USS Sudden Jerk (PT-305) & WWII Museum (PIc Heavy)

[parallel]

I pulled the trigger on a family membership to the National WWII Museum today. I'm volunteering at The National WWII Museum working specifically on the PT-305 Restoration Project. I had to meet with Bruce Harris (Project Lead) this morning to discuss the life line design that I'm doing so that the US Coast Guard will sign off on embarking passengers aboard the PT boat when she's operational and to discuss the design of a hatch dogging system to make her watertight. I took Isaiah with me and he was enthralled to be allowed to go aboard and check it out. Isaiah showed true interest in the museum so I went ahead and bought the membership so he could learn the history and the sacrifices of the greatest generation.

It was moments like these ones where he's taking pictures of the boat and asking all kinds of well thought out questions that made me decide to get the membership.

My boy riding the deactivated shell of a WWII era torpedo like those used by the torpedo patrol boats.

Permission to come aboard? Granted...

This was taken earlier by others; it sure is a shame that the beautiful mahogany deck of the PT-305 had to be painted over haze grey...

 

[parallel]

So... he wanted to check out the museum.. I called the wife and let her know we were going to be here a while and that I was about to buy a family membership and off we went...

Anyone who has been to the WWII museum knows that there are some stark and graphic photos of the horrors of war on display there. These were a bit of a shock to my boy. I've got my work cut out for me trying to make him understand.

 

[RackMaster]

Awesome pics!

 

[Grunt]

Outstanding pictures! Looks like a fun and informative day was had.

The memories of those that fought and those that were lost during that war will always go on because of people like yourself that will take the time to explain the actions taken by those warriors of days gone by.

The past will always live on when there is someone to tell their story.

My best wishes to your success in your upcoming work at the museum.

 

[DA SWO]

Nice, I need to go back there.
Did you explain that PT's were the SBU forerunners?

 

[parallel]

Nice, I need to go back there.
Did you explain that PT's were the SBU forerunners?

No... not yet. I didn't want to make it about me... yet.

 

[BloodStripe]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[hoepoe]

Very, very nice!

 

[Cabbage Head]

Looks like a place to put on my bucket list...

 

[JHD]

I was just there a couple of weeks ago. That is an extraordinary museum. I did the Beyond All Boundaries film and The Final Mission presentation, as well. So well done.

At the entrance to the museum, I spoke with a World War II Marine Veteran who was greeting guests as they came in. He was telling me of his time in the war, and the ship he was on had been torpedoed at Guadal Canal. He was in the water for three days until rescued. He told me he survived by singing songs to himself and thinking of his wife. The grit and determination shown by that generation was incredible. The museum does a wonderful job of showing it.

 

[parallel]

One of the old Packards brought back to life. This one is soon to be installed along with two others into PT-305 to power her across Lake Pontchartrain.

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