Midway Memorial Day

Charlie with helicopter pilot Chuck Smiley. Blades and tail folded on helo behind.

Sunday, May 27
Okay, technically we didn’t choose either Monday, the 28th or the 31^st to celebrate this day. But why should there be only two choices for remembering our wars and warriors? It was sunny, a lovely morning, luring us out before the crowds got bad. Dodging our way through the Portuguese community’s Espritu Santo parade, we drove to free street parking downtown and biked to the Midway, the giant aircraft carrier that dominates the Embarcadero on San Diego’s waterfront.

Great day for sailing in old boats too. View from hangar level.

For seniors the admission was $15, as it turned out a great bargain for an entire day’s entertainment.

When you enter the ship, on the hangar level, you’re handed one of those audio tours. The narrators, in many cases servicemen who lived on the Midway and flew planes and helicopters from its decks, relate specific experiences of their tours of duty. In addition to this audio presence we were surprised to see tables manned by various interest groups including active members of the Navy from mechanics to representatives of the “green” office downtown. They were available to explain their various jobs and projects. We later learned that these volunteers only make an appearance once a year! I talked with the environmental officer a bit about handling of waste products from ships and her department’s restoration efforts on Coronado Island.

A real chip log with lead weights imbedded and knots in
twine visible on spool. The old timer is a nice touch.

Meanwhile Charlie toured the engine room and then, going to the café on the fantail for a sandwich, he encountered several retired volunteers who included him in their conversation. One was Chuck Smiley, a helicopter pilot who had been a leader in getting the city to allow the Midway to become a permanent fixture of the harbor. It took almost ten years to get all the necessary permits and bonds. Chuck was so committed that at one point he signed over his house as collateral! With attendance far exceeding estimates, the Midway is now pulling her weight in ticket sales. None of the original sponsors had to lose a home or even a shirt.

View of the flight deck from the Island with Chuck's Sea King at right.

 Later, on the flight deck, we visited Chuck’s helicopter. He told us about his training for the Apollo 10  splashdown and the dramatic Apollo 13 recovery mission in the Pacific. He showed us his notebook full of newspaper clippings and documents. His narration was also included on the audio tour. We talked with a few other pilots and took tours of both the bridge and the air traffic tower housed in the carrier’s “island”. Every half hour the time in bells rang out on loud speakers and an announcement would sound, for example sending all sailors out on liberty except those on restriction! 8 bells in the afternoon found us sitting on the rough grey deck awaiting a stroke of the baton for the first piece of the Southwest Navy Band, all wind instruments and percussion, playing a concert of symphonic and patriotic compositions. It was a thrill to witness these young professional musicians in their whites playing for the enthusiastic Sunday crowd. Charlie, longing for a Sousa march, was pleased that their encore was The Stars and Stripes Forever, with the piccolo player standing up in front to play her solo!

What a view of this famous huge scale kiss in the park next to the Midway!