On the Waterfront – Sailing into History: Meeting the Proud Lion

(Pensacola, Florida; April 7, 2022,) – There are moments when disparate threads of unrelated events are woven into a brand new cloth upon which the tapestry of our stories will forever be embroidered. USS Ponce (LPD 15) was one such moment for me. Many unrelated threads from my childhood, my college days, and my early … Continue reading On the Waterfront – Sailing into History: Meeting the Proud Lion

Travel Log: Under the Guns, Part 2

(Niceville, Florida; June 9, 2021) – Some of the biggest guns ever to go to sea will have you in their range once you’re within 20 miles of Mobile, Alabama, and USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. Commissioned in August 1942, the ‘Bama’ had her genesis long before the war began. Owing to stipulations in the … Continue reading Travel Log: Under the Guns, Part 2

Travel Log: I’m not Kidding Around!

(Niceville, Florida; May 28, 2021) – Spending a day aboard the USS Kidd (DD 661) will transport you back to the hot, sweltering days when our sailors fought and won World War II with hard steel, heavy munitions, and zero air conditioning. World War II is receding further into our collective rear-view mirror. Although my … Continue reading Travel Log: I’m not Kidding Around!

Photo Finish – Unusual Views

Museum ships are popular attractions in the United States. Few artifacts are as impressive, imposing, and imminently capable of transporting a visitor back in time as is a ship from a bygone age. Panoramic photos of such vessels are always favorite souvenirs, but what happens if you take a closer look? What facets of the … Continue reading Photo Finish – Unusual Views