Fredericksburg TX was the hometown of Admiral Chester Nimitz, commander of the US Pacific fleet during World War II. This building, now a museum, was once a hotel owned and operated by Nimitz’s grandparents, and then his parents.National Museum of the Pacific War. This is a world-class museum, with excellent collections of many items of importance to help you understand the war in the Pacific.The museum contains six distinct sections: George H. W. Bush Gallery, Admiral Nimitz Gallery, Plaza of Presidents, Japanese Garden of Peace, Memorial Courtyard, and Pacific Combat Zone. We only had time to go through the first three.This is the fairwater and periscope (next picture) from the U.S.S. Pintado. Pintado made six war patrols in enemy waters, disposing of five naval vessels and ten merchantmen of Japan, sinking or otherwise disabling 132,900 tons of enemy shipping. During her fifth patrol, she rescued all twelve crew members of the B-29 “City of Galveston”.Periscope from the U.S.S. Pintado.Main mast from the destroyer USS Foote.5 inch/38 caliber gun.Mark 15 torpedo tube.Twin 40MM Bofors.U.S. 105MM Howitzer M2A1. These were the standard light field howitzer for the US during World War II.Ordnance QF 25-pounder Field Gun. Considered to be one of the best field guns of the war, this gun saw service throughout World War II with British and Commonwealth forces.75MM Field Gun, M2A2. This gun was nearly obsolete in 1940, and was largely relegated to training, but a few did see service in the Philippines and Java against Japanese invaders.
Presidents Plaza
Ten US presidents served in the military during World War II. Presidents Roosevelt and Truman’s service was as commander-in-chief.41st president George H. W. Bush.40. Ronald Reagan.39. Jimmy Carter.38. Gerald Ford.37. Richard Nixon.36. Lyndon Jonhson.35. John F. Kennedy.34. Dwight Eisenhower.33. Harry Truman.32. Franklin Roosevelt.
Nimitz Gallery
Admiral Chester Nimitz. Nimitz was a 5-star admiral (Fleet Admiral), one of four 5-star admirals – a rank that was created during World War II. There were also five 5-star generals in the army.Sea chest owned by Chester Nimitz’s great grandfather; hand carved wooden shoes worn by Nimitz’s great grandfather Jacob Weirich, who wore these shoes outside as work boots; rolling pin; woodworking plane.Chester Nimitz’s childhood cradle and high chair.Five-star flag flown at Chester Nimitz’s headquarters on Guam.Trunk issued to Chester Nimitz during his military career; PB2Y Coronado model made of mahogany, Nimitz oftern traveled throughout the Pacific aboard a PB2Y; Travel cribbage board custom made for Nimitz at Pearl Harbor in 1943 – Nimitz often played cribbage with other staff on long flights.Model 42 Harley Davidson WLA, used extensively in World War II.
George H.W. Bush Gallery
Before Pearl Harbor
A very good series of displays and videos explaining the background of Japanese aggression leading up to December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor.Admiral Heihachiro Togo.Scroll written by Admiral Togo recording his words before the Battle of Tsushima in 1905. It reads: “The country’s fate depends upon this battle. Let every man do his duty with all his might.”Selfie within the Japanese flag.There are many, many more displays giving much greater detail.During 1941 World War II raged over much of the rest of the world, but Americans hoped we could avoid being drawn into the conflict. This is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 1941, just a couple weeks before Pearl Harbor. Interesting side note – Macy’s donated the Uncle Sam balloon to the war effort because rubber was scarce.
Pearl Harbor
Japanese HA-19 Midget Submarine used in the attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941.Interior of HA-19 Midget Submarine.USS Arizona door.This captured midget submarine was one of five the Japanese used for the Battle of Pearl Harbor. The other four were sunk or scuttled.
US enters the war
The Doolittle Raid in early 1942 gave the US a jolt of confidence following the Pearl Harbor attack. This B25 is similar to the planes used in Doolittle’s Raid.Japanese Vice Admiral’s tunic believed to have been worn by Isoroku Yamamoto; Time magazine from May 1943; Admiral Nimitz’s pistol; bubblegum card featuring Admiral Nimitz; intercom used in Admiral Nimitz’s CINCPAC office.F4F Wildcat was the primary Navy and Marine fighter during the first 18 months of World War II. It was slower and less maneuverable than the Japanese Zero, but it was rugged and had more firepower.Guadalcanal.M3 Stuart tank.3-inch Japanese gun. These guns destroyed 3 Stuart tanks before being taken out.The Sullivans. Five Sullivan brothers were killed in action in 1943. An incredible story.Japanese triple-barrel gun.The Jeep was originally designed in Pennsylvania and delivered in September 1940. The army called in GPV (General Purpose Vehicle). It was used in every war theater due to its versatility.The Bat was the first effective radar-guided bomb that could be launched under the wing of an aircraft.Japanese defenses on Saipan used the 37MM guns and 70MM mortars for close infantry support. The 37MM fired both high explosive and armor piercing high explosive ammuniton.40MM Bofors Rapid Fire Cannon.This is the bridge of a US cruiser.Future president George H.W. Bush was shot down when he was on a bombing mission in 1944. He was rescued by the submarine USS Finbank. Incredibly his rescue was recorded on video.Imperial Japan was harsh police state.Planting the American flag on top of Suribachi on Iwo Jima.This poster honoring the Iwo Jima photo, autographed by the Marines who did the flag planting.The US flag from the destroyer USS Hugh W. Hadley DD-774, which was badly damaged when a Japanese 500 pound bomb exploded beneath it. The Hadley listed but did not sink. Prior to the bomb, the Hadley successfully shot down 23 Kamikazes.Combat Information Center on destroyers like the Hadley.“Fat Man”, similar to the plutonium bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.Japanese Aichi “Val” Dive Bomber, which played a major role in the success of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. “Val” was the Allied code name for the plane. This plane was destroyed on the ground by Allied bombers at an airfield on New Britain at Rabaul, probably in 1943.
