As November turns to December, the USS Midway Museum transforms into a downtown holiday spectacle unlike any other through Jingle Jets, a festive shipboard experience featuring dazzling light displays, seasonal décor, interactive activities and joyful programming. This increasingly popular holiday tradition celebrates its third year, the second of which with longtime Midway corporate partner Bank of America as the presenting sponsor.

Over 19 select nights from Nov. 28 to Dec. 30, the Jingle Jets experience will surprise and delight Midway guests of all ages with a mix of family-friendly elements as the ship is dressed in more than 1 million lights.  Visits with Santa Claus wearing his holiday red flight suit, the new Magical Penguin Search scavenger hunt, crafts and cookie decorations, caroling and karaoke, and specialty nights will keep museum guests in the holiday spirit. Bank of America’s presenting sponsorship helps underwrite the immersive décor, lighting infrastructure, entertainment programming and experiential elements that make the event both memorable and magical.

“For more than a decade, we’ve proudly partnered with the USS Midway Museum to bring educational programming and truly unique military history to San Diegans and visitors alike,” said Mark Kremers, the San Diego president of Bank of America. “From sponsoring celebrations such as Jingle Jets, the Midway’s annual gala and Legacy Week to financial education programs, we’ve engaged in a variety of ways in partnering with the Midway to salute our military.”

Given the Midway’s intersection of preserving maritime heritage, honoring aviation history and supporting elementary and middle-school STEM education, strong and committed partners make all the difference. At Midway, few supporters have shown as deep and consistent a commitment as Bank of America, whose partnerships over the past 10 years have helped elevate signature events, underwrite educational initiatives and broaden community engagement. Bank of America’s relationship with the Midway spans more than just a transactional sponsorship, rather, it’s embedded in a shared mission of enriching the San Diego community.

Recently, the bank renewed its support by sponsoring light-pole banners on Navy Pier, recognizing the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Each Memorial Day weekend, Midway is a primary gathering spot for San Diego’s commemoration of the holiday through Legacy Week, a multi-day sequence of programs that combine solemn remembrance, immersive exhibits and spirited community experiences. As presenting sponsor of Legacy Week, Bank of America supports the beloved Top Gun Maverick Party & Movie Night; the “Meet the Aviators” event featuring military aviators who flew the aircraft displayed on Midway; the Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony; as well as the Ribbons of Tribute exhibit. Because all Legacy Week events are included with museum general admission, Bank of America’s backing enables thousands of guests to experience these heartfelt tributes at no additional cost.

“We trust that every visitor who walks up the pier and onto the deck feels the value of this partnership,” said Steve Miller, Midway’s director of strategic partnerships. “We hope they feel honored and inspired to carry these experiences forward.”

Because corporate partnership fees at Midway are directed into programs and guest experience rather than administrative overhead, Bank of America’s support translates directly into visitor enrichment, operational impact and sustainable programming.

For decades, Kaiser Permanente has been synonymous with care, compassion, and community leadership across San Diego County. As one of San Diego County’s largest and most trusted health care providers, Kaiser Permanente’s partnership with the USS Midway Museum represents a powerful alignment of missions: honoring service, celebrating veterans, and strengthening the health and spirit of our community.

Midway’s very first corporate partner, Kaiser Permanente is now in its 23rd consecutive year of uninterrupted support. Before Midway tied up to Navy Pier in 2004 as a naval ship museum, Kaiser offered to advance multiple years of partnership fees up front to help kickstart the museum’s early financial success. Today, components of its partnership help underwrite several key museum initiatives, including Midway’s “No Child Left Ashore” elementary and middle school STEM field trip education initiatives, naming rights to one of the museum’s classrooms, exclusive presenting sponsorship of Midway’s sick bay and battle dressing station exhibits, and Captain-level sponsorship of Midway’s annual American Patriot Award Gala. Kaiser is also a supporting sponsor of Midway’s public-facing veteran-themed special events, including the San Diego Veteran’s Day Parade, an event coordinated by Midway.

“At Kaiser Permanente, we’re honored to support the Midway Museum and its incredible work bringing history to life,” said Rodger Dougherty, senior director of communications and public relations. “The museum does such a meaningful job of educating young people while paying tribute to the veterans whose service and sacrifice shaped our nation. Partnering with the Midway is our way of helping keep those stories — and those lessons of courage and teamwork — alive for school-aged students and adults alike.”

Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to veterans extends far beyond its partnership with the museum. The organization has a long-standing history of serving military families and veterans through specialized health services, mental health care and community outreach. Its clinicians and staff regularly volunteer in programs supporting transitioning servicemembers and participate in events that bring together veterans from all generations. Through its collaboration with Midway, Kaiser Permanente continues to amplify these efforts, ensuring that the region’s heroes receive the recognition and support they deserve.

This partnership also carries a remarkable historical connection. Kaiser Permanente’s origins trace back to the legendary Kaiser Shipyards of World War II, where Henry J. Kaiser pioneered industrial shipbuilding and created a groundbreaking health care program for his workers—one that would evolve into today’s Kaiser Permanente. The same steel, grit and innovation that defined those shipyards are echoed in Midway. Built with American ingenuity and a sense of urgency in an amazing 17 months during the Second World War, Midway came into service featuring the modular construction and standardized part mass production techniques Kaiser helped introduce.

“That shared lineage gives the partnership between Kaiser Permanente and Midway an especially meaningful resonance,” said Steve Miller, Midway’s director of strategic partnerships. “It’s not just a collaboration, it’s a reunion of two institutions whose stories were forged in the spirit of service to country and community.”

Today, Kaiser Permanente continues to play an essential role in the lives of San Diegans. With more than 630,000 members across the county, the organization leads with a mission to provide high-quality, affordable care and to improve the health of the communities it serves. Through its ongoing partnership with Midway, Kaiser Permanente honors its past while investing in the future by supporting a living symbol of American history and ensuring that the values of courage, innovation and compassion continue to inspire generations to come.

Stanley Foraker, Ship Restoration – July 2025

Many would say this acknowledgment is long overdue.

Stanley Foraker is dedicated to Midway. Aside from his days as part of the Marine Detachment (MARDET) on board USS Midway to today, Stan has committed more than 5,500 volunteer hours of work to the ship.

Stan strives to restore everything to be as authentic as possible. A volunteer since 2015, he spent the last 10 years refurbishing MARDET. Originally, the space was a highlight of the popular behind-the-scenes tours for museum members. Today, thanks to Stan, the general public now has the opportunity to witness the MARDET story.

“Stan is a quiet but dedicated volunteer who speaks very little words, but has dedicated his working hands, heart and time to preserving Midway,” said Len. “His efforts boost the longevity of the ship and its legacy.”

Stan is seen by his colleagues as the epitome of a fully committed volunteer. He is unwavering in his efforts to preserves the reality of Midway as an active duty ship. Every piece of brass shined, every deck cleaned and waxed, every bulkhead scrubbed and pristine Navy white. He was also integral to the restoration engine room 3.

Stan was a member of the USS Midway’s MARDET from 1987 to 1989.  He also served in the Marine infantry during Operation Desert Storm.

Steve Alba, Airwing – August 2025

Just as they prefer, there’s no fanfare for the airwing team. On board, or at Hangar 805, at the crack of dawn, they do their magic of restoring historic Navy and Marine Corps aircraft in solitary silence.

For Steve Alba, working behind the scenes is just how he likes it.  A volunteer since 2017, he has been an invaluable member of the airwing team, amassing more than 2,000 volunteer hours.

Along with other members of the airwing  team, he worked to correct and update the markings on Midway’s newly acquired F4U-4 Corsair. He also continues to be a valuable contributor to the aircraft moving process, a procedure that takes place fairly often, and requires a slow and precise process to ensure there is no damage to the aircraft, which in some cases are more than 70 years old.

“Steve is an excellent volunteer,” said Steve Smith, Midway’s airwing director. “He has a wonderful, contagious passion for serving on the team. He is always willing to share his knowledge and jump in to get the job done. Always cheerful and motivated, he’s a very dedicated member of the airwing.”

Steve is a Navy veteran, serving on multiple aircraft carriers including the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), USS America (CV-66), USS Ranger (CV-62) and the USS Constellation (CV-64).

Jim Boland, Safety – September 2025

Although Jim Boland has only been a Midway volunteer for a little more than two years, he has already contributed more than 2,200 hours of talent to the museum’s safety department.

A retired Navy captain, he quickly rose through the ranks to be a safety lead. He also recently undertook a colossal project to revamp the department’s safety trainee database.

