Monday, February 20, 2012

USS Midway Museum and Laundry

My parents-in-law were in town over the weekend, so we decided to take a tour of the USS Midway Museum. In case you're unfamiliar with this ship, it's one of America's longest-serving aircraft carriers. And the thing is gigantic!


We saw everything from restored aircraft to living quarters and mess halls. It was fascinating, and it gave me a greater appreciation for the men and women who serve currently.


I thought the laundry and tailoring section of the ship was interesting. It was sort of a mini version of what we do here at Margaret's. (See pictures below)

If you're ever in the San Diego area, or if you live here and you still haven't checked out the USS Midway Museum, add it to your list of things to see. 

Steam presses
“Some of the guys were permanently assigned down here. I counted down the 90 days of my temporary duty until I could get back to what I was trained for.” –L. Roberts, 1969


Steam presses
Pressing uniforms
"I had to run three presses at once. Not only was it hotter'n heck, we were right over the propellers. Their vibrations ran right up our legs." -W. Davis, 1984
Sewing/tailoring area
"You'd be surprised how much sewing was needed on this ship--from fixing torn uniforms to attaching new ratings badges to repairing Midway's flags." -G. Hodges, 1967
Ironing machine
"When the laundry was returned to our division, a big bag of it was dumped on the deck for us to sort. Good luck if your stenciled name had faded." -R. Duffee, 1951


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