SUTTON Travels

31 May 2018

Centennial Park Nashville Tennessee

Lake at Centennial Park, Nashville TN / G Sutton 2017

Centennial Park is near downtown Nashville, Tennessee (500 West End Ave).

It's a great spot to walk around, enjoy the shade, enjoy some summer shade, consider The Parthenon, and have a picnic.

Parthenon, Nashville TN /G Sutton 2017

Sometimes you will find special events-check the website for details.

There's places for sports and information about local history.

Check out the Official Link for more information

10 January 2018

World War II Museum Boeing Center-Planes & More

At the National World War II Museum there are two buildings I haven't covered in previous posts: US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center and the John E. Kushner Restoration Pavilion.

As the name suggests, the Boeing Center is mostly about planes. There is a theater on the first floor, a gift shop, and kiosks where you can explore stories of pilots. The size of the building is impressive and of course necessary given the size and number of planes on display.

Flyng Fortress

Kiosks allow viewers to examine stories of WW II personnel. I looked up Louis Zamperini and a few others. Zamperini ran in the 1936 Olympics and served as a bombardier in the Pacific before his plane went down. He survived the Pacific Ocean in a raft and two years as a POW. His conversion and story of forgiveness inspires many.

The Restoration Building has a few examples of restored equipment on the main floor. If you have time at the end of your visit, its worth browsing the collection to learn more about some specialized equipment.

RELATED POSTS

NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM Part I

D-Day Exhibit (Part II)

ROAD TO BERLIN (Part III)

PATH TO TOKYO (Part IV)

World War II Planes & More (Part 5) (This post)

World War II Memorial Washington DC

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM DC

My Website: www.suttong.com

NATIONAL WW II MUSEUM Website: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/

09 January 2018

From America to Tokyo World War II Museum

The path to Tokyo exhibit is on the second floor of the Campaigns of Courage Building on the campus of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans Louisiana.

Although I have seen many documentaries on WWII and read many books, the exhibit helps understand the gargantuan task of the American military to create a force large enough and strong enough to cover the vast Pacific Ocean and hop from one island to another to defeat the Empire of Japan.

A massive wall map offers perspective.

Island warfare included many natural enemies as the troops battled heat and disease in difficult terrain against an enemy willing to fight to the last person rather than surrender.

As with other exhibits, story boards and videos are set in a battlefield context.

After years of close combat and millions of lost lives, we reach the final scene. The log book from the Enola Gay and photos remind us again of the horror of the nuclear age.

The war finally ends 2 September 1945.

Related Posts

NATIONAL WW II MUSEUM

D-DAY EXHIBIT

WW II MEMORIAL, WASHINGTON DC

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM DC

MY WEB PAGE www.suttong.com

08 January 2018

World War II Museum Road to Berlin

The Road to Berlin exhibit is a dramatic presentation of the allied paths to defeat Nazi Germany. You will find it on the lower level of the Campaigns of Courage Building.

Armed with cameras and carrying our modern packs, we trudge across the fields of France engaging German soldiers and avoiding friendly and enemy bombers.

We are embedded in scenes that include the machinery of war against Western European landscapes.

We pause to watch videos and view case displays presented in context.

The D-Day invasion began 6 June 1944. By 1 July, almost a million men were in France.

You get a sense of the harshness and courage during the cold winter of the Battle of the Bulge, which took place in December, 1944. Here, about 75,000 Americans lost their lives. German casualities were about 100,000.

Amidst the devastation, there is a touch of humor.

The destruction of German cities is unimaginable, but we get a glimpse from enlarged photos.

On May 8, 1945 (VE Day; Victory in Europe) the European war ended.

Like the war itself, the Museum is on a grand scale.

Related Posts

NATIONAL WW II MUSEUM

D-DAY EXHIBIT

PATH TO TOKYO

WW II MEMORIAL, WASHINGTON DC

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM DC

MY WEB PAGE www.suttong.com

World War II Museum D-Day

The D-Day exhibit is a permanent exhibit in the entry building (Louisiana Pavilion) at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana.

D-Day was 6 June 1944 and was known as Operation Overlord.

