Why Playing Tourist in My Hometown Ended in Tears

Today, Memorial Day, the “Lady Lex” a.k.a. “Blue Ghost” called my name. As one of the top tourist attractions in my hometown, the U.S.S. Lexington stands solemn and mighty in our bay. It’s one of those places native Corpus Christians say, “I’ve been meaning to go!” although many never find the time. But, today I made the decision to just go, and go solo.

I will admit, I have a fascination with World War II and the American military. Trevor doesn’t mind joining me with a pint of ice cream on a Saturday night to watch “D-Day” or “WWII in HD” on the History Channel. Naturally when we travel, I’m pulled to any kind of WWII attraction (Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dachau, Germany, etc).

Going solo gave me the chance to take the time I wanted to read all of the captions of pictures or paraphernalia , watch all of the videos, and try the interactive components of several tours. But most importantly, it gave me the chance to meet and visit with some war veterans.

Many war veterans dedicate and volunteer their time to educating the public about the ship and their experiences. Currently, two WWII veterans volunteer at the “Blue Ghost” (one actually was a pilot who flew planes off her deck!), and I couldn’t help myself but to have a conversation with one of them.

His name is Merton Bobo, and he was proud to share his memorabilia with me that he donated to the Lexington. “I was 19 when this picture was taken,” he smiled and pointed to a picture that had a group of three smiling young men in flying gear. He was a radioman and gunman in war aircraft during the Pacific theater of WWII (Iwo Jima, along with other well known battles). He continued to proudly show off the medals he earned during the war, along with his leather “fighter” jacket with a painted picture of a guy holding a bullet saying, “It’s a dud!” “I paid $10 for a guy to paint that on for me. And these are the maps they gave us just in case we got shot down over the water or over land so we knew how to get out.” Gulp. The peril of his job was simply stated.

“You are very beautiful, Rebeca,” he said as we shook hands and introduced ourselves formally. He winked saying, “I have a good eye for beauty, too. But, beauty isn’t just a pretty face. You have to have a nice presence.” I returned his crooked smile and took his picture.

"Bobo" and Me

I happened to be touring at the right time to be a part of the memorial service complete with naval customs and handsome characters in uniform. It was unexpected, but impactful to all visiting the ship.

As the two WWII veterans slowly made their way towards the entryway, arm in arm supporting one another, with a memorial wreath, sobs and sniffles could be heard along with the sound of the waves crashing against the side of the ship. Silently the two men released the wreath into the water and a lone trumpet began to play Silver Taps. The words of the naval officer conducting the memorial service resounded in my mind as silent tears streamed down my cheeks, “If we do not do something to remember, it’s not a shame on the fallen, but a shame on us.” The crowd dispersed in silence. This memory will forever be seared in my mind.

Memorial Day isn't just a day off from work to go shopping and drink with our friends. We remember.

Signs You're About to Have an Experience You Never Thought

“We are doing this one, right?” I wishfully pointed to the map of a hike labeled three hours duration. “Oh, no. We are doing this longer one. We can tackle it in half the time, then cook hotdogs for dinner.” I read the estimated hike time he mentioned. SIX to EIGHT hours! It was already 7:30 p.m. No dinner. I reluctantly turned to follow the group. This was the first sign.

I guess I'll follow

We journeyed up the inclined steps of the path. Save for the mosquitos buzzing around my head, I enjoyed gazing at the vibrant green plants with bursts of colorful flowers. I noticed the amount of descending hikers, several forced to sit and rest due to exhaustion. What did I get myself into? The second sign.

We hiked at a steady, quick pace. A cleared area of brush indicated a vantage point. I walked toward the edge to see the immensity of Exit Glacier. The wavering lines of the crevasses beheld beautiful colors of cerulean, grey, and white. Was this real life? Another sign.

Exit Glacier

“Just get to the top,” I kept murmuring and chanting to myself as a mantra to keep my hangry (angry hunger) symptoms at bay. Now above the treeline, the vibrant green flora turned to heather (think Scottish Highlands), which turned to rocks and dirt, which turned into SNOW! This South Texas girl experienced snow four times in twenty-seven years! Curse words sprinkled my mantra. A sign for what was to come.

We literally climbed a mountain!

I trudged and mumbled along the slippery, snowy path. Loud thuds immediately put me on alert for bears until I looked up to see a giant rock barreling down the mountainside towards the path! Frozen in my place, the rock bounced right over the path fifteen feet from me. Did something not want us there? A sign.

It was midnight, the sun did not set, but was at the correct position to paint the snow all shades of pink, orange, and purple. And there it was. We walked up to the magnificence of the Harding Ice Field expanding for hundreds of miles across the horizon. The massive breadth of it all overwhelmed, consumed, and dizzied me with emotion. I was speechless and humbled by the painted colors of the sun, the majesty of the mountain peaks, and the quiet stillness of mother nature showcasing her best attributes.

Harding Ice Field

I never expected to experience nature in that way, nor to journey up a mountain to then declare that it marked one of my favorite adventures to date. Though there may be signs that beckon you to quit, the journey of persistence will surely reward.

Photos courtesy of Darren Drake.