27 Feb 2019 - Roswell Visitor Center, UFO Museum, McBride Military Museum, Walker Aviation Museum

27 Feb 2019

Another one bites the dust.  New Mexico sticker placed!

Those in white are what's left

Full day!  Low of 39F last night but warmed quickly and peaked at 73F this afternoon.  We started at the Roswell Visitor Center this morning for brochures and maps.  Aliens are everywhere here!

Next stop was the UFO Museum. 

There were several movies to watch and extensive displays of documentation about the famous 1947 Roswell UFO incident. They presented a very good case about a huge government cover-up and it sure seems plausible. 

A painting of what the crash site looked like

UFO sightings peaked in 1947 prior to the crash

Newspaper articles about the UFO crash

Information on the government cover-up

In 2002 the University of New Mexico conducted an archaeological dig at the site of the crash

Some humor in the sensational museum display

Scene from the movie set "Roswell"

After the museum we walked around downtown a bit.  There are several UFO-themed souvenir shops and a restaurant that has apparently closed.

Closed restaurant

Beer pinatas

Even Dunkin Donuts has a display!

While we were still downtown, we traveled north a few blocks to the New Mexico Military Institute, home of the Douglas L. McBride Museum.  The museum highlights the history of the academy and includes a Hall of Fame, Cadet Life, Academics, Women in the Corps, Motorcycle Machine Gun Corps, Regimental Band and Athletics.  Here are some photos:

A beautiful campus.  Cadets heading to class

The Luna Building where the museum is

First floor reception area and state flags

At the top of the stairs, stained glass

Second floor balcony museum area 

1915 Harley Davidson Motorcycle Machine Gun Corps

Women in the Corps

Cadet life display

A long history of sports excellence

Hall of Fame - Institute graduates who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

The Walker Aviation Museum is located at the Roswell Airport, which used to be the Roswell Army Air Field which opened in 1941 and then became Walker Air Force Base.  This air force base was one of the largest Strategic Air Command bases in the United States and was home to the 509th Bombardment Group - the only unit to carry out strategic nuclear bombing missions during time of war.  It was the home of the Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima.  It was also the home of Bockscar that dropped the nuclear bomb on Nagasaki.  The base closed in 1967.

We made our way to the airport, and were greeted with more alien displays, one coming and one going!

The museum is located in the airport terminal building.  There are displays up and down the hallways and from the ceiling.

The museum is not huge, but was very interesting.

A few weapons on display

Amazing map showing all of the Air Forces Bases, unknown year.  Wow, we had a lot of infrastructure back in those days! Many, many of these bases are closed now.

Loring AFB Maine where I was stationed - the 42d Bomb Wing patch is second row center.

Gen Kenneth N Walker, namesake of the base.

We came back to the RV Park, washed the truck, washed the RV front cap, and called it a day.

Tomorrow we will visit the Bottomless Lakes State Park.