As you enter, you view a full size replica of the Telemetry Room of the Riva Bella Fire Direction Tower at Normandy. Nearby is a model of the full tower.

The packs carried by the soldiers contained a selection of items, which are included in various displays.

Early on, paratroopers took off from airfields in the south of Britain. They landed at pre-selected drop zones in Northern France.

But some troopers were "dummies" used to deceive the enemy.

The landings on the five beaches continued through the day. Several enlarged photos tell the story.

Juno Beach

Sword Beach

The Canadians were amongst the first of the allies that began to build an invasion force in December 1939. After America entered the war in 1941, they send more than 1.4 million troops in 1943 and 1944.

Eventually, over 2 million troops joined forces by D-Day. In addition to the USA, UK, and Canadians were Australian, Belgian, Czech, Dutch, French, Greek, New Zealand, Norwegian, Rhodesian, and Polish troops and support personnel.

The invasion was the largest multiforce (naval, air, land) invasion in the history of the world.

The combined forces served under the command of American General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

How many died? Estimates from the D-Day Museum list more than 425,000 Allied and German troops killed, wounded, or missing during the battle of Normandy.

The allies captured about 200,000 German prisoners of war.

The five beaches of the Normandy D-Day Invasion (IWM)

Utah - US 4th Infantry Division
Omaha - US 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions
Gold - British 50th Division
Juno - Canadian 3rd Division
Sword - British 3rd Division

See Part I for more information on the National WWII Museum.

Related Posts

NATIONAL WW II MUSEUM

D-DAY EXHIBIT

PATH TO TOKYO

WW II MEMORIAL, WASHINGTON DC

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM DC

MY WEB PAGE www.suttong.com

World War II Museum Part I

Enter the outstanding National WW II Museum via the Lousiana Memorial Pavilion. After purchasing your tickets (I bought the two-day ticket with 4D experience), head over to the Train Car.

Inside the train car you get ready to ship off to war following a brief film. Then head upstairs for the D-Day (or other) exhibits. I found the D-Day Exhibit well-organized and informative with plenty of artifacts.

Based on my selected 4-D Film Experience admission time, I walked across the covered bridge to the next building to enter the Solomon Victory Theater. I got a center seat with a good view of the large screen. The film, Beyond All Aboundaries, narrated by Tom Hanks, is a dramatic overview of WWII enhanced with multiple visual layers, stage props, simulated snowfall, and rumbling seats. It's a worthwhile addition to the entry fee. Below is a trailer from YouTube.

I returned to the main entry building to review the Home Front exhibit. You will see various scenes from 1940s America along with artifacts.

In between scheduled events, I walked around the large vehicles on the main floor.

There's more to see in other buildings, which I will include in separate posts.

Perspective: This is an American Museum, which focuses on the American forces. That said, the people of the USA contributed so many lives and resources to defeating Germany, Japan, and Italy thus, any story of the war would need to emphasize the role of the USA.

The focus is primarily on the military accomplishments. The contributions of other Americans are acknowledged along with some of the dishonorable aspects such as the treatment of African Americans and Japanese Americans.

Fees: The Museum is NOT free. The tickets are pricey for a museum but I think the experience is worth paying for.

Food: There is a cafe near the Solomon Victory Theater. Prices are expensive as in many museums. There are a variety of restaurants within walking distance.

Times: See the website for details. The museums are open most days. When I visited, the hours were 9 to 5. I spent most of two days at the museums but took a leisurely lunch nearby.

Parking & Transportation: There is parking nearby. I stayed at a nearby hotel and just walked to the museum. Public transportation is available.

Location: 945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130 USA

RELATED POSTS

D-Day Exhibit

ROAD TO BERLIN

PATH TO TOKYO

World War II Memorial Washington DC

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM DC

My Website: www.suttong.com

MUSEUM Website: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/

15 November 2017

United States Capitol

U S Capitol 2017

The U S Capitol is a must see for visitors to Washington DC.

Inside are galleries and exhibitions.

You can download an app to learn more about the capitol, including the landscape and events.

Before visiting, be sure to watch the orientation video on the webpage.

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON DC

Here’s a few places to see along with some photos and links to information.

United States Capitol

Monuments and Memorials

Washington Monument