboard the USS Lexington.
The other tours took us through the living quarters,
the Chapel,
and the galley.
Looks like a pretty decent Thanksgiving Dinner!
Funny that they offered cigars and cigarettes after dinner . . .
Then there were the working areas . . . the Machine Shop,
and the Engine Room.
Several of the mannequins in these displays had hologram projects onto them, so that it would appear that they are talking when the recording played. Cool . . . but also a little freaky!
Whew!
Up and down, back and forth, then up and down again . . . we spent about 4 hours touring the Lexington! It was a fun, but exhausting day!
We were glad we went – it was definitely worth it!
Tom did look comfortable in the Captain's Chair but a bit suspicious when playing with the Controls.
ReplyDeleteAlways nice learning about History though not always good living it. Let's hope History never repeats itself.
Be Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.