Grossmont High School NJROTC Ceremonial Color Guard waits for an important event to begin.
This morning I attended a moving ceremony. Americans who fought in World War II, members of The Greatest Generation, were honored in a special Veterans Wreath Ceremony on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum. It’s one of several events taking place on the USS Midway this Memorial Day weekend. San Diego’s popular aircraft carrier museum promises to be a very busy hub of activity.
I took a few photographs of the ceremony. It was short, but very meaningful.
People cross flight deck of USS Midway aircraft carrier museum to attend a special Memorial Day weekend event. (Chairs are for a Wynonna Judd concert later this evening.)Looking south over San Diego Bay from upper deck of USS Midway Museum. Unconditional Surrender statue can be seen below.Pomerado Community Band plays music before start of short ceremony that honors World War II veterans.God Bless America sung with a deep, resonant voice. Many in the crowd listen with emotion.Guests are ready for the special Memorial Day weekend Veterans Wreath Ceremony to begin.There are two wreaths. One commemorates those who fought in the World War II Pacific theater. The second wreath is dedicated to those who served in Europe.This honored vet performed his duty in the Pacific during the Second World War. With him are two other generations.Also honored was energetic Stu Hedley, who is a Pearl Harbor survivor.Vintage World War II P-35 fighter aircraft from Air Group One (San Diego Wing of the Commemorative Air Force) flies over during the ceremony.The wreaths are presented to the two representative veterans, who will toss them into the water.In a time-honored ritual and tribute, the first wreath takes flight as many watch and The Remembrance Bell is rung.Flowers and memories float on San Diego Bay on this beautiful Memorial Day weekend.A photo from the flight deck of the USS Midway. The historic aircraft carrier is used for many military ceremonies in San Diego.
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Photo of American who fought in World War II, helping achieve a victory for liberty.
This morning a special Spirit of ’45 wreath laying ceremony was held on San Diego’s Embarcadero, right next to the USS Midway Museum. The area is known as the Greatest Generation Walk, and is dotted with monuments and memorials remembering those who fought in World War II. Today’s event took place at the heels of the large Unconditional Surrender statue, created by artist Seward Johnson. The sculpture was modeled after the iconic photograph of a sailor spontaneously kissing a nurse in New York City’s Times Square upon learning the war was over. How appropriate!
The Spirit of ’45 is an organization and series of events around the country that honors Americans who served in the Second World War. Most of these local tributes are held on or around the happy day the war finally ended, V-J Day, but today’s February ceremony was held in conjunction with a national conference. It kicks off the historic 70th anniversary year of commemorative events.
I got lots of pics!
Color guard is ready prior to Spirit of ’45 kick off event by USS Midway Museum.Only 5 percent of those who fought in World War II remain alive today. Those who participated in the war effort were honored and remembered with gratitude.The Star Spangled Banner is sung as audience listens on San Diego’s Embarcadero.Thanking a genuine hero. Gratitude was expressed during the special ceremony.Young man in Junior ROTC speaks about family members who defended freedom and others who serve today.Dignitaries, veterans and military people on stage for presentation of first wreath.After presenting the first wreath, photo of Philip Schlamberg, last American killed during World War II, is carried by a hero.Rosie the Riveters are thanked for their service. They presented the second wreath.Introducing a British war bride, who thanked Americans for saving Great Britain and freeing Europe from the Nazis.About to bring red, white and blue carnations over to the third, final wreath.Everybody attending is invited to insert a flower, to honor those who served their country in World War II.A special flag awaits nearby on the grass.People from the audience make their way to participate in a patriotic spectacle.Many hands get ready to unfurl the huge flag on the grassy area between the Unconditional Surrender statue and Bob Hope Tribute.The giant billowing flag is unfurled by citizens proud and happy to be free.People carefully hold up American flag in a tribute to fallen heroes.The Stars and Stripes is displayed on the Greatest Generation Walk.Photo of three wreaths and flags after the crowd has dispersed.Young band members relax in the San Diego sunshine.Singers perform nostalgic Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy after ceremony.Small model of Seward Johnson’s Unconditional Surrender sculpture is on display.The iconic kiss is planted right in front of my camera lens!Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive!
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Corroded plaque shows tallship, ironclad, early warship, aircraft carrier and jets.
I’ve wondered for a long time about this mysterious plaque on San Diego’s Embarcadero. It’s located on the Greatest Generation Walk, right next to the USS Midway Museum, and stands back-to-back with a Pearl Harbor Survivors Plaque which I blogged about here.
