11 Dec 2018 - Sunshine (finally), Gunter AFB and First Trip Downtown Montgomery

11 Dec 2018
Woke up to 'frost on the pumpkin' this morning and frost on the truck. Thermometer said 30F but sunshine was on the horizon and it turned out to be a gorgeous but cool day.

  After a brisk walk with the dog we headed over to Gunter Air Force Base which is located on the northeast side of Montgomery (Maxwell is on the west side). 

No aircraft at Gunter but it hosts our Senior Noncommissioned Officer's Academy, our Air Force First Sergeant's Academy, our Community College of the Air Force and various other functions.  Another jewel of Gunter is our Air Force Enlisted Heritage Hall, which highlights the history of the Air Force enlisted force.

When I retired from the Air Force in 2015 our Iowa Joint Forces Headquarters at Camp Dodge bought me a commemorative brick here at the Enlisted heritage Hall.  I had seen pictures of it but I wanted to see it first hand.  We quickly found the brick along with several others of comrades with whom I have served. 

The 132d Fighter Wing Chief's Council bought a brick as did the 132d Fighter Wing First Sergeants Council.  We found those bricks as well.  

The 185th Air Refueling Wing (Sioux City IA) First Sergeant Council's brick  was nearby.  

First Sergeant Monument

Citizen Airman - the foundation of the Air National Guard

After finding our bricks outside and looking at the various displays, we headed into the Enlisted Heritage Hall.  It is a fabulous place the displays our Air Force enlisted history.  I've been here several times but I still enjoy it as it is constantly changing.  They have added a 'Wall of Achievers' and I found the pictures of two great Iowa Airmen with whom I had the honor of serving. 

Brig Gen Jennifer Walter started out enlisted and retired not long after I did at Iowa Joint Forces Headquarters as our Chief of Staff.  I served with Brig Gen Walter at the 132d Fighter Wing before I moved to Headquarters. 

Brig Gen Randy Greenwood is another 132d Fighter Wing Airman who I served closely with as he was with me in the 132d Communications Flight.  Brig Gen Greenwood started as an enlisted Airman also and was serving as the Chief of Staff until recently.

From Gunter we headed downtown Montgomery and started to see some of the sites there.  We are going to pace ourselves as there is so much to see there and we have plenty of time.  Today we found the Hank Williams statue but will tour the museum another day. 

Then we headed to the Rosa Parks Museum and bus stop.  Rosa Louise Parks was a key player in the civil rights movement.  In August 1955 (the month and year I was born), Rosa refused to give up her bus seat for a white person and move to the rear of the bus.  She was arrested which started a wave of protests resulting in boycotting the bus system in Montgomery.  Ultimately her bravery to stand up to segregation changed the course of history. 

The lobby of the Rosa Parks Museum

Segregation in the south

Doreen sharing a bus stop bench with Rosa Parks

We watched a 10 minute movie about Rosa Parks and then entered an area where they do an audio visual re-enactment of the bus.  Unfortunately they would not allow photographs or videos in the museum, but it was very educational and very well done.

On the way back to the truck we walked around downtown a bit.  The Capital was beautiful from a distance.

The Alabama Capital

Tomorrow we will head to Tuskegee AL and visit the Tuskegee Airmen Museum there.