We've Seen the Kidd

Well, it was hot. Hottttt. I don't know if it was just being more south and on the Mississippi or if all that metal on the Kidd was just radiating like crazy but I felt like I was melting. But it was an interesting four hours. I was a little worried about Grandpa going up and down all these steep companionways...You know those things that are like two thirds ladder, one third stairs that you see young sailors hurling themselves down on old Victory at Sea movies? But he did just fine.

My favorite part was sitting on one of those little gun chair things on deck and turning a wheel and moving the whole gun turret.

After much searching, we found where Grandpa's bunk was, and his locker that was destroyed by a friendly fire shell.

I'm glad I have never had to spend any amount of time living aboard a destroyer with hundreds of other people. I think I would have gone mad with claustrophobia.

There were some workmen aboard. I have no idea what they were fixing but we used some of their water from a nice big water cooler thing to hydrate ourselves. There were a bunch of paper cups stacked up on the top of the cooler so we helped ourselves. And then regretted it when we were drinking the water and saw the initials scratched on the bottoms of the cups. Oh my werd.

We poked around the museum ( hallelujah for air conditioning) and talked with the curator or administrator (or whatever his title was) and had a nice little exchange of information.

We were all pretty beat so after we left and got some lunch, (and drove across the Mississippi so I could say that I had been to the other side!) we went back to the hotel and took hefty naps.

And tomorrow, on the road again!