USS Midway

I knew I would love being back aboard a ship which was the sister ship to the ship that had been home for two years. USS Midway was the class ship and my ship, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt was the second of the class. The FDR was scrapped years ago. So this was as close as I would ever get to a "homecoming!" So we got to the ship just after it opened at 10 Am and stayed until it closed at 5 PM.


Of course, an aircraft carrier is about airplanes! They had one of all the aircraft we carried in the early 60's, including the "Whale." The A-3D (later the A-3B) was a Douglas airplane that had two distinctive features - 1) it was the largest aircraft that flew from the decks of an aircraft carrier and 2) it had no ejection seats! It's size made it difficult to land on a pitching deck and the lack of ejection seats costs many lives. As a result, the dark "joke" was that A-3D meant "All three dead." It's official name was Skywarrior, but throughout the fleet, it was the Whale. We carried a squadron of Whales - Heavy 11. When we were in the Med during the Cuban missile crisis, they loaded up three of our heavies with nuclear bombs for a one way mission into the Soviet Union!


The island structure was where I spent a lot of time, since that is where the radar antennas are! We visited the Island first since we were warned that the lines form early. We visited Primary Flight Control (PRIFLY) and, the bridge, Captain's at sea cabin, and flight deck control.


The museum presents a great combination of displays and information. This F-4 Phantom II is spotted where it would have ended up had it "trapped" on the number 2 wire. A docent gave a great ten minute talk on bringing an aircraft aboard the ship.


They had aircraft open for visitors to sit in.


This shot gives an idea how big a carrier is. The island structure is about half way back in the flight deck. While the deck is huge, pilots will tell you it is tiny until you get really close, then it gets huge really quickly and you realize that if you screw up, you die!


This E-2 cockpit is in the hangar deck and is also open to sit in - and of course photo ops!


During our below decks tour, Bob was able to locate the hatch that led to the berthing compartment that was where his division berthed (B319L). It was locked up, but it was satisfying to have that touch with the past. Bob also did not remember the overheads being so low - but did recall that he hit his head quite a lot while walking below decks!