Thousands of people walk by this old, corroded plaque every day, but I can find absolutely nothing on the internet about its origin. An image framed by rope includes several vessels, including a tall ship (perhaps the USS Constitution), an ironclad (perhaps the USS Monitor), an old warship with a side-mounted gun, an aircraft carrier, and some jets flying overhead. Words indicate the plaque commemorates the United States Navy’s 200 years of Building on a Proud Tradition. The United States Navy began in 1775 and celebrated its bicentennial in 1975.
Obviously, whoever placed the plaque at this location must know something about its history. But even the Port of San Diego website, where the other monuments on the Greatest Generation Walk are listed and described, says nothing about it!
The slab that it’s embedded in appears very similar to the slab right next to it, containing the Pearl Harbor Survivors Plaque. But I’ve found nothing specific about that plaque, either!
Perhaps someone out there can identify this mystery plaque! What the heck is it? Where did it come from? Help solve this mystery!
Mysterious plaque by Midway Museum commemorates Navy’s 200 year anniversary.
UPDATE!
I received more information about this plaque from the Port of San Diego. Please visit this blog post!
UPDATE!
William Abell wrote the following in the comment section:
My name is William Abell and I was an ML3 aboard the USS Ajax AR6 and I helped create this plaque in the ship’s foundry in 1975. I have a certificate from Admiral J L Holloway III commemorating the plaque’s creation and my part in its creation. The date on the certificate is Oct 13, 1975. The plaque was to be a gift to the City of San Diego. I am now a retired police commander living in Monroe WA.
UPDATE!
A subsequent comment directed me to the following information:
I am Molder Chief Petty Officer Jesse G. Lopez USN Ret. The foundry crew from Navy Repair Ship USS Ajax AR-6, created the pattern which was made by Patternmaker Chief Carlos De Santiago USN RET and molded by myself when I was a MLFN. Petty Officer Abell was our Third Class in charge of the molders.
AMAZING UPDATE!
I’ve received detailed information about the plaque, including photographs of its creation and creators! Click here!
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Today is national Flag Day. So during my afternoon walk around downtown San Diego I took photos exclusively of American flags. Here are some shots that you might find interesting…
American flags top many tall office buildings.Flag Day celebrated from a modest downtown rooftop.Reflection on windows of big American flag mural.Bald eagle and American flag mural on Beech Street wall.Patriotic flags on USS Midway Museum superstructure.Red, white and blue adorn cafe below USS Midway flight deck.Small boat cruises around San Diego Bay with flag.Gulls take flight by American flag on busy Embarcadero.Old Town Trolley Tours booth has a flag out.Flag flies proudly in the sea breeze above Star of India.
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Bronze audience listens to a Bob Hope comedy routine.
Perhaps you fondly remember Bob Hope. Millions do. I do.
In San Diego, a fantastic tribute to the legendary comedian can be found on the Greatest Generation Walk, just south of the USS Midway Museum. Sixteen life-sized bronze figures show Bob doing a comedy routine for assorted American service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. An outdoor speaker plays old recordings of him telling his inimitable jokes. For five decades Bob Hope entertained the troops during his many USO tours.
Thanks for the memories.
The famous profile of legendary American comedian Bob Hope.USS Midway can be seen behind the bronze service members.USO tours by Bob Hope over many decades are recalled.Man poses with bronze sculptures of American military heroes.Bob Hope entertains troops by the USS Midway Museum and the Unconditional Surrender “Kiss” statue.A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military.
Trees ready for planting in new park on Embarcadero.
Major improvements to the North Embarcadero are well underway, and I was able to get some interesting pics yesterday!
Harbor Drive is undergoing a facelift from the Coast Guard Station down to the USS Midway Museum. This area is considered San Diego’s front doorstep, but until this renovation it’s been more parking lot than park.
Many large-scale changes are going to make San Diego even more beautiful! The two ugly parking lots on either side of the County Administration Building are being transformed into grassy waterfront parks; Harbor Drive is being made more pedestrian friendly with pavilions, flower beds and new restrooms; most of the traffic on Harbor Drive will now be diverted onto Pacific Highway.
I’m really looking forward to the project’s completion!
Workers prepare public park near Star of India.County Administration Building will have grass parks on either side.Working on a new pavilion on San Diego’s front doorstep.New pavilion being built behind the Bay Cafe.Sign near Broadway Pier describes Embarcadero improvements.Anchor on Harbor Drive near USS Midway Museum.
