Day 13 - Ft Walton and Pensacola Naval Air Station - 28 June 2014

  Well this was a very busy day!  Sammi stumbled into her bed about 7, not really bothering me on the couch, as I slept way too long and missed my departure time to go spend the day with Nick!  I headed out abot 10:30, when I was supposed to leave at 9ish . . .  Sorry Nick :-(  That kind of put us in a rush as he had a whole day planned for us and I goofed it up!

   Arrived in Milton (he flies out of Whiting Field) and got to see those great dogs, Leo, Mia, and Shelby!

In the cage getting ready for FREEDOM!

Nick has a huge backyard attached to the apt's he lives in and the dogs love to run out there!

This is Mia, a Red Tri, (I think)

  We said good bye to these kids and headed to Nick's squadron to check out the helo's he is learning to fly!  I have to admit, they looked pretty cool.

   The young Marine Capt himself

The hanger deck

And cockpit of a "B" model, I think . . .

  And a "C" model, that he is currently flying ( yes, those are my hairy legs and boots on the rudder pedals)

And YES, I would like to fly one . . . If given the chance :-)

  Me and the young lad!

   We headed off the base and I saw this cool shot . . .

  This is a T-28 Trojan I worked on and have a few rides in waaay back in my enlisted years at Yuma Arizona.

  They like water towers down here . . .  We left and went to Pensacola for our 13:00 massages at Massage Envy.  An hour later, every muscle relaxed, we headed to the Naval Air Station (after a great Jason's Deli Beef Eater sandwich) (This part sounds a little off ;-) We had our own rooms for the massage and were hungry)

   Arriving at one of the most fantastic museum's in the world!!! The Naval Air Museum

An F-14 Tomcat

 Just walking in the door takes your breath away, if you have one, single flying bone in your body!

  We had a quest/misson during this trip to the museum!  The last time I was here, 2 years ago with Jennifer, the display where they shipped everything back from the Cubi Point O'Club Bar (a place many of us hung out while in the Phillipines) and made it into a snack bar, was closed.  This trip, it was open, and our goal was to find my old F-4 squadron, VMFA 212, the Lancers, plaques on the wall.  We had success!

The 79-80 deployment, before most of our time in the squadron, but some old names we all know.  Then:

And finally,  Success!!!

This was my first deployment with the GREATEST group of Naval Avaitors ever created ;-)  See if you recognize any of the names:

Nick was as excited as I, to see this little piece of Marine history, proudly hung, like myself, forever in this great museum!!

   a little older, and a little balder, and hopefully, a little wiser than when my name was carved onto that plaque!

   We then toured the whloe place and it was exciting.  Here are some shots:

The Blue Angels, flying A-4s in the diamond formation

Nick in front of his current ride . . .

The Blue angel's current plane, the F-18 Hornet

I had many hours strapped in this great plane, The F-4 Phantom

Nick checking out the cockpit

It brings back many great memories

The business end of the F-14 Tomcat..We saw (and took) this shot ALL THE TIME, in the trusty F-4  I took this pictue for Skull!!!  ;-) to remind him of the old days!

   With our manhood re-junivated!!!!  we left for some food.  He took me to a weird, but good pizza place called the Mellow Yellow or something like that.  I thought it was a head shop from the old days, but it was good pizza . . .

I had my 2 pieces, Nick ate the rest!

  As the day was closing down, we went back to Nick's place to get some dog time in.  I really miss my Mr. Marbles and these Aussie's could tell!

I left for Sammi's and to my suprise, her boss gave her some comp time off for a Sat night.  Just when I thought the day was over . . .  It was country dancing time at The Block, a local Ft Walton Beach hangout.

We had a good time 2 stepping and I met a great crowd of Sammi's friends.

Sammi's friend Jimi, a great lady with a PhD moving to Tyler Texas to teach at the Univ of Texas.  No way she has grandkids, but she does!!!  I got to dance her around the floor a time or two.  My pleasure!

I still remember how to two step!

Line dancing

A big place, but I ran out of steam about 1:30.  We drove back to Crestview and HAD to stop and have a Krystal's late night snack!  (Remember "Heaven on a Bun)

Got to bed at 3 am with a fairly early wake up to go to church with Jack and Kay Sunday morning.

Yes, I packed it into this day.. Thanks to all of you I met, who extended me a warm welcome, and to Nick for being a great tour guide, and Sammi for helping me remember how to dance.  It was a busy but productive day!  With more to come . . .

LUKE Out!