CARRIER HORNET SITE FOR AUGUST 8th MEETING

Area 2 Director CAPT Jim Torres, USN (RET) wrote in a February 2nd e-mail, “We did it!!!!! Nearly all the pieces are in place. Our Bay Area ‘MOAA Day on the Hornet’ is a go.”

This long anticipated event has been set for early August, a month when many chapters are silent and do not hold lunchon or dinner meetings. It will be held aboard the USS Hornet Museum at the former Alameda Naval Air Station, Oakland/Alameda.

The event is going to be open to all 4,000+ MOAA members within the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Areas but with specific focus on members and guests of the seven Area 2 chapters. A flyer will be prepared giving all the details and should be ready for distribution to chapter members in early spring. The price is expected to be between $20 and $30 depending on the number of attendees.

After a mid-morning arrival members will be escorted on a docent-led tour of the ship, followed by lunch and a speaker. Later, members can continue with a self-guided tour of the ship and depart when they desire.

The speaker will be Christopher “Chris” Micel, founder of Military.com, formal Naval Flight Officer, member of the U.S. Naval Institute Board of Directors, and life MOAA member. “He is a relative young, very dynamic speaker whose remarkable career has been so much focused on improving the pay, benefits, treatment and overall care of military personnel,” Jim Torres said. “His speech to my chapter was great!”

Event planning is well organized and underway. CAPT Mark Shafer, USN (RET), president of Marin County Chapter will serve as event coordinator. Jim Torres will act as Hornet Museum Liaison Officer–he serves as a docent there. CDR Steve Barber, USN (RET), president, San Francisco Chapter is the treasurer.

This joint luncheon meeting promises to be an outstanding event. With plenty of free parking and handicap accessibility, the Hornet offers an extraordinary experience with members able to visit the “Island,”, flight deck, hangar deck, and other parts of the ship. And the views of San Francisco and the bay are something special.

According to Jim Torres, “We think about 200 MOAA members and guests will attend this event. But we don’t know. We haven’t done anything like this before. It could turn out to be a bust.”

It’ll be a pleasant summer day on the edge of San Francisco Bay. The festivities on the Hornet’s hangar deck will be interesting and varied; the museum attracts many visitors annually. The caterer is known for presenting a fine meal. The speaker is highly acclaimed. And the camaraderie can’t be beat. Area 2’s “MOAA Day on the Hornet” is bound to provide a whole host of very positive memories. It’s sure to be a great success.

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