A group of NJROTC Cadets departed on a trip to Pensacola, FL and Mobile, AL to get a personal connection to our military history.  The day started with a trip to the National Naval Aviation Museum. Cadets ate lunch at a replica of the famous Cubi Point Cafe. Inside are plaques of hundreds of units that stopped in the original Cafe in the Philippines when it was an American Naval Base. Cadets had time to explore the museum which includes the largest display of US military aircraft and other items. They were fortunate to observe a “winging” ceremony in which Naval Flight Officers graduate from flight school to earn their Wings of Gold.

The group then traveled to the USS Alabama Museum for an overnight stay on this historic battleship. Chief Necaise, the Brother Martin Naval Science Instructor, gave a hands-on lesson on how shipboard equipment works. After dinner together in the crew’s mess (dining hall), the Cadets had the opportunity to explore the ship with their traditional game of capture the flag.  The instructors were fortunate enough to visit a ceremony on the ship and meet retired Col. Danny McKnight, whose Ranger operation was detailed in the book/movie Black Hawk Down.  Worn out from the day, the Cadets experienced sleeping on the shallow cots stacked three high in crew berthing.  

Up early the next morning, the Cadets enjoyed a hearty breakfast and traveled home. “This has been so much fun,” said first-year Cadet Andrew Caillouet ‘22.  Another first-year Cadet, Landon Merritt ‘22, echoed his enthusiasm. “I’m coming back next year. This is great!”