We have been dealing with a heat wave that has caused some unbearable weather. The local residents are even complaining that it is too hot for this time of year.
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We visited the National World War II Museum and couldn’t have picked a better day. Since it is Memorial Day there were several celebrations being held in honor of the military at the museum.
Upon entering the museum we encountered an enormous pavilion with the C-47 plane #096 hanging from the rafters. This plane dropped paratroopers into Normandy on D-Day and saw action in the “Battle of the Bulge” and the “Rhine Jump” in 1945.
Also included is a replica of the famous Higgins Landing Craft. More than 20,000 boats were designed and built in New Orleans and used as amphibious landings during WWII. Dwight Eisenhower once told historian and museum founder Steven Ambrose that Andy Higgins, a New Orleans resident, won the war for the Allies. Higgins made boats, including the Higgins Boat, PT boats and other military landing craft.
We never knew that Ford made Jeeps.
We arrived in time to take a tour in the building across the street and view the process of restoration of an original Higgins PT Boat. One of only six remaining in the world.
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The restoration project is being done by volunteers so all the labor is free. Despite the free labor the restoration will cost four million dollars. It will be exactly as the original was but the guns will be dummies. Once done it will be brought to Ponchatrain Lake and be on display for one month . Not sure what they will do after that but they may offer rides if ok’d by the insurance company or just move it back into the museum. Our tour guide is very excited because as a volunteer he will get to take a ride on the Higgins PT 305. Amazingly they have the original blueprints dating back to 1945.
What a huge undertaking and dedication by the volunteer craftsmen.
An old section of the boat and old parts displayed – dates back to 1948. 
Back at the museum we toured the halls and viewed a pictorial history and video clips of WWII. On the second floor we were taken through the Prelude to War explaining how the US did not want to ever enter combat again and chose to stand as an independent nation. Pre-war the United States Army was only the 18th largest in the world and that we had more horses then military vehicles.
We were thrown into the war after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the battles that ensued were horrific as war is. In one year after war was declared our military budget soared from 1.8 billion to over 180 billion dollars.
The battles fought brought success for the free world. It was interesting to learn of some of the tactics that were used to fool the enemy and help to win major battles.
An example of the covert actions or our military.
RUPERT!!!
As we proceeded through the museum we were impressed by how well it was put together. There is no other way to view war but as horrible and hopefully we will never face another World War.
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My father was a medic on the front line the entire war and I can recall some of the stories he told us. Not pretty at all. Talk about experiencing PTSD.
The museum was fantastic and a great place to visit if in the area. There is an expansion of the museum being done and completed it will double its’ size.
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D-Day Mem LINK
While at the museum we went to a specially prepared presentation in the Victory Theater – Beyond All Boundaries in 4-D narrated in part by Tom Hanks. The presentation was five years in the making and quite spectacular. We spent over four hours at the museum and closed the place feeling like we could have stayed longer. A definite return to for us.
Leaving the museum we drove through a different part of the city area.
Yes, This is the VOODO Mart!!!
We had planned on visiting some of the local older cemeteries but much to our surprise the gates are locked at 3 pm - so no gravestone peeping for us.
Next we took a ride to the lower 9th Ward in St. Bernard’s Parish – the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. When on the bus tour we skirted the outside of the neighborhoods so were unable to get a really clear picture of the damages.
This area is where many people did not or could not rebuild because of finances or because many of the homes were rentals.
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Just a few of the many homes abandoned that remain standing. Many have been demolished.
One of many businesses left in ruin.
Thousands of people were displaced to other states and did not return. On the bus tour, the driver told us that FEMA was paying $3500 to have contractors place blue tarp on ruined roofs but would not pay to have roof repaired most likely at the same cost. Also, that FEMA paid $75000 to $100,000 to have temporary FEMA trailers put in place to house those who lost heir homes.
I’m not sure who makes those rules but know for sure that those FEMA trailers cost no more then $20,000 to buy privately and some even cheaper. Once again a fine example of good money being thrown away on temporary patches - tarps- $3500 – really!!!
Bard Pitt had jumped on the disaster relief bandwagon and poured five million dollars of his own money into helping rebuild the lower 9th Ward. The houses are green and stand on stilts in case of future flooding. In order to qualify for one of his houses you had to prove that you could pay the mortgage and get financing.
His plan was to build 150 houses and so far there are about 75 completed. Despite the money he has invested, more it needed. The houses are very unusual and some are ugly but they are green and serve the intended purposes – get people back into homes and out of trailers.
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Just an example of the homes built by Brad Pitt.
We enjoyed our time in New Orleans despite the heat and humidity. It is definitively a place we would return to – in cooler weather of course.We will be leaving on Tuesday hoping to find some cooler weather and less humidity. LOL
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