Nashville

What a neat place.  I've been around the outskirts of Nashville many times but never took the time to see the sights.
Ryman auditorium, C&W Hall of Fame, new Grand Ole Opry.  As a plus, we took a bus tour and learned about many of the buildings etc. in Nashville.
Part of the tour was Andrew Jackson's home "The Hermitage".  I was told, and I'm sure it was by a reliable source, that the original name was "Rural Retreat" but because many of our southern folks have a problem with the word "rural" it was changed to "hermitage".  I don't make these things up!
Some how I neglected to take a picture of the outside of the main house.

Looking off the back porch from the main house.
This is the burial spot of Andrew Jackson and his wife.

Slave quarters.

Probably the best part of the trip for me was the tour to the city of Franklin, Tennessee.  Franklin was the scene of the bloodiest battle of the civil war.  Over 10,000 Confederate and Federal were kill in a battle that lasted approximately five hours.  Had either of the two bridges leading to Nashville been usable at the time, the Federal Army would have move right on to Nashville and the battle would never have taken place.

Three homes were directly involved during and after the battle.

The Carter House would become the headquarters of the Federal Army.

The Lotz House was across the street from the Carter House and received substantial damage from small arms and cannon fire.  The south side of the home was almost completely destroyed.  It was rebuilt after the war by the owner.

Finally the Carnton Plantation.  This was to become a Federal Field Hospital or more of a triage.  Dead and dying solders were left in the outer rooms or outside.  Those that could possibly be saved were taken into the house and there attended to.  The blood stains are still visible on the wooden floors.

There is a cemetery on the property that was donated by the Cranton family.  Here are the remains of the Federal soldiers and some Confederate soldiers. Many of the graves are unmarked due to the lack of identification on the soldiers.

Certainly a sad part of our history, but still a very important part that needs to be remembered.

This is the south facing office building of the Carter House.
Notice the bullet holes.  

A closer view of the Office building

This is the south facing wall of the smoke house.  Again, notice the bullet holes.

The front of the Carnton Plantation House

Day 14

Our last day with the old squadron.
Most everyone used the morning and early afternoon to do some site seeing.
Cheryl and I chose Beale St.
When I was stationed here in 1966, A Beale Street was off limits. 

Beale Street is now a collection of Blues Bars cafe's and gift stores.  It was probably a wild place in 1966 but you'd never know it now.
Highlight of the trip was the sidewalk fair and antique auto show at the end of the street.

A real Schwab's drug store.  Lots of neat antiques.

Hard to read.  This belongs to Jerry Lee Lewis

Not really an alley.  More like a 6X8 space between buildings.
Oh, no one was home!

At the top of Beale Street.  Sign on the door said everyone musts be off Beale Street by 3:00 AM.

Back to the hotel for a little "old folks" rock n roll, some food and pictures.  

Good bye's were said and tentative plans were made for another reunion in two years.

NOTE: Plans have changed somewhat.

This is my first reunion with HMM-161 but I don't plan on it being the last.  Great time, great food and great people.  Who could ask for more?

Ron and his wife Jennifer.
Thank you!

Add caption

Day 13

Friday morning up bright (?) and somewhat early for a tour of the Naval Base in Millington, Tennessee.
The last time I saw the base was in 1974 and I didn't recognize it.  The aviation schools have all been moved to other bases.  The wooden barracks we lived in were torn down 40+ years ago and the barracks I stayed in during my last tour were torn down also.  The only building I recognized was the mess hall and that is now a fitness center.

Lunch at the hotel.  Swapping more lies or war stories and catching up on life.  Dinner at the hotel and viewing some old pictures (I actually had hair).  Great day!

