111: HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONE

“Revvin’ up your engine; Listen to her howlin’ roar. Metal under tension; Beggin’ you to touch and go. Highway to the danger zone. Ride into the danger zone”.

It was Tuesday July 16, 2019 and the three of us were anxious to make the three-mile drive from the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, which was home to the world-famous Blue Angels. At the entrance to the Naval base, there was already a line of vehicles waiting to get in at 8:15am; which was 45 minutes before the museum opened and over three hours before the Blue Angels’ practice session was slated to start. I heard my photographer tell his wife that there were only three practice sessions scheduled for the month of July; the exercises on the 2nd and 3rd were cancelled due to weather – which made the one that we were about to witness the only practice of the month.

At 8:15am there was a line of vehicles waiting to enter the Naval Air Station Base in Pensacola, Florida.

Once we were on the base, we had a 30-minute wait to enter the National Naval Aviation Museum. Normally a half-hour delay doesn’t seem terribly long, but the 90-degree temperature was making it uncomfortable for everyone in line. The air conditioning inside the museum was a godsend; but the fact that there was no fee to visit the gallery of aircraft or to watch the Blue Angels practice was even better. My photographer and his wife wandered around the museum and looked at some of the 150-plus aircraft that were on display in the building. Two months earlier I saw the Wright Flyer, The Spirit of St. Louis, and Glamorous Glennis at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Although the planes in this Naval museum had been meticulously restored and looked cool, they didn’t hold any historical significance; which for me, diminished the “wow factor”. Perhaps the only vehicle that impressed me was the Skylab 2 Command Module that took astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr., Joseph P. Kerwin, and Paul J. Weitz into space to repair the damaged Skylab – the first orbital U.S. space station.

The P-40C Tomahawk, a World War II plane flown by pilots known as ‘Flying Tigers’, was on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum.
My photographer captured several images of the cool looking plane and sent them to Lincoln Brown; who is not only a military aircraft aficionado, he’s also a co-worker of Tom’s as well.
We got our first look at the blue and gold Navy planes as four A-4 Skyhawks hung in formation in the Blue Angel Atrium of the museum.
The Apollo Command Module of Skylab 2 was flown by astronauts Charles Conrad, Jr, Joseph P. Kerwin; and Paul J. Weitz as they made repairs to the orbital space station Skylab.
The cramped interior of the Skylab 2 Command Module made it hard to believe that three astronauts sat inside that capsule and flew into space.
With the scored exterior of the Skylab 2 Command Module, it appeared the craft felt the wrath of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

We killed nearly two hours inside the museum until it was time to make the long trek out to the flight line. As the three of us exited the building, the extreme heat of the late morning immediately consumed my two companions. While Tom and Vicki got lucky when they rented two of the last remaining handful of plastic folding chairs that were available, there was no shade in which to escape the Sun’s rays. At precisely 11:30am, the first four of the half dozen blue and gold McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet jets took to the air. A minute or two later, two more planes went airborne; although we heard that one of the solo pilots had experienced mechanical problems with the landing gear of his jet and he would not engage in the show unless those issues were resolved. For roughly 45 minutes, the Blue Angels practiced their precision routine; a show that they’ve been doing since 1946 for more than 500 million spectators. From an opening in the camera case, I had a great view as the jets flew over with a thunderous roar of power; as well as to the cheers of the crowd. With each pass of the planes, my photographer snapped as many images as he could. Let’s take a look at the Blue Angels practice through the lens of Tom’s Nikon.

The long and hot walk out to the flight line.
The Blue Angels’ pilots navigated their jets to the runway for takeoff. The show was about to begin.

Blue Angels pilot Navy Captain Eric Doyle leads his squadron past the crowd at the conclusion of practice.
Safely back on the ground, we saluted the United States Navy’s Blue Angels.

The old saying “Practice makes perfect” was never more meaningful than it was at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. Even though the Blue Angels routine was considered a “practice”, it was nearly identical to the maneuvers those pilots do in their actual shows.  I knew that my photographer and his wife enjoyed the 45-minute demonstration; and for me, the show instilled a sense of American pride, patriotism, and an overall appreciation for the talent that each pilot possessed.  They truly rode the highway to the danger zone.  While those Naval aviators made their stunts look easy and routine, there was no doubt a huge amount of calculated danger with each “trick”.  Hopefully no one ever loses sight of the fact that 27 pilots have perished during the 73 years that the Blues have been performing; which is about 10% of the 261 pilots in the squadron’s history.  That’s one out of every ten Blue Angels pilots; as well as one pilot death every three years.  The last Blue Angels pilot to die while performing was Marine Captain Jeff Kuss who lost his life when his Hornet crashed during practice on June 2, 2016 in Smyrna, Tennessee.  The performance that we had witnessed was conducted just over three years since Kuss’ fatality.  With resin for brains, it makes it hard for me to process statistics; but it doesn’t take an Einstein bobble head to figure out that the Blue Angels were overdue for another fatal plane crash.  While I was extremely happy that a tragedy didn’t occur while the three of us watched; I left the light line with the hopes that there will never be another Blue Angels crash.

