It’s that time of year again! When all the active Navy ships and sailors descend on long beach for Memorial Day, For a huge celebration to honor those who serve, and of course good old fashioned American power projection!

This year I went with my friends Kendra, Doug, Clay, Kathrine and Nick! also Doug’s friend Jason who took some of these pictures on his A7!

We got to see some crazy hardware this year! The Marines came with a HIMARS system and some amphibious vehicles!

Kendra drew some of the vehicles! its not every day you get to see something like and Osprey up close!

Now the purpose of fleet week is to of course get a chance to see the SHIPS! but the lines are always soo long! So instead here are a couple that we walked past, The Coast Guard ship and LA fire boat #2!

Every one tried they’re hand (or arms) at doing pull ups.

And we also had fun treats from all the food trucks! We all loved this highly suggestive banana flavored ice cream tube!

My favorite part is seeing the aircrafts up close! I got to go in a Huey and finally get inside a V-22 Osprey! I love all the wires and electronics in there. It is so much more complex than the little Cessna’s that I fly.

They say Helicopters don’t fly, they just beat the air into submission! and judging by the size of the Ospreys propellers I say the air got a good whoopin’ whenever it decides to take off.

Enjoy these fun Close ups of vertical stabilizer, some refueling rods and a pitot tube!

We also got to see the biggest boat I have ever seen in my life float past us! this Gigantic Evergreen cargo ship made a graceful slow pass, past the IOWA as we walk around and gawked at its sheer size!

We all got tickets to go on the IOWA, except for me! since I am now a Volunteer there! I get in for FREE!

I’ve been volunteering here for a about 5 months or so helping out the IOWA giftshop! I’ve been working with the museum staff to create some Navy themed merchandise and T-shirt designs! And I finally got to see them in person!

And here are the designs!

The good folks at the battleship IOWA did such a wonderful job of coordinating the printing of these! The screen print quality is amazing! So if you are ever in long beach, you should check out the Battleship IOWA and maybe pick up a shirt if you like cartoons and world war 2 history!