MidwayMuseum-SanDiegoJan08

Saturday January 11, 2008 Mini-Mini SSHS57 Reunion Party

(The pictures with gold borders are "thumbnails". Click on them to see a larger version.)

Doug Malewicki met Bobbie & Bob Tugenberg for lunch at The Fish Market restaurant right next to the Midway Aircraft Carrier museum in San Diego.
	The USS Midway had a 47-year career of service to country-the longest serving carrier in the history of the U.S. Navy. Sept. 10, 1945 Commissioned as the first ship too large for the Panama Canal. Would be the largest ship in the world for 10 years. The first with an armored flight deck, incorporating a host of American and British carrier design innovations. *Jan. 17, 1991* Aircraft from the USS Midway were the first to launch in Desert Storm. The carrier outperformed all other American carriers in Desert Storm and was the only carrier not to lose an aircraft. 1,001 feet long (3 football fields), 258 feet wide. 212,000 horsepower. Crew: 4,500. 13,000 meals served daily.
Doug and his backpacking buddy of 25 years, retired US Marine Major Bob Johnson, caught the Amtrak in Irvine, CA	Santa Fe train station in downtown San Diego.	Just a 10 minute walk from the Amtrak station to the Midway. Note the rear hangar deck is also a coffee shop.
Doug Malewicki & Bob Johnson next to one of the many historical World War II aircraft shown on the HANGAR DECK.	Up on the FLIGHT DECK. Doug with two young Navy men in front of an F-14 jet.	Bob Johnson enjoying our break at the Midway coffee shop.
Bob sitting in the flight deck FLIGHT BOSS's command chair	View of an F-4 Phantom Jet from the FLIGHT BOSS's window. This Vietnam era jet is posed as if it was engaging the arresting gear cable.	View of the Catapult aircraft launching deck. USS Nimitz nuclear powered aircraft carrier in the distance.
Bob with crew members.	Vigilante carrier Jet. San Diego city skyline in the background.	Bob in the cockpit.

Retired US Navy Captain Robert C. Truax was 90 on Sep 3, 2007	The main reason for the trip was for Doug to get together with an old friend, Bob Truax, who he hasn't seen in 8 or so years. 39 years ago, Doug was having a tough time getting any reputable rocket company to sell him a rocket for the crazy Evel Knievel X-1 Skycycle canyon Jumping motorcycle. Then he was introduced to Bob Truax. For the rest of that story go to: www.canosoarus.com and click on the Evel Knievel X-1 Skycycle. More on Bob Truax, an amazing engineer & rocket pioneer at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Truax http://neverworld.net/truax/ (a multimedia archive) www.history.navy.mil/download/space-05.PDF http://www.rocketryplanet.com/content/view/192/38/
Bob was Navy flyer, but never assigned to a carrier.	Son Scott & dad Bob Truax, Doug, Craig Adams.	Bob, Craig, Scott Truax & Dad Bob Truax
Craig, Doug, Scott & Bob Truax.	Dad & son.	Bob prefers flying prop planes to jets.
Scott & Bob Truax with more cardboard cutout crew personnel.	Please don't fire up the engine!	Man - I miss being in the cockpit!

	From the Flight deck of the USS Midway we could see both The Fish Market restaurant AND San Diego's three-dimensional giant interpretation of the famous Life Magazine black & white photo taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt - a Sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square, New York City on Aug. 14, 1945, following the announcement of V-J Day - the end of World War II. “Unconditional Surrender,” is a 25-foot tall, 6,000 pound statue. Just a short walk from the Midway to meet the Tugenbergs for a fun lunch with a great water view!
CW- Doug, Bobbie Tugenberg, Bob Johnson, Craig Adams, Bob Truax & Bob Tugenberg. YES - 4 BOB's. That earned a special TOAST!	The BOB HOPE memorial is right outside the restaurant in view of the Midway. There is no Bob Hope statue - just an audience of soldiers. Very cool art!	L-R. Craig, Scott, Mike Hughes, Bob Tugenberg, Doug, Bobbie Tugenberg & Bob Johnson.
Doug, Bob Truax, son Scott & friend Michael Hughes	Bob in front of the famous WW II statue. Note bow of the Midway to the right.	Doug and Bobbie's first attempt to replicate "the pose" failed. Craig "claims" to have captured great pictures of Doug smooching with his High School trigonometry teacher. (Oh my - what will people say?)