On our last day in Norwich, we felt like we wanted to get out and do something. Right down the road from our hotel was the Naval Submarine Base and the Submarine Force Library and Museum which featured a free tour of the USS Nautilus, the first atomic powered submarine.
Free? Now that's our kind of museum!
The gigantic concentric circle outside the museum are the the circumferences of two different submarines, the USS Ohio and USS Holland. I think I'd fit into the Ohio better.
Outside the museum were several small subs.
It was a beautiful day as we walked down to the dock.
The gangway leading to the Nautilus.
As soon as Jim boarded, however, a national emergency warning was sounded. Al Qaeda had been seen prowling the dockyard using Muslim dolphins. Given his extensive experience as a field commander in his military high school, Jim was immediately transcripted into taking charge of the sub.
The young naval officer at the gangway snapped to attention and assured Jim he would follow every order.
Jim told him a head to toe inspection was mandatory. The sailor was disappointed to discover Jim meant "OF THE SHIP." (Or was he relieved?) First the tiny bunkbeds. Not fit for a senior officer like Jim, of course. (In fact, there was no WAY he would fit.)
Next were the torpedo tubes.
The toilet area was just a bit snug.
Ah, this was more like it. The Officer's mess.
And the officer's cabin. Much better than those bunks.
Mmm. Lunch! (The guide told us that the food on a submarine is the best in the service because of the tight living quarters and rare exposure to sunlight.)
And this young man was doing dishwashing duty. (Do these manikens seem a little gay to you?). See the round metal thing in front of him? That's the dishwashing machine.
This room on the lower level serves as crew mess, plus hospital plus just about anything they need a larger area for. These manikens were playing cards while dressed in diving masks. Surgical tools were spread out in front of them. I had this image of them drawing cards to see who has to do the cutting.
Oh no! The Al Qaeda dolphins have been sighted!
False alarm. Turns out they were double agents for us and are now happily playing with some kids at an aquarium in Florida. Time for Jim to leave the sub in victory. Not that easy a job, actually.
At the victory celebration, Jim is given the Congressional Medal of Honor but causes a scandal when he asks how the United States could go from having the smartest President to the dumbest in a single election cycle.
Oh, well. Who wants to go into politics anyway?
TAGS: Jim Brochu, USS Nautilus, submarines, Connecticut, Submarine Museum.
1 comment:
Gee, I'm jealous. I actually wanted to be assigned to "boomers" when I was in the Navy, but I was too tall.
I wound up on aircraft carriers, instead.
Looks like yooze guyz had fun!
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