Corpsman Knife

Really cool tool!!! I have an idea for a trip this spring to the Shenandoah National Park area to go fishing for Brook Trout - this would be a trusty companion. I think the machetes of today are different - less balanced for one thing, but I haven't gone looking for one like this either. Just a small piece of an exhibit that highlighted expeditionary tools the sailors and marines carried during World War II. Maybe I need to check out the surplus shops... UPDATE: Ebay has these - and they are not cheap

PT Squadron

The Navy Museum has a penny press and as we were looking at the four choices, I saw a cool looking shark. Low and behold - the shark was this logo that was in the World War II section.

Snow Day! Pushing out the remaining museum photos

La's favorite beer - in Imperial Japanese dressing. Hopefully in the next few posts, I'll highlight some things that most people just pass by. I am not unique, it's that these things just caught my eye.

Not "G" Rated - You have been warned

There is a distinct culture among US Navy Divers. Diving ain't easy - and it ain't for everyone. The Navy Museum has a small section displaying diving gear in the back corner (fitting place to put the rifraf). This is a close up of the previous picture. Divers always seem to have a blue and gold tshirt on with some saying that other divers before them have immortalized. One tshirt that stands out in my memory is one with a diver wearing a watch cap, suited up with the copper collar on, but no MK V helmet on yet. He has a cup of coffee in his hand and a smile on his face. The caption on the tshirt says "How about a good cup of shut the fuck up!!!" - a nice way of saying "get to work you sniveling piece of shit - if you want to complain go out and be a sillyvilian - if you want to be a Navy Diver, man up, jump in and turn two" The look on this little model's face and the way he is holding the lantern says what that tshirt has in writing. You can't be claustrophobic if you are going to be a diver. This must have sucked. Divers embrace suck. Oh and this guy is naked. Navy Divers do like running around naked - at least in the old days they did. Or when no one is looking. No one that can put you in the brig. As I am closing in on my retirement date (74 working days left, and if you take what leave I'll have left over before going on terminal, I'm really down to 58 working days) I smile remembering all the diving, camaraderie, and tshirts I had. I am proud that I contributed to the Diving culture and will always snicker that I drink coffee too (now GET TO WORK)!!!

Legendary Battles

I bet the crews of these ships didn't wake up the morning of the battle thinking they'd become infamous... I don't think it gets any more legendary than this fight between ironclads.

The Turtle - Early Submarine

What I like most about this model is the guy's eyes... The body language (in rated 'G' language) says "Oh boy..."

Antarctic Rock

Always enamored by rocks, La doesn't disappoint!!! Ground by glaciers and time, this one had curves and depressions that fascinated.

Navy Museum Posts - a Bunch of them inbound

I took the day off on Friday and besides running errands, I took the family to the Navy Museum on the Navy Yard complex. We saw a tons of cool things - old logos, models of ships and artifacts - that I'll post up here for more people to enjoy. First up - the Trieste. One of only a few man made objects to hit the deepest spot on the surface of the Earth. James Cameron recently completed the task in his personal submarine, but prior to that, it had been quite some time since the feat had been accomplished. If I had as much money as James Cameron does, I'd probably build a personal submarine to explore the ocean depths as well. And a large submarine tender to take care of the sub. And a few skiffs to fish off of. Oh and a seaplane to chase good uncrowded surf.