Tag: military

Veteran Sailing supports vets with free sailing events!

I met Brian Forristal today. (That’s him on the right.) He is the founder of Veteran Sailing, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to empowering and supporting veterans and service members by hosting no-cost sailing events that facilitate mindfulness and connection to nature, strengthen camaraderie and teamwork, and ignite a lifelong passion for the sea and sailing where adventure awaits.

Where did I meet Brian and his smiling sailing comrades? On the tall ship Bill of Rights during today’s America’s Schooner Cup Race off the coast of San Diego! (Photos of the fantastic race coming up tomorrow!)

The Veteran Sailing website is full of information. They offer a therapeutic Discovery Sail for veterans out on the water. Soon they’ll offer mission-oriented sailing, multi-day excursions, sailing retreats, community events like bonfires and barbecues, and our own sailing school.

Let your veteran friends know this great organization exists! Or perhaps help Veteran Sailing out with a nice donation!

Thank you all for your service!

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Checking out Top Secret exhibit on USS Midway!

Top Secret: Inside the High-Stakes World of Naval Intelligence is a fantastic exhibit that opened on the USS Midway Museum last year. I finally checked it out a few days ago.

The exhibit takes visitors through the Carrier Intelligence Center, which is contained in a surprisingly large area (1,500 square feet) under the USS Midway aircraft carrier’s flight deck, spanning its entire width. During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, the Carrier Intelligence Center served as the nerve center for intelligence gathering and analysis, mission planning, and strategic decision-making.

Today visitors can enjoy interactive displays that demonstrate how, years ago, in a less technologically advanced era, naval intelligence was gathered and analyzed, to aid combat operations, search and rescue, and humanitarian missions.

Walking through the exhibit, I observed how Intelligence Specialists worked like detectives. It was interesting to see how analog instruments were used to analyze gathered information. Imagine my surprise seeing an old-fashioned slide rule, which was used to calculate the size of structures in photos taken from a great distance! Some of the original, restored equipment includes teletypes and radio receivers.

I learned that specialists who gathered, analyzed and acted upon critical information included Air Intelligence Officers, Aerographer’s Mates, Photographers Mates, Cryptologic Technicians, Squadron Aviation Intelligence Officers… In combat, when every moment might mean life or death, everyone must work quickly and efficiently as a team to achieve success.

Top Secret: Inside the High-Stakes World of Naval Intelligence is so amazing it earned the MUSE Gold Award in the Experiential and Immersive Exhibition category!

If all this sounds interesting to you, head over the USS Midway Museum in downtown San Diego and check it out!

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Nine million women honored on USS Midway.

An exhibit on the hangar deck of the USS Midway Museum honors the approximately 9 million women who stepped forward to meet the nation’s needs during World War II.

Women contributed by serving in the United States military services, and by building the ships, aircraft, ammunition and other equipment necessary to fight the war.

There’s special emphasis on how women helped to build seaplanes and bombers at San Diego’s Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, and how women helped to construct the enormous USS Midway aircraft carrier.

Did you know that by 1945 women made up as much as 40% of the workforce in the nation’s aircraft factories? That was true as well at Consolidated Aircraft.

Did you know that more than 1000 women, working as welders, electricians, machine operators, pipefitters, mechanics and painters helped to construct the USS Midway in just 18 months?

Rosie the Riveter and Wanda the Welder were instrumental in the eventual victory of the Allies!

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Skateworld’s historical World War II building.

Skateworld, with a few other small businesses in Linda Vista, occupies a historically important building that was designed to be the center of community life during World War II.

The Linda Vista Tenant Activity Building was dedicated on December 26, 1943 and stood at the center of the federally constructed Linda Vista Housing Project. The project provided 3001 dwelling units for aircraft and shipyard defense workers in San Diego during the war.

A historical plaque a short distance up Linda Vista Road provides more information about the government housing project. See past photographs of that plaque here.

The Tenant Activity Building was designed like a field house or drill hall and served as a hub for social events, clubs, and all-ages activities. It would later be considered for historic designation due to its role in supporting war-effort morale and its unique architecture.

You can read the 2011 Historical Resource Analysis (Technical) Report on the City of San Diego website by clicking here. The report contains a great deal of additional information, including photographs.

Here’s a circa 1952 aerial view of the Linda Vista House Project and its Tenant Activity Building from the report. The center of the building with its high barrel roof today provides a perfect, roomy space for roller skaters at Skateworld.

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A close look at Liberty Station’s Gate One.

Perhaps you’ve driven through Gate One while arriving at or departing from Liberty Station. It’s the old Navy base entrance at the northeast end of Liberty Station, where Lytton Street and Barnett Avenue meet.

You might have noticed plaques on the two old guard buildings.

Curiosity getting the best of me, the last time I was in the neighborhood I walked around both historical buildings for a closer look.

Gate One was the main entrance to Naval Training Center San Diego, and the grassy area with an anchor behind it is Sellers Plaza. As this webpage explains: Named for the base’s first commander, Sellers Plaza serves as the Naval Training Center’s front door.

You can see Gate One in the center of this postcard:

Image courtesy Libery Station.

Here are photographs I recently took in front of Gate One…

Identical plaques are mounted to the front of both buildings near the arch. The steel arch was added in 1932.

I’m now standing by Building 20. There across the road is Building 21.