When we returned to the sun-scorched Highlander that was parked near the museum, Vicki couldn’t activate the vehicle’s air conditioner fast enough.  I laughed to myself when I heard Tom say out loud: “I knew Florida was called the Sunshine State, but someone underestimated that a bit.  Florida should be known as the Sunbaked State – stick a fork in us, I think we’re done!”  We left Pensacola behind as we travelled Highway 90 towards Mobile, Alabama; my companions searched for antique shops all along the way.  With no specific shops mapped-out, Tom and Vicki referred to their method as “freestyling”; a phrase they borrowed from the ‘American Pickers’ TV show.  At one point during our 125-mile ride along the Southern part of Alabama and into Mississippi, Vicki secured hotel reservations for that night; and it was a place that I was excited to stay.  Not only did she get us a room at the Biloxi, Mississippi Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, I heard her tell my photographer that we had a room with a view of the Gulf of Mexico.  For me, the rest of the day was special because I had never been to the state of Mississippi, nor had I ever seen the Gulf of Mexico either.  But the icing on the cake, at least for me, was I knew the Hard Rock Café was filled with Rock and Roll memorabilia and I couldn’t wait to see their collection.

We arrived at the Hard Rock Hotel at roughly 3:15pm, but it was nearly “four bells” by the time Tom and Vicki had the Highlander unpacked and all their stuff lugged up to our eighth-floor room.  While I was anxious to see some of the Rock and Roll mementos that were on display throughout the complex, my photographer had other ideas.  He and his wife had their sights set on attending a Minor League Baseball game; the first game of a double header between the hometown Biloxi Shuckers and the Chattanooga Lookouts was slated to start at 5:30pm.  Originally the date was scheduled as a single game, but heavy rain from Hurricane Barry postponed the previous day’s contest – which created the twin bill. MGM Park, which was the home of the Milwaukee Brewer’s Double-A Southern League team, was located about a half-mile West of our hotel. The three of us made the hike along Beach Boulevard to the stadium in about 15 minutes.

Our home for the night in Biloxi, Mississippi was the luxurious Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
I got my first look at the Gulf of Mexico through the window of our hotel room.

At the ballpark, Tom purchased our seats which were located along the first base line and luckily for us, the seats were in the shade.  Shortly after we paid a visit to the stadium’s pro-shop where my photographer bought a Biloxi Shuckers baseball hat, the first of a pair of seven-inning games got underway.  I remained in the camera case while Tom shoveled several hot dogs into his face for dinner, while Vicki had a dog and a beer of her own.  From time to time during the game, I heard my photographer complain that there wasn’t a lot of action; he was bored and extremely hot.  As a matter of fact, the biggest highlight that kept Tom’s interest was Shuckers’ starting pitcher Trey Supak had a no-hitter intact.  When the game entered the final frame with Biloxi holding a commanding 8-0 lead, Supak needed just three outs to complete his “no-no”.  After the first two Lookouts’ hitters were retired, Reds’ prospect Jose Siri hit a “seeing-eye single” up the middle to break up Supak’s bid for immortality.  Biloxi’s 6’ 5” 240-pound right-hander finished with a one-hit complete game shutout.

Tom captured this image while the umpires met with the managers at home plate before the start of the game.
With the day’s extreme heat, the last thing on our minds was Santa Claus. It turned out the Shuckers were celebrating ‘Christmas In July’ at the stadium.
Ever wonder what Santa does during his 364 days off from work? On that evening in Biloxi, he greeted fans at MGM Park. I had to admit, the Jolly Old Elf looked relaxed and comfortable.
Biloxi outfielder Cooper Hummel blasted a second-inning solo home run to put his team into the lead 1-0. Hummel had three hits in the game and was a double shy of hitting for the cycle.
The magnificent MGM Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino overlooked MGM Park.
Chattanooga right fielder Michael Beltre seemed to think that his ‘tongue-out’ approach to catching a fly ball helped with his concentration.
Shuckers’ second baseman C.J. Hinojosa (3) kept his eye on the popup as outfielder Corey Ray arrived on the scene as back up.
Biloxi shortstop Bruce Caldwell performed an acrobatic move to throw out the Lookouts runner at first base.
Chattanooga second-sacker Calten Daal removes the ball from his glove during a double play. C.J. Hinojosa arrived late to break-up the twin killing.
Biloxi 6′ 5″ righthander Trey Supak fires a fastball towards the plate during the late innings of the game. Supak came within one out of a no-hitter.

