Hill Aerospace Museum

While the kids were out of school for Spring Break, we took a road trip to Roy, where the Hill Aerospace museum can be found.  Actually, you really can't miss it once you're in Roy; the museum's outdoor exhibit (of airplanes, helicopters and missiles) is clearly visible from the freeway. 

One of the volunteers took us on a tour of the inside of a huge helicopter.  It was incredible to see how big these machines are and then to wonder how in the world they are lifted off the ground into flight. 

  

When I saw this chair I immediately felt an all-encompassing empathy for anybody who was required to sit in it.  You see, I have a bit of an issue with motion sickness.  One of my most embarrassing moments has to do with a new friend, an immaculate van and an unplanned stop on the side of the road.  'Nuff said.  

   

The small exhibit dedicated to the "Code Talkers" was one of my favorites.  This group of Navajo men became unexpected heroes during World War II.  They used their extremely difficult native tongue to create a code that even the skilled Japanese decoders couldn't decipher.  These young men were not permitted to write down any part of the messages they were sending and receiving and thus were required to memorize each message.  In the battle for Iwo Jima, in the first 48 hours alone, they coded over 800 transmissions with perfect accuracy. 

After the war, the Navajo Code Talkers returned home without a heroes' welcome; their code was considered a military secret too important to divulge. They remained silent heroes until twenty four years later.  In 2001 the Navajo Code Talkers finally received Congressional Medals of Honor.

 

Being at this museum, watching the military personnel walking to and from the various buildings in their starched uniforms, made the sacrifices that these men and women have made (and continue to make) more real and more overwhelming to me.  I was grateful that my kids had the opportunity to learn more about the the heavy price paid by so many to ensure our freedom.

  

All in all it was a great day as a family.

 

(We made another stop in the area before heading home.  More to come on that adventure!)