Saturday & Sunday, September 10-11, 2016

This is the last time this Event to be hosted on the Lexington

Norman Walker organized the Caravan

“Vettes and Jets on the Lex 2016” event onboard the aircraft carrier USS Lexington docked as a museum in Corpus Christi, TX.  This year’s event proudly supported The Wounded Warrior Project – and 10 Wounded Warriors and their families were the honored guests

Event Schedule

These 12 Vettes, 24 Cowtown Members joined 400+ total entrants this year

Jack & Karla Gandy #365
Robert & Cydnie Geyer #314
Gary & Gwynne Hanna #81
Cliff & Beverly Holden #265
Doug & Glenda McMahan #341
Fred & Margaret Proctor #79
Dennis & Patricia Rigney #125
Tom & Grace Shelhimer #309
Johnny & Anna Shotwell #358
Norman & Ann Walker #325
Don & Nancy Wells #342
Steve & Rhonda Weible #133
 

Other Southwest Region Attendees (that we knew of)
Dave Hemphill (LCC) #239
Leeland Heins and Kelley Knight (LCC) #159
Bert & Chris Hofer (LCC) #261
Billy House & Gail Mitchell (LCC) #225
Mary Anne Kolb (THT) #204
Steve & Marylyn Moore (OCCC) #227
Paula Warrell (THT) #178

Photos labeled RCG-09/16 were provided by Robert & Cydnie Geyer

Photos labeled TGS-09/16 were provided by Tom & Grace Shelhimer

Photos labeled DNW-09/16 were provided by Don & Nancy Wells

Photos labeled provided by Doug McMahan

Photos labeled BW-09/16 provided by Bob Wright

Friday - 9/09/16
	We met at the McDonald's in Alvarado
		time to head on down the highway
	The first pit stop was at the Buckee's in Temple
		The next pit stop was at the Buckee's in San Marcos - the largest convenience store in the world
	Glenda decided it was time to toss the bra ...an old bra which shredded on the trip
	we headed on over Gruene, TX for lunch
	you pass the oldest Dance Hall in Texas walking to lunch
	Lunch at the Gristmill in Gruene, TX - awesome place to eat in a piece of Texas History
	did someone say onion rings - they were awesome!
Friday Arrival in Corpus Christi - around 4pm
we spotted the ship as we arrived into town			a large group of us stayed at the host hotel, the Radisson Corpus Christi Beach Hotel
	a view of the Lexington from our room (left) and the hotel walkway (right)
	Waiting in line to check into Vettes & Jets a view of some of the items in the packet
		some took advantage of the car wash, by Tulsa Vette Set - others detailed their own
	A welcome meeting was held at 7PM; at the host hotel ballroom
	the "Blue Ghost" on Friday evening
Saturday Morning - 9/10/16 They opened the Lexington at 5am to start loading the Vettes
	one group of us here waiting in line to load onto the Lexington...this group got in line 4:30ish and we were ~1-1/2 miles from the ship
Arrival to the Ship's Ramp in order of arrival
1-Warrell	2-Rigney	3-Proctor	4-Weible
5-Geyer	6-Shelhimer	7-Gandy	8-Walker
9-Hanna	10-Shotwell	11-Holden	12-McMahan
	13-Wells	14-Kolb (Glenda)
Loading the Ship (16 additional photos - Adobe Flash)
Video loading onto the ship Note: a couple of segments are 2x speed
;
Lexington's Museum has a video of the loading of the Vettes
	we are all parked and ready to head back to the hotel - about half of us ended up aft
	the view about 6am from the flight deck
		a view of the elevator loading cars - as viewed from inside the ship
	a view of the elevator platform while loading the Vettes
		the view of more Vettes as we walk down the ramp to the entry point
	a view of the "Blue Ghost" as we walk down the path to the hotel
	the sun was rising as we ate breakfast at the hotel
Saturday Afternoon
	The Lexington opens to the public at 9am The festivities resumed at the ship - daylight now a few of the signs and plaques aboard the ship
		even a previous Vettes & Jets on the Lexington photo
	a flag presented to the Corvette Club of Corpus Christi was hanging on the wall
	members visiting and listening to the Houston Fire Dept Pipes and Drums mini concert
	numerous wreaths could be found in the ship
	some of the battle history can be found outside
	a view of the Radisson and the beach from the flight deck a a few of the port side gun turrets shown below
		There were planes and simulators that you could explore and experience the historytd>
	a few of the club member's Vettes at the back of the flight deck
	Tulsa Vette Set had their Vettes intermingled with the Jets on flight deck - others were in groups
	Maverick’s Corvette - was on display inside the ship
	Viewing the Corvettes from the front of the Lex – from the Captain's seat.  Others are all around the flight deck
	This Vette has gained signatures on the hood of every Veteran that looked at his Vette.
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