On Jan 31st, we boarded the USS Midway, picked up the self-guided audio tour to help us explore this floating city at sea. We went below to see the engine room, the ship’s jail and the crew’s sleeping quarters. Bob had to bend down to walk through the hallways, sailors must all be pretty short. Then we went up on deck to see some of the 29 restored aircraft, and on up to the bridge, with great views of San Diego Bay and the Ronald Reagan across the bay. It is the newest nuclear powered aircraft carrier in the fleet. Then back down below to see the massive galley, the laundry room, post office and the Captain’s quarters. The Midway class carried a crew of 4,500 and up to 80 aircraft. The Midway sailed in every ocean of the world, covering more miles than anyone can count. The ship operated longer, survived more modernization projects and was forward deployed longer than any other aircraft carrier. The USS Midway Museun is dedicated to preserving and honoring the 200,00 young men who served aboard the USS Midway. After leaving the Midway we walked around the Maritime Museum where we saw The Star of India as well as the replica sailing ship used in the movie Masters and Commanders.
USS Midway (CVB/CVA/CV-41) was commissioned a week after the end of World War II. The Midway was the largest ship in the world until 1955, as well as the first U.S. warship too big to transit the Panama Canal. A revolutionary hull design, based on the planned Montana-class battleship, gave her better maneuverability than previous carriers. She served for an unprecedented 47 years, saw action in the Vietnam War, and was the Persian Gulf flagship in 1991’s Operation Desert Storm. Decommissioned in 1992, she is now a museum ship at the USS Midway Museum, in San Diego, California, since 2004.