The plaques summarize the history of the San Diego Naval Training Station, which opened in 1923 and was finally decommissioned in 1997. Over 1.75 million sailor recruits would receive training here.

Now I’ve walked behind Building 20…

A plaque by the door to Building 20 identifies it as Gatehouse #1, constructed 1923.

Dodging a car or two, I’m now behind Building 21…

The rear of both buildings feature these beautiful tile fountains.

A plaque by the door of Building 21 identifies it as the Pass/Decal Office, constructed 1922.

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If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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Yellow Ribbon Fund helps disabled Veterans.

Have you heard of the Yellow Ribbon Fund? I hadn’t, until I met some friendly people in Escondido during todays’ Veterans Day Parade.

The Yellow Ribbon Fund, as the above sign indicates, provides free events and programs to eligible disabled post-9/11 veterans and their families. I had to check out their website, which you can also do by clicking here.

I learned the organization enhances the lives of military families facing medical crisis.

As they explain: Yellow Ribbon Fund was one of the first veteran service organizations to recognize the importance of keeping the family together during the critical recuperation phase. Through the creation of our key programs: Crossroads and Keystone, we are able to make an impact on veterans and their families nationwide.

If you’d like to help these good people out, go to their website and explore the possibilities!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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Photos of Veterans Day Parade in Escondido!

The 6th Annual Veterans Day Parade was held today in downtown Escondido. Residents of various neighboring cities came together to enjoy what has been renamed the North County VetFest and Veterans Day Parade.

In the mid-morning I stood with spectators along North Broadway at the edge of Grape Day Park. A group assembled on the street in front of Review Stand 1 sang the National Anthem. Then a minute or two later…here came the parade!

Over fifty units would pass by to cheers and applause. There were community organizations, clubs, schools with marching bands, church groups, politicians, scouts, cadets, pageant and rodeo queens, firefighters, equestrian groups, local businesses… But most importantly, there were the honored Veterans.

Veterans from many generations and wars, who’ve sacrificed for all of us, waved from passing classic cars, vintage ambulances, trailers and other vehicles. They received the greatest applause.

I photographed many of the passing units. I’m now going to share a fraction of my shots from the parade. Some of the best ones.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Veterans Day ceremony at Escondido’s Wall of Courage.

A Veterans Day ceremony was held today in Escondido at the Wall of Courage, in Grape Day Park. The annual event, honoring the courage and sacrifice of veterans, is organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1513.

The beautiful ceremony included the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance and an Invocation, before a few speeches were given. Themes I noted included dedication, resilience, gratitude and friendship.

God Bless America was sung powerfully by a young gentleman. Escondido Mayor Dane White was present in the audience and was summoned to the podium to give a few words.

Remarks by a past VFW Commander encouraged everyone to support others, not just veterans. There’s a lot of loneliness in the world. Reaching out to others with a few kind words is true service. If you know a vet, or anyone who might need it, from time to time call up or text and provide a friendly hello.

At the end of the ceremony, Thank You cards were handed out to all of the veterans present.

The cards were hand made by students at nearby Classical Academy. Hundreds of cards were made.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Photos from past Fleet Week events in San Diego.

Many public Fleet Week events have been cancelled in San Diego for 2025 because of the ongoing federal government shutdown. Fleet Week activities were scheduled to begin in earnest this weekend.

Unfortunately, the usual, very popular events at the Broadway Pier have been cancelled, including U.S. Navy demonstrations, STEM exhibits and public tours of ships.

Over the years, I’ve taken photographs at a variety of public Fleet Week events. I thought I share a few of them. Those events have included the Sea and Air Parade, a Veterans Art Exhibit, the Fleet Week Innovation Zone in the Port Pavilion, and a Military & Veteran Appreciation Concert in Balboa Park. That first photo above, taken near the USS Midway, is of cool cars promoting the Fleet Week Coronado Speed Festival at Naval Air Station North Island.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Memories on the 250th birthday of the U.S. Navy.

Today is officially the 250th birthday of the United States Navy. On October 13, 2025, the U.S. Navy was established by the Continental Congress.

Needless to say, the Navy has a very large presence in San Diego, with important bases that include Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Point Loma, Naval Air Station North Island (where naval aviation was born), and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado. Over the years, countless sailors trained at the old Naval Training Center San Diego, and have deployed from San Diego’s harbor on ships in both wartime and peacetime. Until 1997, Top Gun pilots trained at Naval Air Station Miramar.

I’ve published a wide variety of blogs concerning the U.S. Navy in San Diego. Given today’s 250th anniversary, I thought this would be a good time to revisit some of those past blog posts.

Click the following links to bring back some U.S. Navy memories…

Creating a plaque: Navy history in San Diego revealed!

History of recruits at Naval Training Center San Diego.

The Ship’s Bell mosaic at Liberty Station.

Inside the Navy’s landlocked USS Recruit training ship!

Nautical History Gallery & Museum opens!

The Naked Warrior stands in Coronado park.

Chow: Feeding a Navy in San Diego.

Coronado’s surprising role in submarine history.

Top Gun fans vs. reality on USS Midway!

Monument to tallest structures ever built in San Diego.

Bronze plaque marks birthplace of naval aviation.

Memories of the Greatest Generation at Liberty Station.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!