Day 10/11/12

We left Lafayette Tuesday morning 10 June.  I packed up in the rain so needless to say I was soaking wet by the time we left.
I took off my wet shoes and sock and spent the rest of the day driving without shoes.  Just a good ole boy from Arizona.
It rained most of the day so we decided to find a place for the night between Jackson, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee.  We chose a quaint little place called Frog Hollow.
Cheryl was almost in heaven. Those that don't know, Cheryl is a real frog lover and the gift shop was absolutely full of ceramic frogs.  I will give her credit.  She restrained herself and only bought one things.  A cute frog wishing well.  Battery operated.
After a good night sleep we started out on our usual leisurely pace.  We arrived in Cordova, Tennessee and was set up before dark.  Almost a first.
Dinner Wednesday night was at a place called "The Butcher Shop".  Great steaks, reasonable price and friendly service.  In other words "chow was sufficient in both quantity and quality".  You Marines should remember that phrase.
Thursday morning it was off to Graceland.  Yes, it's overpriced.  Yes, it's commercialized to the hilt.  Yes, it was worth it.

I didn't realize how many gold and platinum records Elvis had been awarded.  There were room after room with nothing but gold and platinum records.  Everything from country to gospel.
We toured his mansion, his planes and viewed some of his car collection.  He even had a completely restored John Deere Tractor.  The lighting was very low to preserve the cars.  We weren't allowed to take flash photography so the quality of the pictures is lacking.

Living Room

This was only one wall of one room.

Entrance to the burial Place of Elvis, his parents, twin brother and grandmother.

Fountain at Grave site

Grave of Elvis Presley

We left Graceland and headed to the hotel to meet the group from HMM-161.  This was my first reunion.  After a lot of hugs and back slaps we had dinner.  After dinner a lot of reminiscing and re-acquainting.
We're missing a lot of folks. Some couldn't make it and some couldn't be found and some have passed on.
Before I go on, I need to acknowledge Ron Winter and his wife for all the hard work they did putting the reunion together.  They certainly went above and beyond the call.  Marines, and their wives, do things like that.

Day 6/7

Our six+ hour drive to Lafayette, Louisiana via I-20 and then South at Shreveport on I-49 turned into an eight hour drive.  I sometimes forget I only have a one hour bladder, and we do need to eat occasionally.
Got to Maxie's campground and right away I knew I'd picked the wrong place.  100 yards from the railroad track and just off the main highway.  NO WAY!
So, off to KOA usually my last choice.
We stayed Saturday night and then Sunday morning I called Bayou Wilderness Campgrounds.  They had great reviews and they were really out in the Bayou,  Quite and well taken care of.  The bathrooms were spotless.  We had found our resting place for the next two days.
We met Sherry and Steve, my daughter and son-in-law, for lunch at Prejean's.  I ordered the blacken catfish.  Excellent.
We spent the rest of the afternoon just visiting with Sherry and Steve.  Did I mention how much I love my family?
We had a well deserved rest Sunday night.  Watch a DVD and just relaxed.
Next morning, Monday, Sherry took us to McGee's Landing and a wonderful swamp tour.
My first experience on an air boat.  It's hard to believe that before the Army Corps of Engineers build the levee system in the Atchafalaya Basin that families actually lived in the swamp.  They lived off the land, or in this case water and some never saw a town.  After the levee's were built the water level in the basin fluctuated too much for the families to remain and they either moved to one of the surrounding towns or left the basin for another part of the swamp.  Yes, there are still places where people live in the swamp.  Some have no contact with the outside world and some only speak Cajun.
Our guide did his best to find us an alligator.  Unfortunately they just weren't sunning themselves this particular day.
After the tour we ate lunch at the restaurant.  Po Boy sandwiches.  Cheryl had a shrimp po boy and I had Cajun sausage.  I'm going to weigh 300 lbs by the time this trip is over.
We had a nice visit with Sherry for the rest of the afternoon and then she had to leave.  Did you know she actually had to go to bed early so she could get up at 4:00 AM to go to work?  Terrible.  How do people live like that?
Another peaceful night.  No loud neighbors, trains or air brakes on semi's.




.

This is one of the Air Boats 

Cypress trees

An outboard would never make it through here

One of the many channels

Here's the only 'gator we saw

A hunting blind. For real!