Four trees stand watch at sunrise in Winter Garden, FL
The USS Clamagore is a Balao class submarine currently docked as a museum at Patriot’s Point, Carolina. Built in 1945, it was still in training when WWII ended.
Its crew complement consisted of 10 officers and 70 enlisted men – some of whose quarters you see here (yes, that’s a torpedo on top of the bunk on the right).
Of note: the Clamagore is one of nine boats to undergo the Guppy III conversion, which extended the boat’s length and created space for a new sonar system. Clamagore is also the only surviving GUPPY III boat in United States.
An America flag waves above an F-14 Tomcat as it sits aboard the Essex class Aircraft Carrier USS Yorktown at Patriot’s Point near Charleston, South Carolina. I don’t know about you, but I spent many an afternoon as a kid watching this aircraft in Top Gun waiting for the words “We’re going ballistic Mav!”.
This is the tomb of Thomas N. Theus and his wife Eliza Wilhelmina at the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia. Thomas Theus, as the tomb indicates, was a confederate soldier who survived the war. He buried his wife in 1895 and joined her eight years later in 1903.
Theus lived in Savannah and served in the Chatham Artillery – a four gun unit during the Civil War under the command of Captain John F. Wheaton whose most notable battle was the repulse of a Federal invasion at the Battle of Olustee, Florida in July of 1864. The unit surrendered in Greensboro, North Carolina on April 26, 1865.
The Chatham Artillery was formed in 1776 and was destroyed by British troops in 1778. The unit reformed in 1786 and has fought in every war since with the exception of Vietnam.
About the photo:
The image is a 6 exposure HDR combined in Photomatix with some additional work in photoshop.
The Church of the Cross in Bluffton, South Carolina was established in 1767. The building whose interior you see here, was completed and dedicated in July of 1857. In 1863, Sherman’s army marched into South Carolina burning much of Bluffton; the church was spared but the congregation fled and services were discontinued until 1870.
The church was been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975 and is still in use today. You can read more about the church here.
It’s amazing what you can find if you look closely at fields as you drive. I found this truck in the city of Greer as I was driving in from North Carolina to visit family. I don’t know a lot about the history of this truck or Barnhill Motor Express. I did find an ad in the paper for the company going back to June of 1946 (here’s the link). I also found a court summons allowing the company to operate in the County of Richland in 1973 (here’s that link). There were a few more public records but I didn’t dig too deep. It would be an interesting story to know the history of Barnhill and how this truck ended up in this field.
An F/A-18 Hornet fighter-bomber aboard the USS Yorktown at Patriot’s Point, South Carolina. The Hornet is a single-seat multirole aircraft whose missions include ground support, strike, and air support. It also has the distinction of serving the US Navy’s Blue Angels.
The photo was taken on the flight deck of the Essex Class USS Yorktown which was commissioned in 1943 and served the United States Navy until 1970. It has since been converted to a museum and is open to the public.
The first image from the roadtrip through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina during the first week of July.
Wormsloe is a large estate established by one of Georgia’s colonial founders, Noble Jones. The site includes a picturesque 1.5-mile oak avenue comprised of 400 or so trees. It’s a must see if you visit Savannah.
The American flag moved by the wind is a beautiful symbol and a reminder of all those who have died and all those who put themselves on the line everyday for the life we enjoy. Our nation’s birthday wil be here soon; this is my tribute to the freedom we enjoy and to those who have dedicated their lives or given them for us.
Hogwart’s Castle at Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter is pretty cool. You get to see Dumbledore’s office, the Gryffndor common room, and a few other scenes from the Harry Potter World (video newspapers and talking paintings anyone?). The ride inside the castle is a simulator in which you explore Harry’s world and even play Quidditch. Outside the castle in Hogsmeade, you can enjoy Butterbeer, see shows and visit a myriad of shops. Universal did a great job of bringing Harry Potter’s world to life- Hogsmeade is detailed, immersive and well executed.
© Copyright Ali Elhajj 2014-2020
