Andersonville and beyond

Friday and Saturday were spend touring.  Sunday meant church, laundry and washing of the truck.

Andersonville, GA

I  remember from Civil War history that Andersonville, GA was a prisoner of war camp for captured Union soldiers.   I did not know that it was only in existence 14 months.  If fact, it opened after the south had, in effect, lost the war following the battle at Gettysburg.  

Andersonville not only tells the story of its own history but is a tribute to all American Prisoners of War.  In 1998 the National Prisoner of War Museum opened at Andersonville dedicated to the men and women of this country who suffered captivity.   We started by watching a 30 minute movie narrated by Colin Powell with personal memories of POW's from WWII, Korean conflict, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf wars.  From there we took a walking tour of the grounds led by a National Park Service guide.


The cemetery.   Note how close the headstones are.  This is because the bodies were buried without caskets in a long ditch, side by side.    After the war, Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross came to Andersonville and with the assistance of a former prisoner, identified all but less than 500 of the dead. As this is a National Cemetery, there are still interments but in a different section from the Civil War dead.  They average of two burials a day.  As we drove through the cemetery there was a burial in process on so we did not stop to walk around.

This is an escape tunnel.  The tree has grown up around it.  Most escapees were recaptured.

Approximately 45,000 prisoners passed through Andersonville.    It held 33,000 men at a time and averaged 100 deaths a day.  This is a replica of the stockade fence that surrounded the compound.  The logs were square cut and rose 15 feet above ground and 5 feet below the ground.   Between the wooden fence and the stockade was the deadline.  Should any part of a persons body cross into that zone they were immediately shot and killed.

Americus,  GA

Habitat for Humanity was started in Americus, Ga in 1976 by a young couple who saw a need and wanted to make a difference.   Many people mistakenly believe it was started by Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn.   They did not become volunteers until sometime in the mid 80's.  At this site is the administration offices, a welcome center and examples of homes being built by Habitat volunteers around the world.  First on the self-guided tour is an example of housing of some of our poorest in this country.

This is an example of a South African house built by Habitat.    Each house in this complex has signage indicating the materials used and method of building.  There are currently 17 sample houses.

Plains, Ga

We drove through Plains.  This was the only thing of interest to us.  A peanut wagon.

Warner Robins,  Ga.

On Saturday we drove about 50 miles north to the town of Warner Robins home of the Robins Air Force Base.  

This is a HUGE complex.   We were there for more than 4 hours.  Not only are there many planes, but there are displays and artifacts telling the story of WWII and all subsequent wars.

This is the inside of a C10 used to drop parachuters and cargo.  This plane will fly inches from the ground while unloading trucks from its rear hatch.

This plane has a cruising speed of 2,000 mph with a flying distance of 3,000 miles.  Sure would be a quick trip of only an hour and a half!  They were getting set up for some type of affair later in the day to be held in this hanger.

This is the helicopter that flew Bobby Kennedy from the Pentagon on November 22, 1963 to Dulles Airport for the arrival of his brother's body as it was returned from Dallas.

Vienna, GA

The Joy Sunday School Class at Vienna church invited us to join them for dinner on Saturday night held in the dining room of the campground.   Then as is our practice, the group goes out to lunch each Sunday after church.  There are few places in the area to dine.   We were told by several people that many folks eat in the hospital cafeteria on Sundays in nearby Cordele.   So when in Rome ......   the hospital cafeteria it was.   Not at all bad.    This sure was a first!