Fredericksburg Texas! This was settled by Germans in the mid 1800s, and is still very German!There are very many wineries between Johnson City and Fredericksburg. We settled on Wildseed Farms. The sommelier at our wine tasting was superb at zeroing in on what MJ really likes.This is where our wine’s grapes are grown.Vereins Kirche, built in 1847 as the center for the community’s church and other activities. It is now a museum dedicated to the history of Fredericksburg.Holy Ghost (Heilige Geist) Evangelical Protestant Church. This congregation met at the Vereins Kirche until 1888. This was built in 1893. The tower houses an original bell from the Vereins Kirche, dating to the 1840s.County Jail of 1885. This was used as the county jail until 1939.Old St. Mary’s Church (Die Alte Kirche or “Marienkirche”). St Mary’s Parish dates to 1846 when the Germans arrived in Fredericksburg. This building was completed in 1863 and served as the parish church until the larger building next door was opened in 1906.St. Mary’s Catholic Church, built in 1906.I just had to check it out!So the Fredericksburg High School mascot is the “Battlin’ Billies”, as in goats!
Luckenback Texas was only two miles out of our way, so we had to see the place! Waylon Jennings immortalized Luckenback with his song “Back to the Basics of Love”. (https://youtu.be/Qf_HoB6RRKI)This is the classic picture everyone wants from Luckenback Texas.The post office doubles as the general store, and in the back is the bar. In the left corner, you can barely see some guys with instruments. We went back to see what they were doing. Photography of the performers is not allowed, so I can post a picture here, unfortunately.
There were four men with different instruments. One man would play a guitar and sing a country style song. Then the next man would play a tune on his fiddle. The next man would then tell a down-home story, that ended with a funny punchline. Then the last man would play a number on his guitar laying in his lap. It was really cool to experience! It was like stepping back into a different place and time, like maybe the 1920s or 1930s in Appalachia.Luckenback is not quite as fancy as “rustic”.The Dance Hall.This is the stage where some very big stars have performed. Not so much going on in December.A Luckenback Christmas tree……and another.Luckenback’s history.
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s boyhood home in Johnson City. Due to covid (Still!) the house is not open for public tours.One side of the house.The back side of the house.I could see one bedroom through a window.Also the kitchen.LBJ was a member of this First Christian Church in Johnson City.The Junction School. LBJ first attended this school as four-year-old! This was his first formal education. The school held seven grades in one room!This is a replica of LBJ’s birthplace, on the site of the actual house.Barn behind the birth house.Graves of First Lady Claudia Taylor Johnson and President Lyndon Baines Johnson.This is a view of the Johnson Ranch.Hereford cattle on the Johnson Ranch.To this day, the Johnson Ranch does not buy any cattle. These are purebred “Johnson Ranch” Hereford cattle. LBJ’s private runway on the ranch.Air Force “One Half”. When LBJ was president, Air Force One was too big to land on his ranch, so it would land in Austin or San Antonio, then he would take this smaller jet to his ranch. This is a Lockheed JetStar VC-140.LBJ was well known for giving toys and gifts to children of his staff and guests. Most of the gifts he gave had the presidential seal and LBJ’s signature on them. I still have that Geronimo figure in its original box (without the LBJ seal and signature)!LBJ gave his daughter Luci this 1965 Corvette on June 18, 1965, two weeks before her 18th birthday.This is the home on the LBJ Ranch. While LBJ was president, this was called the “Texas White House”. It is currently closed as structural repairs are being done.These are purebred Longhorn cattle. These are located in the LBJ State Par, which is not part of the LBJ Ranch.
Dinner at Fleming’s.This is the UT Tower on the campus of the University of Texas. From this tower a shooter named Charles Whitman murdered 14 people and injured 31 more, in August 1966. This was one of the worst mass murders in US history and the first to unfold on live TV.George Washington statue across the street from the UT tower.The Littlefield Home, built in 1894 for George Littlefield, who served as a regent for the University of Texas during the 1910s, contributing money for many of the early buildings on the UT campus. Prior to arriving in Austin in 1883, Littlefield served with Terry’s Texas Rangers in the Civil War, and then he bought up many ranches in New Mexico and the Texas panhandle. Darrell K. Royal, Texas Memorial Stadium.Statue of Bevo, the UT Longhorns’ mascot.Julius Whittmer was the first black football player to earn a 4-year football scholarship, and to earn letters in football. He played from1969-1972. He played on the 1970 UT National Champion team.Ricky Williams and his 1998 Heisman Trophy.1963 National Football Championship trophy. US’s other national championship trophies are also on display here.If you are a University of Texas fan, they have these cool displays for the different sports with individual and team trophies and championships.Downtown Austin skyline. This skyline has changed dramatically since I was here in the 1980s. They are currently building a new tower that will be 78 stories tall, which will be the tallest building in Texas.Fascinated by the “sailboat” building, Block 185. This 35 story tower is occupied by Google.
