January 20 to February 14, 2014 NOMADS Project, Mercedes, MS

February 15 (Approximately) to June - Gate Guarding, TX or LA.

June, 2014 - Up to Alaska!

September - NOMADS Annual Meeting, Branson, MO



Tuesday, January 17, 2012

All Aboard!

Mobile, Al

Today Leonard and I, with our friend Judy, drove over to Mobile to tour the USS Alabama and USS Drum.

BATTLESHIP USS ALABAMA

Alabama was commissioned in August 1942 and earned 9 Battle Stars and shot down 22 enemy airplanes during WWII.   She is 680 ft long and a little over 108 ft wide.  In other words, it is HUGE.


Leonard dwarfed as he's walking the deck:


Dining area:

Sleeping quarters.  Comfy looking, right?


An early "computer station"


16" 800 pound shells:


SUBMARINE USS DRUM

After touring the Alabama, we toured the Drum.   It was commissioned in November 1941.  The sub is over 311 long and over 27 feet wide.   She earned 12 Battle stars during WWII.



These small doorways are a challenge to these stiff bones.   And there are lots of them.  Lots and lots of them.


Even dining area is tight quarters.


Hallways even tighter.

Sleeping quarters with the torpedoes.

8 comments:

Kenny And Angela's Adventure said...

Bet that was interesting to see. I was in the Army not much to see.

Paul and Marsha Weaver OCT. 17, 2009 said...

We loved that tour! Cannot believe how they can survive in those submarines!

MargieAnne said...

Good memories for John as he toured the Alabama in Feb. 2005


That wonderful trip is beginning to seem a long time ago.

Blessings

Donna K said...

I guess if you are tired enough those beds would be a welcome sight...otherwise I don't know how they slept in either place. We certainly owe our troops, past and present, a huge debt of gratitude. Thanks for the tour.

GoneRving said...

Interesting. We toured the Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego, while it is a lot bigger the crew quarters are also very austere. Nice pictures

Mike and Dee
gonerving.blogspot.com

Sam&Donna Weibel said...

Living aboard any Navy ship is always a tight situation, even the large aircraft carriers, with 3-4000 men.Everywhere you look is stored supplies and parts,Even up in the ceiling of the hanger deck. But those carriers are true mobile cities, with their own Navy Base and airport attached, I truly enjoyed my flying days in the Navy Have fun and be safe out there. Sam & Donna....

Rick said...

Thanks for an interesting tour - sure looks cramped on that Sub.s

Peggy n David said...

We really enjoyed the USS Alabama - but since we've toured three other subs from the same era, we skipped this one...thanks for the neat pictures!