Here are two pics I took on 5/24/14…
New waterfront pavilion under construction.Building made of words to be part of new Embarcadero.
And two more pics from 9/20/14…
Pavilion near Broadway will complete part of North Embarcadero Visionary Plan.The word SKY allows light to shine in from the sky!
UPDATE!
I took the following pictures on November 9, 2014. The improvements around the Broadway Pier appear to be nearly finished!
New pavilion near Broadway Pier is almost finished in early November 2014.Colorful glass, shiny surfaces and word-shaped skylights are a delight!Worker putting final touches on a ticket booth to be used by harbor cruise company.Word shining from roof of pavilion spells JOY.Restroom walls are formed of crazy letters spelling various words.A new hotel is rising across Harbor Drive, at site of old Lane Field, north of Broadway.
This morning around seven I walked over to the grassy park just south of the USS Midway Museum. I wanted to see The Wall That Heals.
A half-scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the black wall is inscribed with over 58,000 names. Each name belongs to a serviceman who made the ultimate sacrifice during that war.
I’m sure the weekend crowds will be huge, but early on a Friday morning very few people were about.
The Wall That Heals and several thought-provoking displays that accompany it will remain in San Diego through Sunday.
If all of the names could be in one place…Helmet and boots from Vietnam War era.Friends of the Forgotten, remembering those who sacrificed.The Gold Star Bike on public display.Welcome to The Wall That Heals.Flowers and the names of over 58,000 who gave their lives.
UPDATE…
I took the following photos Sunday afternoon around one o’clock.
Half-size replica of Vietnam Veterans Memorial in San Diego.People read names inscribed on The Wall That Heals.
The Greatest Generation Walk, roughly between the USS Midway Museum and the Fish Market Restaurant, is always a hub of activity during the weekend. There’s a huge load of stuff to do and see! Lots of people were out and about yesterday!
Bikers and tour bus in parking lot on Embarcadero.People look at USS San Diego Memorial.Guys check out the USS San Diego Memorial.Photo being taken of USS Midway aircraft carrier.In concrete. I shall return. General Douglas MacArthur. 1942.People in a tiny GoCar enjoy a GPS tour of San Diego.Falun Gong activist holds up sign on sidewalk.Falun Gong poster on sidewalk near Unconditional Surrender statue.Mingling among bronze soldiers at the Bob Hope Tribute.Fishing from a small boat near USS Midway Museum.Small cute dog enjoys a ride on a San Diego pedicab.
Every so often a new plane is added to the Midway Museum collection. The historic aircraft carrier USS Midway, active from 1945 to 1992, now has a couple dozen restored airplanes among its exhibits. Today the latest addition was hoisted up onto the dockside elevator by crane from the pier below! I was there to snap a few cool pics!
The last time I saw an airplane brought over from North Island, where the restorations take place, it was by barge. So I was surprised this time when a plane arrived on the back of a truck. This F4F Wildcat is a specimen of the small carrier-based fighter that helped to win the Battle of Midway during World War II. This particular plane was salvaged from the bottom of Lake Michigan. Restoration in a special hangar at Naval Air Station North Island, across San Diego Bay, took three years. You’ll notice the wings are missing from the fuselage. They came in on a second truck!
The first photo shows the Wildcat arriving on the opposite side of Navy pier.
Historic airplane transported by truck to USS Midway.
The truck has pulled alongside USS Midway’s dockside elevator, which is lowered and ready to receive the new exhibit.
Preparing to lift Wildcat onto USS Midway’s elevator.
A small crane waits off to the left to lift the airplane. Here we see some preliminary preparations.
Crane begins to lift F4F Wildcat onto USS Midway.
Up it goes! Everybody was extremely careful that no mishaps occurred!
Aircraft is placed on USS Midway while people watch from flight deck.
And finally the F4F Wildcat is aboard its new home! This plane will be part of a three dimensional theater exhibit called Battle of Midway Experience. I can’t wait to see it!
This plaque, embedded in a large old slab, is located on the Embarcadero. You’ll find it right next to the USS Midway Museum, at the north end of the Greatest Generation Walk. It remembers the victims of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
It reads:
IN MEMORY OF THE 2335 MEN WHO PERISHED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU.
It looks like the memorial was unveiled by a local chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association in 1984. I’m not sure where the plaque was located originally. I searched the internet briefly, but found nothing.
UPDATE!
I’ve learned that this plaque was originally located on the Broadway Pier, prior to its renovation a few years ago. This post contains more info I received from the Port of San Diego.
Cool San Diego Sights! 