The 2010 reunion of the USS Midway Reunion Group has concluded in San Diego, California, and by all measures, it was a HUGE success. Approximately 120 Midway veterans and their families and guests turned out from across the country to share in the experience of this first "ship-wide" reunion supported by the USS Midway Museum. These veterans represented officers and enlisted alike from their active duty days.
The three full days of reunion activities (September 23-25, 2010) were centered at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the reunion hotel (what a job they did!), and at the USS Midway Museum, the ship these navy veterans served on at various times during the ship's 47 years of service to her country. Not surprisingly, San Diego provided a comfortable environment for the reunion, offering up picture-perfect weather.
Highlights of the reunion included a trolley tour of the richly historical city and lunch at one of San Diego's finest sea food restaurants, on the first day; the second day featured a visit to the USS Midway Museum, the most successful ship museum in the country, our ship. We were welcomed on board early by Museum staff, served a continental breakfast in hangar bay #1, and recognized for our efforts to start up a ship-wide reunion group. For many of the men, the return to the Midway was an emotional time, for it was the first time they had been on board since they served on her.
The final day included the business meeting in the morning, where we approved the bylaws and picked the next reunion city (Washington, D.C.) and the banquet dinner in the evening. At the dinner, reunion members honored their plank-owners (those who served on the Midway's commissioning crew in 1945), enjoyed an excellent dinner (117 dinners were served), and listened transfixed to the Museum's CEO and President RADM Mac McLaughlin, USN (ret.) as he addressed his vision and mission for the Museum.
Few things can match the emotions and camaraderie of a USN ship's reunion, and this one was, by far, the best of all. The bar for future reunions has been raised very high by the USS Midway Reunion Group. We will be up for the challenge!
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| RADM Mac McLaughlin delivers the keynote speech at the reunion dinner. Mac kept the dinner crowd of nearly 120 riveted to their seats with an inspirational speech that spoke to his long-range vision and mission for the USS Midway Museum. |
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