Commander Kelly: USS Midway

Monday, July 10, 2017

USS Midway

"Invading" the USS Midway
San Diego, CA

Last month marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Battle of Midway which turned the tide of war decisively against the Japanese in World War II (http://americanconservativeinlondon.blogspot.com/2017/06/midway-75.html).

US Naval Aviation WW2

The USS Midway (CV- 41) is an aircraft carrier that was commissioned in September 1945 -- immediately following the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay. She did not really serve in World War II but she did serve for forty-seven years until being decommissioned in 1992. The USS Midway saw action during the Vietnam War and during the Gulf War. Today she is a museum ship berthed in San Diego, CA where she attracts around 5,000 visitors per day (http://www.midway.org/).

Posing on board the Midway

On board the Midway visitors will learn about the mechanics of carrier take-offs and landings. An aircraft carrier is the most formidable weapon in the arsenal of the US Navy. The mission of an aircraft carrier is to project power ashore. During the Gulf War the USS Midway was the flagship of US naval forces in the theatre.

An aircraft carrier is a floating city with a total crew of around five thousand sailors and officers. A carrier was equipped with medical facilities, weight rooms and a complement of US Marines. Contrary to popular myth, carriers did not have a McDonalds on board ship!

USS Midway, San Diego, CA

The USS Midway, like US carriers today, went on many "Tiger cruises" that welcomed on board the immediate family members of serving navy personnel.

Explore our nation's history and proud military tradition with a visit to the USS Midway.