It was Friday the 13th, but we were very excited about the weekend in Virginia Beach, particularly the opportunity to dance on the Battleship Wisconsin (BB-64). Accordingly, Ellen, Marc, Karyn and I packed ourselves into the PT Cruiser and headed out. Our trip to Virginia Beach was very pleasant, and we met up with the rest of the crew at Echoes in Time (320-B Laskin Road, 757-428-2332), the city's premiere Vintage store. Our timing was perfect and Tom, Theresa, Theresa's Mom, Tony, Joe and Chris arrived at the rendezvous within minutes of each other. Our great thanks to Theresa's Mom, who got us very nice accomodations at the BOQ at the Little Creek naval Amphibious Base. We had a great time at the Base and enjoyed talking about Navy lore with the guys.

Ready to Go
It really holds four vintage nuts and all their baggage!


At Echoes in Time
Lots of Selection


Theresa Werner
Thanks for everything, Theresa!

ON Saturday Morning, we took a side trip to the legendary M & G Surplus (2921 Granby) which is sort of the Holy Grail for Navy Militaria. Everyone managed to add to their collection and prices were very reasonable. If you collect Navy, go to M & G!

Lots of Different Uniforms
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Marc Shepanek finds a Mess Jacket
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Ellen checks out the snowshoes
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Karyn and Frank were in Heaven!
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky

Friday night was marked by a torrential downpour, but it did not deter almost 100 people from packing the Senior Center for a USO dance. In fact, the building had been used for USO Dances during World War II. It was a little hot, but everyone seemed to have a fantastic time.

A USO Banner
Really from the 1940s


The Friday Crowd
Hot But Happy


Ellen and Marc


Patrick and "Miss March"
From the Pinup Calendar..


Karyn and Dr. Jerrold
That's a real USO Canteen Uniform that she's wearing


Sonia and Lee


This lady came all the way from North Carolina


Theresa and Tom
She looks great in polka dots

Theresa Werner organized a wonderful lunch. For those of you who don't know, Doumars is a Virginia Beach legend that has been serving great sandwiches and ice cream since the turn of the century. They are located right across the street from Maury High School, so they are beloved by generations of folks that hung out there and danced to the jukebox as teenagers. They have offered curb service practically since the automobile was invented, and hence, Doumars' is also beloved by the classic car community. Theresa was able to effect a merger between the two communities -- she got the Model A Club of Cape Henry to meet us for lunch with their classic vehicles and then they would drive us to the Nauticus Park where the Battleship Wisconsin is located. This was a fantastic lunch and the parade downtown in antique cars turned a lot of heads. This was a wonderful time, and thanks again, Theresa.

Al Doumars and the Girls
Al has been serving ice cream since 1942


The gang at Doumars

Ellen and Karyn
The Doumar's Original Model A Pickup is in the background


Dr. Jerrold with some of the Model As in the background
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


The 1937 Buick (Our Favorite..)
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Tony Nesky


On the Way!
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Out the Back Window
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Pulling up in front of the Battleship
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


We LOVED the Buick...

If you have never seen a Battleship, you have missed something amazing. An Iowa Class Battleship like the Wisconsin is amazing squared. This monstrous vessel was home to 3,700 men who worked in absolute precision to enable her big guns to place shells four feet long and 16 inches in diameter right on target no matter how rough the seas were. She is truly a marvel of the electromechanical age, and a real thing of beauty. She's only five months older than me, so I guess that it's OK that I am head over heels in love with her...

USS Wisconsin, a 45,000-ton Iowa class battleship built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, was commissioned in April 1944. After shakedown in the Caribbean area, she joined the Pacific Fleet in October 1944 and reached the western Pacific combat zone in December. Over the next nine months, Wisconsin took part in operations to capture the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa and raid the Japanese home islands. During this period, she rode out two typhoons without damage and used her sixteen-inch guns to bombard enemy targets in Okinawa and Japan.

With the coming of peace, Wisconsin undertook routine operations, including a cruise to South America in late 1946 and a visit to Europe in mid-1947. She was placed out of commission in July 1948, but reentered active service in March 1951. She made one Korean War combat tour in November 1951-April 1952, during which she served as flagship of the Seventh Fleet and undertook extensive shelling along the North Korean coast. Wisconsin made another cruise as Seventh Fleet flagship in 1953-54. She also carried midshipmen on several training cruises to European and South American waters during the 1950s and took part in several fleet exercises.

USS Wisconsin was the Navy's last active battleship when she decommissioned in March 1958. She remained in reserve for three decades, but recommissioned in October 1988 in the waning days of the Reagan-era naval expansion. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 brought her to the Persian Gulf area within a few weeks. She was on station there when Operation "Desert Storm" combat operations began in mid-January 1991. During the brief war that followed, Wisconsin fired missiles at targets in Iraq and used her guns to help force the enemy from Kuwait. With the Mid-east war over, and the end of the Cold War producing major cuts in defense expenditures, USS Wisconsin was decommissioned for a third time in September 1991

Coincidentally, her polished teak decks made a marvelous dance surface. We are going to remember this event for a very long time! Thanks to Wendy Wenck and all her friends in Virginia Beach for making this possible. We really loved it!

Dancing under the front turret
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


The band
Located on the Starboard quarter under the aft turret
just like in Follow the Fleet


Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Photo Credit: Tony Nesky

Counter for the Entire Site (not just this page..)