World Away, Down the Street

at Cabrillo National Monument.

Didn't get off and going until noon, but I stayed two hours to enjoy the WWII reenactors and look at all their exhibits. They were demonstrating what it looked like to be a part of the coastal defense in 1941 (for the 70th anniversary this week). I talked with a few of them about their uniforms... I was surprised by the blue dungarees working uniform (1918 - 1943) and the first sergeant's stripes (3 on top, 2 on bottom w/diamond). Their attention to detail was outstanding... made everything look authentic, down to the buttons. Also talked with the guys at the crest of the hill about their machine guns. They had WWI 30 cal. water-cooled guns, as well as a very rare (only 25 in the US, they say) 50 cal. water-cooled anti-aircraft gun, like the kind Dorie Miller used at Pearl Harbor. The first guy had a BAR with him, and he took a picture of me holding it... and said I "had it bad" (a love for military history) when he saw my big grin. I told him I was geeky enough to be excited to see the Park Service flying a 48-star flag at the visitor center in honor of the occasion. I got to handle the 50 cal., aiming the cross-hairs at a passing seagull.

This was such a big group, they even had a couple people dressed up as civilians with PRESS cards in their pockets. One young lady even looked a bit like Betty... striped brown suit coat and skirt with accessories... including an old camera in a leather pouch, matching brown 40's hat, and nylons with seams in the back. Gosh! When I first arrived, the first thing I noticed was a 1932 style cathedral radio playing news broadcasts of the Japanese attacking the British.

I talked with the First Sergeant after they had the flyover (of an old Navy trainer) and it turns out, he used to be in the Navy as a "Opticalman", responsible for cleaning periscope and other lenses. How cool is that?! Well, when they disestablished it in 1999, they made him an ET, and he had no idea what he was doing. The sergeant who showed me the 50 cal. is still in the Army and talked about practicing with old equipment (like the coastal battery had to rely on) and then going to Iraq with the new stuff.

And when I went over to the visitor center, I met a former frigate officer with his sons who looking at the huge metal model of the USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) they have just outside. And I didn't escape from the store without getting a couple postcards, grown-up picture books about PT Boats and the USS Arizona by David Doyle, and finally, A Harbor Worth Defending: A Military History of Point Loma.

Didn't mention yesterday, that after the movie and shopping at Target, I crossed the street to look inside the old Borders, where something called "Crown Point Books" was selling things for cheap. I picked up a beautiful book of poetry and photographs about Loons in the Wilderness. Very nice, but I should put the breaks on book-buying for a little while, at least. :)

I stopped at Papa's Pizza again for lunch and indulged in "lobster ravioli". Delicious, and only $10! Came with piping hot garlic bread and an iced tea. Mmm.

And because I've been curious for a while about the mission at Presidio Park, north of Old Town, I stopped by there too. The museum itself was inexplicably closed, but at least the grounds of the old Franciscan mission were very interesting to look at and enjoy.

What a day! I'm off to FB to create an album.

Jw