Branson, Missouri Trip(Part 1): Military Veterans Museum

Branson, Missouri Trip (Part 1): Military Veterans Museum (Summer, 2007)
While on an anniversary getaway trip (which means... just Kathy and me... no kiddos), I stumbled upon this great little military war museum along the main drag strip that goes through Branson. It only costs a few bucks each (and might have been free for us ID card-carrying veterans) but I paid anyway.

The gorgeous WWII era P-51 Mustang fighter plane mounted high above the parking lot is a great eye-catcher and makes it easy to find the Museum. It is well worth the time and money if you like military, war, vintage and/or historical items.
This is the largest (at least longest) continuous bronze statue in the USA... a platoon of infantrymen "movin' out"... and I think they said that former Senators Bob Dole (Kansas) and Daniel Inyouwa (Hawaii) were supposedly depicted as two of the soldiers in this very impressive nearly-life-size statue.
A detail of this impressive, nearly-life-size, bronze statue.
Life-size bronze statue of a U.S. Doughboy of WWI
World War I weapons... mostly German in this display case.
U.S. uniforms of a WWI doughboy and a field hospital nurse... a patriotic child's version of the uniform is shown too.
A huge wall mural painting of the dastardly Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor... 7 December, 1941 !

(By the way... That was an awesome trip we took for our honeymoon many years ago... to see Hawaii, the islands, and especially Pearl Harbor with its Arizona Memorial & inspiring museums)
Flight & dress uniforms for Army guys of WWII and Korea vintage.
A huge wall mural of U.S. bombers (B-24's I think) and fighter escorts fighting their way through German fighters on their way to bomb Germany.
A WWI U.S. cavalry horse with full equipment... which included a gas mask and goggles in case of a German mustard gas attack.
During WWII, B-24 Bomber "nose art" was very important, creative, and morale-lifting (not to mention "colorful") for bomber crews fighting over Europe and the Pacific.
WWII Nazi German uniforms and equipment... and a U.S. display with a captured swastika flag
WWII ground-mounted machinegun (maybe a Browning 30-cal. but I don't remember) probably used for U.S. naval base defenses.
WWII German weapons & equipment... with a "potato masher" grenade on display
WWII Japanese flight suit and officer dress uniforms in front of rising sun, sunburst flag
WWII German Concentration Camp garb for Jewish prisoners and Holocaust photos
WWII Nazi German "SS" officer uniform and equipment
A well organized Cavalry Horse-pack (maybe U.S. WWI)... showing saddle bag arrangements and accompanying bolt-action rifle, pistol and holster
North Vietnamese officer and basic Vietcong fighting "pajama" uniforms
Early Desert Storm BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) and an officer dress green uniform
U.S. weapons of Vietnam to present... M-60 machinegun, M-16 rifle, and a disposable/one-shot LAW (light antitank weapon) are displayed here

*****
The Museum was heaviest on the WWII era displays...
BUT... all U.S. wars from 1900 - present (WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and Southwest Asia) were well represented with numerous, interesting displays and information !
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- OUR HONEYMOON In Paradise: Part 1... Oahu, Hawaii

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OUR HONEYMOON In Paradise: Part 1... Oahu, Hawaii

After a shaky start to our honeymoon trip (see earlier posting)... the plane ride to Hawaii was great. Stewardesses served complimentary alcoholic drinks to any adults wishing them since we missed out on several hours of our on-island time in Hawaii. The remainder of the flight was relaxing, enjoyable and filled with anticipation.

We were not to be disappointed ! Once we landed at Honolulu Airport on Oahu and the fresh Hawaiian air hit us... we were in Heaven on Earth !

The thing I will always remember most is that first whiff of the Hawaiian air... it was so sweetly fragrant with the smell of all the island's Plumeria flowers on a hint of an ocean breeze. It was like the nicest, most intoxicating, yet subtle perfume you've ever breathed.

It was a whirlwind of adventures for those 4 days on Oahu... we did most of the touristy stops but also a few unique ones, too. We went to the International Market, Waikiki Beach (where our Hale Koa Hotel was) and the famous Kodak Hula Show where we made fools of ourselves (along with everyone else) as we tried to learn the Hula dances in a large group... it was fun, educational and very colorful. And of course, we visited legendary "Hilo Hatties" to purchase a matching set of a Hawaiian-print shirt for me... and sarong-wrap dress for Kathy... (hubba-hubba) !!!

We cruised the island in our sexy-red LeBaron convertible with the top down and enjoyed the fragrant breeze and non-stop gorgeous sites.

A tour of the Pearl Harbor WWII museum and then the Memorial out in the Harbor over the battleship Arizona gave proud, patriotic and awe-inspiring memories to us both... just to think what heroism began there on December 7, 1944.

Another highpoint (among the hundreds) was our afternoon spent snorkeling at Hanauma Bay (shown below)... we had underwater cameras and small "feedbags" to feed the super-colorful fish that swarmed around us in the reef-encircled Bay. We lazily snorkeled for hours enjoying the fish, the ocean and the sun. The sun did burn my shoulders (and the top of my head through my thinning hair) a little... but it was more than worth it to enjoy such an excellent, exotic afternoon snorkeling together. I later climbed up to the top rim of the Diamondhead dormant volcano from inside the crater... where there is a dark maze of tunnels with guide ropes and many, many steps that took me to the old, abandoned WWII gun emplacements and a breathtaking view over the city of Honolulu and the whole island of Oahu. (Kathy missed out since she wasn't feeling well... so she stayed in the car reading while I "hiked the crater" and took some great pictures.)

We went to an indoor luau and hula entertainment at our hotel one night. Little did I know that, I and the other 3 newlywed husbands, WERE the hula entertainment ! The show host asked all the newlywed couples to join him up on stage. Kathy and I joined the other 3 couples and proceeded to hear there would be a hula contest of the "new wives versus the new husbands".

It started off okay with the wives going first with the Hawaiian instructor lady standing out front and slowly working them through all the flowing hand and hip and dance moves. When they were done with their song, the audience all clapped, whooped, cheered and whistled loudly.

Then it was us husband's turn. So we walked up on stage in our fake grass skirts, got into position... and as soon as the music started for us --- the instructor lady turned and walked off the stage !!! We had nobody to follow or imitate ! We floundered around very badly to the faster paced hula music for several embarassing minutes... loud roaring laughter poured from the crowd as we crashed-and-burned as "hula dancers". A good laugh was had by ALL.

The romantic walks along Waikiki Beach, swimming in the pools and ocean, seeing the blowholes along the shoreline drives, seeing an unusually calm Waimeia Bay, meeting the friendly Hawaiian locals, enjoying the luxurious hotel room with its ocean-view lanai (Hawaiian for little balcony)...and soaking in all of the relaxing, exotic, and exhilarating sites of Oahu was a GREAT first half of our Honeymoon in Paradise.

And then it was off to Maui !!!