Matthew Monday: Memorial Day at the USS San Antonio

I know, it’s Tuesday, but this is from yesterday on our trip to Fleet Week Naval ship on Memorial Day.  Fleet Week is an event that comes to New York City every year where Navy, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen put on displays for the City the week prior to Memorial Day and concluding on Memorial Day.  Usually a major Naval sea vessel docks at one of the ports and allows the public to come aboard.  This year the naval vessel was the USS San Antonio, an amphibious landing craft which brings Marines or Naval Seals into a disputed situation.  So it carries both Sailors and Marines.

It was difficult to choose from all the pictures we took which to post, but here’s a bunch.

Standing in front of an artillery cannon with a couple of Marines.

Matthew holding an M16.  He just loved holding the guns.

On deck was an Osprey air craft, which is sort of a hybrid helicopter/air plane.  I think Matthew is with the piolt here.

Sitting inside a landing craft vehicle.

Posing with a sailor and then Commanding Officers.

And finally there was a chin up bar which a couple of sailors challenged the guests to see how many they could do.  Matthew was able to snap Daddy giving it a try.

For the record, I did four.  I told the sailor I could probably only do two (I low balled it to reduce expectations) but if I really was going to give it my all I could probably have squeezed out a couple of more, which I guess is OK for my age.  But the teenage girl before me did ten, which impressed everyone, and the sailor after me did twelve, but that was 82 for that morning.

Finally this video explains everything we saw on board. 

Just too cool.  One of the things I taught Matthew is to tell each service man or woman thank you for their service.  Even Matthew said afterward we thank them because they protect us.  Happy Memorial Day.  Honor a solider, sailor, marine, coast guardsman, or any of the other military, especially one who has made the ultimate sacrifice.