A non-game AAR

[hbrsvl]

Hi-I just returned from a week on Oahu. Haven't been there in many years and have some things to share,

1. There is a new ( 1 yr old) attraction on Ford Island called The Pacific Aviation Museum. Costs are $14.00 for non-members( I'm a founder), 0 for members. It is in a hanger next to the control tower, a little way from the USS Missouri.

There will eventually be 3 hangers. It has a Zero, mock-up of a P-40B & B-25 and a real F4F4 that was found at the bottom of Lake Michigan. (remember the CV flight training on USS Sable, etc.?). It also has a simulator so you can fly & fight a Wildcat. The floor in the entry is an aerial photo of PH. The floor in the main exhibit area is a map of the Pacific.

2. New (for me)-the USS Oklahoma Memorial. Very simple-but great. There are 428- 7 foot tall marble columns-one for each man killed on the Oklahoma on 12/7/41. Each column has name,rank and a symbol for branch of service, plus a low memorial wall.

3. The remains of USS Utah. I couldn't get out to it, but it's still there. Only way to get there is to know someone on Ford Island that has a car & will take you out to it.

4. Last, would you believe there is another War in the Pacific? While at the Aviation museum, in the gift shop, I was shown a 4 volumn set with that name. Written by a retired one star Marine general.
This is a good historical overview of the war, not a critical history, IMHO. There are small but annoying historical errors throuout the volumns. To order, go to "www.warinthepacific.org".

Example 1. Third volumn, pg.293, referring to Halsey's run-in to the Doolittle mission, it states "On October 17, ... Halsey left his DDs behind..." We all know it was April, not Oct.

Example 2. Third vol., pg. 309. There is a picture on Nimitz & Halsey, with the caption "Adms Nimitz & Halsey were promoted to Fleet Admiral in May 1946," - Nimitz became 5 star I believe in Nov. '44, Halsey later.

In another vol(I can't find it right now) it refers to Adm McCain becoming ComAirSoPac in March 1942. Oops, we went into the Canal in Aug. '42.

That's it for now. Hugh Browne

[goodboyladdie]

Did you take any photographs?

Just a thought - wouldn't this be more appropriate to the WitP forum? I am not sure how many people swing through here too, but you'd get a much bigger audience over there. I would not post it in the AAR section though...

[hbrsvl]

goodboyladdie-No photos. I'm embarresed-I thought I was posting i n WITP. Have to do it over. Thanks for the tip re not posting in AAR. HB

[goodboyladdie]

Don't worry mate. El Cid used to do it all the time. It sounds like a great museum - seeing the wrecks would have been interesting.