Norfolk Trip: Day Six

Up and at 'em to start another day.

After a delicious breakfast with the Navy and before we headed to the Marine Corps Base Quantico we visited the C-2A Greyhound squadron. These planes are the mail haulers (they also haul people and supplies) to the naval ships. The squadron's nickname was The Rawhides after the Pony Express who hauled mail in 1860-1861.


It was about a two and a half hour drive from the navy base to the marine base. We once again drove through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (we'd been through it a couple of times before during our trip). The tunnel is impressive. It goes under the bay's water anywhere from 25 to 100 feet deep and is one mile long.

It was tiled in white subway-like tile. I would have hated to be the one to take on that tile job.

I'm glad that we never got stuck in the tunnel because of an accident or traffic jam...being under all that water...remember I would not make a good submariner!

When we got to Quantico it was time to eat again. This was our first meal at the marine mess hall. The food was good and the food servers were friendly.

With lunch finished we witnessed a K-9 demonstration. It was a brief demonstration due to the wet grass after the rainstorm. The dog handlers did not want the dogs to slip and injure themselves. Following the dog demo we visited the Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for direct support for the White House, the HMX-1 Nighthawks.

Our next stop was the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Very impressive. I would have liked more time there. The displays were very realistic and interactive. I experienced motion, sound and temperature changes depending on what battle was being depicted.

We had dinner at the marine mess hall after the museum visit before hitting the road again for our long ride back to the barracks.

End of day six.