The sun glared off the flight deck of the USS Intrepid, and I squinted into the wind just as a French couple offered to take our picture. Success. I even managed to understand them…mostly.
The Intrepid Museum isn’t just the aircraft carrier of the same name; it also houses the USS Growler submarine. I made sure to visit during my August trip to New York. As a fan of Battleship Cove in Massachusetts, it only felt right to experience an aircraft carrier and a sub up close.
One highlight was the flight simulator, though it only lasted six minutes (three in the trainer, three in the actual ride). My brother and I made the most of it: three minutes of laughing and shouting, “Eagle One, Fox Two!”
Afterward, we explored the flight deck lined with planes and helicopters, then wandered below into the ship’s compartments. I especially loved the chow line, where cooks once baked 800 loaves of bread each day.
Docked beside the Intrepid is the USS Growler, which carried nuclear missiles during the height of the Cold War. Though her service was short, from 1958 to 1964, she represented the United States’ policy of deterrence.
Both vessels overflowed with information, history, and human stories. Give yourself at least two or three hours to take it all in. Volunteer docents, many of them veterans, stand ready to answer questions. Special thanks to the gentleman near the Combat Information Center, who walked us through a World War II ship-identification grid.
And thanks to the French family for the photo and for their patience as I attempted to communicate in their tongue.
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