That would be this piece o' Virginia... which has a LOT o' the military part but not so much the "industrial" bits (thinkin' o' private companies). Like this:
We went cruising around two o' those bases yesterday, Langley Airplane Patch (where SN1 works) and Naval Station Norfolk, where we cruised the piers for to look at the boats before heading out to other areas o' the base. And we were impressed. First let's show a couple o' few pics o' Langley...
I really should have taken more pics on Langley, especially o' the Raptors that were shooting touch 'n' goes as we drove on to the base. Alas, I couldn't deploy the mePhone quick enough to catch the birds in flight. That said, I finally got to see me a few F-22s and that was a great good thing. The other area that impressed me was Generals Row... housing occupied by the shooters at Langley, more than a few o' which are right on the water. Ya hadda be there to appreciate it and I didn't think to shoot pics. I was too busy oohing and ahhing.
So then it was across the bay and over to Norfolk for to look at some boats. Here are a few...
I took a few more pictures at Norfolk... mainly of decrepit-looking infrastructure and seedy looking grounds overgrown with weeds... the objective being a "compare and contrast" sort of post between the immaculately-kept Airplane Patch and the much less so Naval base. But I won't go there, even though I COULD (and prolly should).
I'll say one thing, though: the Squids win the "Senior Officers' Quarters" sweepstakes. Admirals Row on Norfolk consists of stately old homes built in 1907 and they are LOVERLY. Once again, I didn't take pictures even though I damned well should have.
 |
| Military installations in the local area. I got that map here. |
We went cruising around two o' those bases yesterday, Langley Airplane Patch (where SN1 works) and Naval Station Norfolk, where we cruised the piers for to look at the boats before heading out to other areas o' the base. And we were impressed. First let's show a couple o' few pics o' Langley...
 |
| Langley Air Park. From L - R: F-16 (Lawn Dart), F-105 (Thud), F-86 (Sabre), and F-15 (Eagle). I'm sure the air park is a hold-over from the TAC days. |
 |
| Gate to the 1st Fighter Wing Area |
 |
| A dash cam shot of the housing area, which is immaculate. |
So then it was across the bay and over to Norfolk for to look at some boats. Here are a few...
 |
| USS Jason Dunham, a DDG |
 |
| USS Truxton, another DDG |
 |
| The Deity At Hand only knows what this is, but it's BIG. |
 |
| The Ike |
I'll say one thing, though: the Squids win the "Senior Officers' Quarters" sweepstakes. Admirals Row on Norfolk consists of stately old homes built in 1907 and they are LOVERLY. Once again, I didn't take pictures even though I damned well should have.
I am NOT jealous...
ReplyDeleteI am NOT jealous...
...
Oh Hell yes I AM jealous!
This most certainly is a nice part o' the world. Tonight we're goin' back over to Hampton to eat sushi on a recommendation from my new best friend Crystal. The girl didn't steer me wrong yesterday, so I have high expectations for this evening.
DeleteI'm liking your trip! Maybe I should start working on Toby now...
ReplyDeleteI'm having a GREAT time, Lou. This part o' the country is most amazing.
Delete"The Deity At Hand only knows what this is, but it's BIG."
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking it looks a lot like an LPD.
As for those DDGs, they sure build them a lot bigger today, than back in the day.
I'll go with your LPD theory, Skip. I will say there was a Harrier on the after deck, which I thought was interesting. As for DDGs vs. DDs... well, you just picked the wrong age to be a Tin Can sailor. ;-)
DeleteYes you damn well should have! I'm gonna have to start subscribing to a new travel magazine!
ReplyDeleteYou'll have a hard time beating our subscription rate.
DeleteOld Skip is right... LPD, just one of the SHIPS you had the pleasure of seeing. As for the standard of bases, the Navy spends its money on ships and gas... the needs, not the wants.
ReplyDelete...one of the SHIPS you had the pleasure of seeing.
DeleteYou say toh-MAY-toe and I say toh-MAH-toe. ;-)
The old houses are best in the Navy and Army. I walked by my dad's former house with my daughter and saw the house he lived in at her age growing up for a while before the War at Fort Myer. His father was a First Lieutenant in 1934. The house he lived in is currently the home of a Lieutenant General as are all the others on that street except for the one occupied by the SGT MAJ of the Army. As my old CO said to me as he passed me his LCDR insignia which he no longer needed when promoted to full CDR, Lieutenant JG, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, they're all the same. Just Lieutenants.
ReplyDeleteThere were...prolly still are... some beautiful old houses at the Presidio in SFO. One wonders what the gub'mint got for those houses, in THAT neighborhood, when they turned the base over to the city and/or state gub'mints. Some of those places were million-dollar-plus homes in that market.
DeleteWonderful pics Buck! A friend of mine has a friend who is currently deployed on the USS Harry Truman; he's a Yellow Shirt and they left Norfolk a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteAll those pics were shot on the mePhone, Kris. I brought the dSLR but I've yet to take it out of its bag.
DeleteThree years aboard USS Independence CV-62 out of Norfolk for me, my friend.
ReplyDeleteVirginia is nice, I admit it. Atlantic Fleet, not so much.
I try to remember the good about it.
Never ventured to Langley except to see it going to the Hampton Coliseum for the occasional concert and a trip to Busch Gardens The Old Country in Williamsburg.