I arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, and the newspaper headline read:
“PACE OF DEATHS RISING:
Louisiana reports 80 from coronavirus on Tuesday”
I wore an N95 mask on the airplane for five hours to get here and ate a quick sandwich in Austin during my layover - well over six feet away from anyone else.
My goal for coming to New Orleans is to visit the World War II Museum to research my father’s time in the Philippines and to gain a deeper understanding of the “Greatest Generation”.
During my father's over two years in the U.S. Army he took trains, ships, and planes to arrive at his destinations. I plan to spend six days immersed in the history to gain some understanding of his trials and tribulations.
My physical journey began on a plane during a global pandemic.
It was easy for me to draw parallels between the terrible journey my father took during World War II and my journey during a pandemic, but there were huge contrasts as well.
Some people were anxious at the airport; however, most were trying to make the best of the situation. I am sure that was the same for my dad.
My father was nineteen years old and a recent graduate of high school. I was sixty-three years old and a retired English teacher.
My father traveled with other men and probably a sargent to help him navigate his travels. Even though he did not know most of these men, they were in the same unit. The trains were probably full of soldiers in uniforms I can imagine.
There were no soldiers on any of my flights. Police officers were present in the terminals, but I rarely see a uniformed soldier on a flight.
Small children were traveling with their parents apparently on vacation; however, I did not see as many babies as usual. All the children were masked and well attended to. I doubt if many families were traveling on vacation during World War II.
One little boy proudly toted his lime green backpack that was almost bigger than he was through the waiting area with his matching lime green mask securely over his face. For these children, this was normal. For me, wearing an N95 mask tightly strapped to my face, that my sister found on her husband’s workbench, it felt like outer space.
My flights ran smoothly even though I had been warned that there could be raucous in the aisles. The male flight attendant from Kansas to Austin was completely exhausted and just flat out said in so many words - please don’t cause problems and just wear the mask.
To say the least, the flights were more of an adventure than usual; however, I met a lovely young woman on my first flight who shared with me her love of India and her job as a cannabis inspector.
After a quick airport shuttle from the Louis Armstrong Airport, I arrived at the Higgins Hotel and Conference Center located directly across the street from the museum.
The hotel is named after the man who invented the LCVP (landing craft, vehicles, people) or Higgins Boat.
“New Orleans is home to the LCVP, or Higgins boat, the landing craft that brought US soldiers to shore in every major amphibious assault of World War II. Andrew Jackson Higgins and the 30,000 Louisiana workers of Higgins Industries designed, built, and tested 20,000 Higgins boats in southeastern Louisiana during the war. Dwight Eisenhower once claimed that Higgins was "the man who won the war for us."
After dinner at Rosie’s Rooftop Bar, I headed back to my room to get some sleep.
The next five days should be a deep dive into the past and I want to make the most of it.
Glad you are in NOLA. Have a great trip. (The Henna Artist was a good book. I definitely recommend Facing the Mountain by Daniel J. Brown.)