7 Sep 08
The plaque at the POW-MIA bracelet sculpture. I remember when these bracelets were first sold. They came to my elementary school, explaining about the Vietnam POWs and MIAs and selling the bracelets. Each bracelet bore the name of an American Prisoner Of War or Missing In Action serviceman. The bracelets were to be worn until the prisoner was released or the serviceman was found.
|
7 Sep 08
Bracelet sculpture for Alabama POWs/MIAs.
|
7 Sep 08
There used to be a helicopter here. Hurricane Katrina broke the struts on this helicopter display and trashed the helicopter. She also did a lot of damage to many of the airplanes inside the aviation display building. The torn remains of planes were outside on the grounds. Hopefully they will be able to repair them and get them back on display.
|
7 Sep 08
Another memorial to the armed forces at the park.
|
7 Sep 08
Memorial to the Alabama Vietnam veterans. Similar to "The Wall" in Washington, DC.
|
7 Sep 08
The view of the ship on the way to the geocache. The ship has armor as thick as 18 inches in places.
|
7 Sep 08
An SR-71 Blackbird in the aviation display. An amazing aircraft, it carries the records for speed (2,242 mph or over 3 times the speed of sound) and highest altitude (85,069 feet). Its engines delivered 65,000 pounds of thrust.
|
7 Sep 08
The ship's bell. The USS Alabama was commissioned on 16 August, 1942. She earned nine battle stars during her service in World War II.
|
7 Sep 08
The view from the upper decks. Here you get a good look at six of the nine big guns on the battleship. Each gun fired shells that were 16 inches in diameter (45 caliber) and were accurate to 21 miles.
|
7 Sep 08
USS Alabama, looking very intimidating. Ship's armament: Nine 16"/45 caliber (not .45 caliber!) guns in three turrets (accurate to 21 miles), 20 5"/38 cal guns, 48 40mm guns, and 52 20mm guns.
|
7 Sep 08
The view from the bow. The ship is 680 feet long. That's over two football fields long!
|
7 Sep 08
The USS Alabama in Mobile Bay. This battleship is 680 feet in length, over 108 feet wide and 194 feet tall, weighing 45,000 tons (90 million pounds) when battle-ready, and carried a crew of 2,500 men.
|
7 Sep 08
Colorado GC at one of USS Alabama's propellers. The battleship had four propellers like this one, each weighing over 18 tons, to deliver the power from the ship's engines that had a total output of 130,000 horsepower.
|
6 Sep 08
The Colorado geocoin with Admiral Semmes.
|
6 Sep 08
Fort Conde cannons.
|
6 Sep 08
The Colorado geocoin inside Fort Conde.
|
6 Sep 08
Outside Fort Conde in Mobile, Alabama.
|
6 Sep 08
You just wouldn't believe how much fun this is! Another skydiver comes in for a landing.
|
6 Sep 08
Gold Coast Skydivers!
|
6 Sep 08
The DZ's Super Twin Otter jump plane.
|