Veterans groups travel from far, far away to experience Naval Museum

Photo By Max Lonzanida | David Witt, a veteran crewmember from the USS Randolph (CV-15), had the opportunity to visit the Hampton Roads Naval Museum on Wednesday, September 26, 2018. Witt, and his wife Betsy, travelled from Kansas City, Missouri; and noted that this was the first time in five years that he was able to travel since having surgery. Witt served as an Aviation Ordinanceman aboard the carrier in the 1950s, and recounted his roles during the ships Regulus Missile Testing and his meditteranean cruises. Museum Educator, AJ Orlikoff, was able to search in the museum’s on-site archives and located some archived photos of the USS Randolph; which were provided to Witt and his wife as mementos of their visit. Afterwards, the couple had the opportunity to tour the USS Wisconsin (BB-64), which is an Iowa-Class Battleship moored permanently next to the museum as a museum ship. The Wisconsin is also a popular venue for military ceremonies. Note: Images submitted to DVIDS (Defense Visual Information Distribution Service) are available for the public to download and utilize without cost. If this image appears on a commercial site that charges a fee to download, you can avert this by going to www.Dvidshub.net, and search for the associated image under our command, Naval History & Heritage Command, where the high resolution image is available without cost. (US Navy Photo by Civilian Public Affairs Officer Max Lonzanida/Released)  

NORFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES

10.02.2018

Story by Max Lonzanida  

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum, located on the second floor of Nauticus, showcases over 240 years of Naval history as it relates to the Hampton Roads Area. Museum staff members often tout the museum as the coffee shop located inside of a library as it occupies the second deck of Nauticus, a City of Norfolk venue. Most days, visitors walk through or on the way back from touring the USS Wisconsin (BB-64), one of four Iowa-Class Battleships that is moored next to the museum as a museum ship. But on this particular week, the museum welcomed some US Navy veterans who travelled from out of state to visit and had the opportunity to talk to museum staff members.

On Wednesday, September 26, Museum Educator AJ Orlikoff had the opportunity to meet with David and Betsy Witt. The couple had travelled from Kansas City, Missouri, and were delighted to visit the museum. Betsy, David’s wife of over 40 years, indicated that this was the first time in five years that he was able to travel after several rounds of surgery which left him with mobility issues. David, as it turned out, was a proud US Navy veteran and had served aboard the carrier, USS Randolph (CV-15) as an Aviation Ordinanceman.

The Randolph was commissioned in 1944, and was later re-designated as an anti-submarine warfare carrier. In 1956, the carrier had the distinction of being the first carrier to launch a Regulus cruise missile from its deck. Museum Educator, AJ Orlikoff took quick note of some of the former AO’s stories; and went into the museum’s on-site archives. Orlikoff was able to track down some historical photos of the Regulus missile, and some images of the Randolph in the Mediterranean; copies were made and provided to the couple. After David opened the folder with the photo-copied images; a flood of fond memories and emotions overwhelmed him; and a warm smile emerged.

The couple made their way across the gangway to the USS Wisconsin (BB-64) after their walk through of the Naval Museum. On the fantail of the Wisconsin, David’s wife Betsy took out her camera and eagerly snapped pictures of the red brick campus across the Elizabeth River. As she snapped pictures, David indicated that their son was born at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth; and he recounted his time in the mid 1950’s being stationed in Norfolk. The couple departed the ship and the museum, visibly happier and with a folder full of ship photos.

The next afternoon, on September 27, the museum welcomed over 70 former crew members of the USS Columbus (CA-74/CG-12) for self-guided tours of the museum. The crew members were part of the USS Columbus Association’s Annual Re-union; and had just stepped off the bus from Virginia Beach. The group, and their family members were staying locally in Virginia Beach and eagerly walked through the museum and Nauticus.

The group’s president, Allen Hope, recounted his time as a Fire Control Technician aboard the ship from 1964-1969. Hope indicated that many of the association’s crewmembers talked about the museum and its exhibits on the bus ride over, and that he was glad to finally visit. Hope provided some insights to his service; including his time aboard the ship when it was deployed to Vietnam. He vividly recalled his time manning the RIM-24 Tartar Surface to Air Missiles, and eagerly shared service stories with museum staff members. Museum Educator, Joseph Miechle was on-hand in the museum’s gallery to present Hope with a commemorative Vietnam Veteran Pin along. Hope fondly looked at the pin, and added it to the collection on of pins on his hat. Several other Vietnam Era veterans from the reunion walked through the museum’s gallery on the way to the USS Wisconsin; and all got back on the bus after their tour with more stories to tell as they reconnected with each other.

• Date Taken: 10.02.2018
• Date Posted: 10.02.2018 10:18
• Story ID: 295121
• Location: NORFOLK, VA, US