MGM Park was only four years old and looked similar to other Minor League ballparks around the country. The noticeable exception, however, was the impressive MGM Beau Rivage Hotel and Casino stood prominently past the right-centerfield fence.  At the conclusion of the first game, my photographer and his wife strolled around the stadium’s concourse for a few minutes before they made the decision to walk back to their hotel.  The three of us likely would have stayed for the second game, but the heat had become unbearable. As twilight hit the Gulf Coast area, Tom snapped a few photos of the ballpark before he turned his camera towards the 112-foot-tall guitar that stood in front of our hotel.  When that guitar was built in 2005, it was the tallest Hard Rock sign in the world.

Three Shuckers’ fans got into the ‘Christmas In July’ spirit when they donned their Santa costumes for the two games. When I saw the trio, I knew in my mind they had to be sweating their bells off in those hot outfits.
The exterior of MGM Park as it looked in between games of the double header.
The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi as we viewed it during our walk from MGM Park.
At 112 feet tall, this guitar is the tallest Hard Rock sign in the world. Shortly after this iconic sign was put in place, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast causing a lot of damage to the hotel and property. The Hard Rock guitar, however, withstood the wrath of Katrina and suffered only minor damage.

I thought for sure when we returned to the hotel that my photographer would leave me in our room while he and his wife gambled in the casino. But that didn’t happen. Tom and Vicki never went into the casino. Instead, we wandered the building and looked at the huge collection of Rock and Roll memorabilia that was on display. Of course, my photographer’s number one focus was KISS items; but he only found a pair of pants once worn by guitarist Vinnie Vincent. After we saw a Michigan connection with a guitar played and signed by Bob Seger, we stumbled upon one of the coolest stage outfits I had ever seen in person. It was the full 1975 costume worn by the piano pounding madman himself – Elton John.

These pants were once worn by Vinnie Vincent – who had played guitar from 1982 to 1984 with KISS.
When I saw the guitar that was signed by Bob Seger, I had wondered why the Hard Rock Hotel had it displayed with the signature upside down.
The outlandish and flamboyant stage costume worn by Elton John in 1975.
Elton was photographed in 1975 wearing that same costume on stage.
It seemed as though Elton took the sequined hat out of mothballs for his 1978 performance of ‘Crocodile Rock’ on the Muppet Show.
My photographer captured a close up image of the headgear worn by one of the greatest rock stars in music history.

We returned to our room around 8:30pm and Tom placed me on the window ledge where I spent the night. For a few hours, I watched all shapes and sizes of people as they swam in the pool below. When the room’s lights were turned off and I stood alone in the darkness, I couldn’t help but envision Elton John as he wore the stage outfit I saw downstairs. The crowd in the packed arena went wild as Elton’s fingers tickled the ivories and his mouth pressed against the piano’s microphone: “The biggest kick I ever got, was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock. While the other kids were Rocking ‘Round the Clock, we were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock.” I found it ironic that Elton’s song from his 1973 ‘Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player’ album was running rampant in my mind. Earlier, I had heard my photographer say that after our visit to Jefferson Davis’ home in the morning that we were going on an afternoon swamp boat tour in Louisiana. In that swamp, we would get a close look at some alligators. I wasn’t quite sure what the difference between crocodiles and alligators was, I only hoped that they didn’t like the taste of resin.

“My biggest kick couldn’t get much greater, after our home tour of the rebel traitor. Even though I wanted to rock with a croc, I’d have to settle for a Cajun gator. La, la la la la la.”

Don’t shoot me, I’m only the bobble head!

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Thomas Watson

My name is Thomas Watson and I've been a U.S. history fanatic since I was 9 years old. In 2013, I decided to take my passion to the next level when I purchased a Thomas Jefferson bobble head with the sole intention of photographing that bobble head at Presidential sites. From that first day on July 10, 2013 at Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio, this journey has taken on a life of its own. Now, nearly 40,000 miles later, I thought it was time to share the experiences, stories, and photos of Jefferson's travels. Keep in mind, this entire venture has been done with the deepest respect for the men who held the office as our President; no matter what their political affiliations, personal ambitions, or public scandals may have been. This blog is intended to be a true tribute to the Presidents of the United States and this story will be told Through the Eyes of Jefferson. I hope you enjoy the ride!

One thought on “111: HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONE

  1. The Curtiss P-40 went through a number of Revisions. The aircraft at the Naval Air Museum is a P-40C recovered from Russia and done up in the colors of Robert Neale who flew with the “Flying Tigers” a Mercenary group who flew for China at the start of WWII. They were credited with destroying 286 Japanese aircraft while losing only 12 of their own in Air Combat. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington who would win the Congressional Medal of Honor and earn fame with the “Black Sheep Squadron” flew in China with the Flying Tigers. The P-40C was a small mouth version called a “Tomahawk” by the British and the later revisions from the P-40D onward were known as “Kittyhawks.” Curtiss who manufactured the aircraft tried to get the Army to call them “Warhawks” but the U.S. Army Air Corps only called them P-40s. Robert Neale was the highest scoring American Volunteer Group or A.V.G also known as the “Flying Tigers” Pilot.

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