Midway at Oakland, Calif., October 11, 2003. (See Fate).

I took this photo while on board the Liberty ship Jeremiah O'Brien during the Fleet Week cruise.

As seen from the entrance to the Charles Howard Terminal (Oakland, CA), October 16, 2003. (See Fate).

Oakland, California, October 2003.

The final voyage of ex-USS Midway (CV-41). She is proceeding under tow, towards the Golden Gate and her trip down the coast to her final berth at San Diego, where she will open as a museum, possibly by June. This image is pretty fuzzy, but still significant as the final sailing after almost 60 years.

Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., Jan 5, 2004 — A tugboat tows the decommissioned aircraft carrier Midway into the San Diego bay. Midway will be moored temporarily at Naval Air Station North Island to take-on restored historical aircraft and will soon be home ported across the bay in San Diego, as the center piece for the United States' biggest museum devoted to carriers and naval aviation. When launched on September 10, 1945 as USS Midway (CVB-41) she was the largest carrier ever put to sea. For nearly 50 years she saw action in every major U.S. conflict to include military action in Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class David Levy (# 040105-N-6811L-001).

Another view, as above. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate Airman Rebecca J. Moat (# 040105-N-8629M-001).

This is a satellite image of the ex-USS Midway as the tugs nudged her alongside Navy Pier, San Diego, CA, at 11:38 a.m. on January 10, 2004.

Three views of ex-USS Midway alongside at her new berth at Navy Pier, San Diego, 10 January 2004.

As above.

As above.

San Diego, March 29, 2004

USS Midway Museum Entrance. Note ports in ship's transom, through which anti-torpedo decoys (towed noisemakers) were trailed.

This Douglas A-4F Skyhawk, BuNo 154977, shows markings of VA-23 "Black Knights," part of Carrier Air Wing One Nine (CVW-19, tail code "NM") aboard USS Oriskany (CVA-34) in 1969, during the carrier's fourth deployment to Vietnam. VA-23 was disestablished on April 1, 1970. Photo: September 2005.

North American T-2C Buckeye, BuNo 156697, painted in standard white/orange trainer scheme. September 2005.

View of the flight deck from the angled deck, looking forward. The large, square antenna of the SPS-48C 3/D radar is prominent atop the lattice mast, abaft the island.

Plane closest to camera is a Lockheed S-3 Viking. Its BuNo appears to be 159766, but it's in dispute. BuNo 159766 was manufactured as an S-3A, later upgraded to the S-3B standard, and later converted to an ES-3 Shadow; it was used for surveillance missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom and put on display aboard Midway on December 7, 2004. It is painted in the dull gray tactical scheme and shows markings of VS-41 "Shamrocks," a Fleet Replacement Squadron.

September 2005.

"Pri-fly," looking forward. Primary Flight Control ("Pri-Fly") is the control tower for the flight operations on the carrier. Here, the "Air Boss" controls the takeoffs, landings, aircraft in the air near the ship, and the movement of planes on the flight deck. September 2005.

Pilothouse, from where the helmsman steers the ship. September 2005.

Front view of the island structure. September 2005.

A very interesting view of the island structure. September 2005.

View of the island and Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, BuNo 161227, October 2005.

Gangway, October 2005.

A great panorama shot taken from the bridge of the Midway. This is a beautiful picture of downtown San Diego all the way to the Coronado Bridge which takes you over to North Island; November 29, 2005.

Planes seen on deck are:

Foreground:

Middle distance, left to right:

Background, left to right:

Another view of the island, November 29, 2005.

A McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II, BuNo 153880, is in the foreground. Port side shows markings of VF-142 "Ghostriders," part of Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14, tail code "NK") aboard USS Constellation (CVA-64) in 1964-1965 and 1967-1970.

Also visible is a Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, BuNo 161227, with no squadron markings.

Port view, amidships. November 2005. Bell UH-1B Iroquois on left is in fact a US Army helicopter, serial number 60-3614, painted in the markings of HAL-3 "Seawolves" (a number of Army UH-1 "gunships" were transferred to the Navy to support PBR operations in Vietnam; these helicopters were initially (1966) assigned to Detachments of squadron HC-1, and became squadron HAL-3 in 1967.)

The Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight to right of photo, BuNo 150954, is painted in HC-3 markings.

Port view, November 2005. Port side of Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King, BuNo 149711, is painted in HS-6 "Indians" markings (see NS024171 for stbd side.)

Port side of North American RA-5C Vigilante, BuNo 156641, shows markings of RVAH-12 "Speartips," part of CVW-9 (tail code "NG") aboard USS America (CVA-66) in 1970 (see NS024171 for stbd side.)

Midway's port elevator. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is in the left distance, and USS Nimitz (CVN-68) astern of CVN-76. November 2005.

Partial view of island, flight deck and angled deck, looking aft. November 2005.

Signal hoist reads: (stbd) GO NAVY BLUE (port) BEAT ARMY GRAY. November 2005.

(By the way, Navy beat Army, 42-23, December 3, 2005 :-))

Crane riggers from the US Navy Public Works Center (PWC) guide a F-8K Crusader aircraft onto a floating barge for delivery to USS Midway (CV-41) Museum in downtown San Diego, December 27, 2005. For over 30 years, the F-8 Crusader served the US Navy and Marine Corps as a front-line fighter and photo reconnaissance aircraft. US Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Michael R. McCormick (# 051227-N-3931M-028).

This Crusader, BuNo 147030, shows markings of VF-111 "Sundowners," part of CVW-2 (tail code "NE") aboard USS Midway in 1965.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) can be seen in the background.