Midway Brought Back to Life

Northrop Grumman Corporation helped restore the historic aircraft carrier USS Midway (CVA-41) for the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum. The Midway was built by Northrop Grumman's Newport News sector and delivered to the U.S. Navy in 1945. After serving nearly 50 years, the ship was decommissioned in 1992 and is now being converted into a museum and memorial.

Last November, the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum asked all shipyards in the area for support for the Midway project by repairing and restoring three brow platforms and two brows. Continental Maritime, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Newport News, was the only shipyard to respond to this request. The Structural, Coating and Rigging departments worked on the project.

"Continental Maritime proved itself a true friend of the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum and, by extension, the Navy," said the museum executive director, Navy Rear Adm. Riley Mixson (ret.)."We've always recognized and appreciated Continental's leadership in San Diego and most recently they have made a major contribution to the establishment of the flagship of floating naval aviation museums here in San Diego."

In January, tugs pulled the 45,000-ton decommissioned warship to Naval Air Station North Island. Restored vintage aircraft were taken on board and the restored brows and brow platforms were transported across the bay on a Continental Maritime barge for the arrival of Midway at Navy Pier Downtown.

As a thank you to Continental Maritime for its contributions and efforts, Northrop Grumman employees Dick Beavers, Gene Heldenbrand and Paul Trussler were invited to board Midway for her final voyage across the bay on Jan. 10. This was a sentimental journey for Beavers, as Midway was the first ship he served on during his naval career.

Midway will officially be open to the public in this spring. Guided tours will include a visit to the hanger bays, flight deck and bridge along with various exhibits, flight simulators, etc. More detailed information is available at www.midway.org/. Located in San Diego, Continental Maritimedelivers service and support to aircraft carriers as well as other ships in the U.S. Navy fleet stationed on the west coast. Continental Maritime is a certified Master Ship Repair Contractor with the U.S. Navy and has accomplished hundreds of ship repair contracts for the Navy and Military Sealift Command.