Freedom Park, Omaha, Nebraska USA

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It was nice being able to leave the house at 6:20am and not need a jacket. The driveway showed signs of a rain sometime during the night but the forecast was not calling for rain. The cooler was filled with cheese, mayo, onion, 12-grain whole wheat bread, mustard, and a couple of jugs of Nestle iced tea.
The sun was already up when I left the house and drove to the highway and headed north to Omaha. For personal reasons I had cancelled my appointment with the Henry Doorly Zoo but the issues had been resolved late Friday night and I decided to continue with the trip.

About an hour south of Council Bluffs, IA, I realized that in my haste of getting everything ready to go, I had neglected to pack the deli cuts in the cooler. My plan for not having to stop and eat was not working out quite like I wanted.

The low dark gray clouds allowed some relief from the usual blinding sun rays that usually make the morning drives a hassle. Traffic was light for a Saturday morning and I managed to drive through Council Bluffs and Omaha without much difficulty.

Freedom Park sits right on the Missouri River, which was beginning to flood the small marina next door. The river had not yet begun to overtake the park. Some of the displays were in serious need of repair as most vehicles had flat tires and were in dire need of paint. Others appeared to have begun being restored with new paint and minor repairs. The main displays are the USS Hazard minesweeper ship and the USS Marlin training submarine. Both are an impressive display; however no one was there so I could not tour the ships. The A-4 Skyhawk sat atop the display pole, aimed into the wild blue yonder. The A-7 Corsair II and HH-52 Coast Guard helo sat quietly, a solemn reminder of the lives lost and lives saved.
One ship propeller had a diameter of 11 feet and 10 inches and weighs 13,890 pounds was used on Cleveland-class cruisers and Independence class carriers. It is a good image showing the power it took to move naval vessels around the world. Anchors from 3,000 to 16,000 pounds are on display, their colossal size further demonstrating the power that is required for naval vessels.

It seems they are on a good track restoring the displays and returning the aircraft, ships, and vehicles to their former glory. I will look forward to returning to Freedom Park in a couple of years and see the progress being made.

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