The Viking Run, Day 3 - Quantico, VA

 

The National Museum of the Marine Corps

Today I visited the USMC Museum in Quantico. It is something I have wanted to do for a very long time, and was completely worth the wait. 

I was smiling from the moment I pulled in and saw the long drive up to the building. When I walked inside, i was in awe. It was a pleasant day to visit as there wasn't many other people taking in the sights. There were however quite a few active duty Marines there, it looked like either some promotions or meritorious masts were be given out.

The Mount Suribachi flag from Iwo Jima

The exhibits are superb and as expected in the order of the chronological history of the Marine Corps. 

Devil Dog

There is so much to see and read and take in. And they really do a spectacular job of covering so many aspects of the Corps' history.

Flying Leathernecks

Starting with the Tun Tavern and running right up through Marine astronauts. I found the section on Vietnam and Marine aviators, starting of course with 1st Lt. A.A. Cunningham.

Marines in Vietnam

The section on Vietnam covered all of the actions I heard and knew of, Con Thien, Hue, Saigon, Da Nang, the DMZ and the Perfume River. It would have been really cool to have walked that segment with my dad.

VMAQ-2 Charlie Yankee and the EA6-B Prowler

I had walked the entire museum, or so I had thought when I went to the second floor for lunch at the Tun Tavern, which was really good actually. After lunch I walked the perimeter of the mezzanine and at the bottom of one small display case was a stuffed Charlie Yankee rabbit from VMAQ-2, the Playboys and one of my old squadrons from the Corps. Yeah, that made an already great day that much better.

As I walked around the museum I thought to myself about the fact i was finally there, how the trip was now in full motion based on the plans I had made and how if I were to jump back on a southbound train, I would actually be happy with just having been to the museum. 

Once a Marine...Always a Marine

Day three down and it was awesome. There are many more to come, can they all be like today? 

Semper Fi