“This was a huge project,” said Dominic Boccia, Midway’s safety director. “He basically reconstructed the whole program into a new, easy to use electronic database to train and track the progress of safety trainees as they maneuver through our rigorous safety training program.”

Jim also set-up a new safety officer refresher training presentations and provides training material to help the entire safety team to stay prepared and properly trained. He also assisted with the Volunteer Familiarization Tour as a safety representative for the volunteer office.

“Jim tackles his  missions with enthusiasm, and takes ownership and pride in his work,” said Dominic. “He is a pleasure to work with and whenever he brings up an issue to me, he also suggests some ideas as a resolution.”

Although working mostly behind the scenes, Jim’s commitment to Midway today is as strong as his dedication was to the Navy when he was on active duty.

“The combined efforts of our nearly 800 volunteers are why Midway is the number one thing to do in San Diego.”

For those interested in becoming a USS Midway Museum volunteer, more information along with the volunteer application can be found here.

Over the past 20 years, the USS Midway Museum’s curatorial department, along with its library, has evolved into an incredible repository of unique Midway and Navy artifacts, classic pieces of naval art and a plethora of military books, publications and manuals.

The curatorial team was recently surprised by a one-of-a-kind Midway flag that was donated from a former Midway crewmember. The flag has been added to the museum’s distinctive and ever-growing collection.

“Midway veteran Roger Cheetam donated the Midway flag,” said Dave Hanson, Midway’s curator. “The Midway logo is the most interesting, as we had never heard of such a flag before. It joins another important Midway flag in our collections, the Tip Of The Sword battle flag, that was flown on the ship during Desert Storm.”

This newly donated flag was created using a version of the Midway’s shield logo. The donor indicated that it had been sewn by the ship’s crew and was also on board during Midway’s involvement in the Gulf War in 1991. Roger had the flag in his possession since Midway was decommissioned in 1992, but decided it belonged back on the ship.

Another donation was an American flag that contained only 48 stars that was created before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the union as states in 1959.

“The 48 star flag was definitely vintage and showed considerable wear and tear,” said Dave. “I can say  that it probably dates between 1912 and 1959, and looks like it is made of linen. It arrived folded in the commercial bag it was sold in.”

Since the flag is fragile due to damage over the years, it will remain in storage, but could be used for special occasions at the museum.

“The 48 star flag was sent on to the curatorial freezer as we suspected that it had moth damage,” said Dave. “It could, however, be used for future Midway events and ceremonies.”

“An incredible repository of unique Midway and Navy artifacts, classic pieces of naval art and a plethora of military books, publications and manuals.”

The ship’s bell tolled hauntingly as the names of each of the New York City first responders who died in the September 11th terrorist attack on the World Trade Center were read aloud during the annual remembrance ceremony on the USS Midway Museum’s flight deck.

Midway, once again partnering with the FDNY Retirees of San Diego, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, National City Fire Department, San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society and The Wounded Warrior Project, hosted the 24th annual memorial service honoring those who lost their lives while trying to save the lives of others.

“Every year it’s the week of September 11, not just the day of September 11 that I go through and process,” said David Blacksberg, a retired emergency medical technician who rescued multiple people from the North Tower during the attack. “I understand that I am blessed and lucky to still be here. I am a survivor, and I understand that survivor’s guilt is real. I always feel like I could have and should have done more.”

This is the 21st year the event has been held aboard Midway, and it was again a sobering remembrance highlighted by the echoing sounds of bag pipes, the crack of a 21-gun salute and the palpable air-pounding force of a helicopter flyover.

“It’s an honor for Midway to continue hosting this ceremony that is not only important to those who were on the scene in New York City that day, but to all Americans,” said David Koontz, Midway’s marketing director during his open remarks. “Although it’s been 24 years since the tragedy, we must continue to remember the selfless heroism of those who put their lives on the line for others. Remembrances like this on the Midway and others around the country will ensure that we never forget.”

There were 343 firefighters, police officers and other first responders who perished on that tragic September day in New York City, and, as of the end of 2024, more than 350 other emergency response personnel have died as a result of the illnesses and injuries they suffered.

“We stand here to honor the memory of the lives lost, and in support of the countless others whose lives were forever changed by the horrors of that day,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria before a crowd of more than 500 ceremony attendees. “It is a day that changed our nation. For most Americans, 9/11 is not just history; it is deeply personal. Today, we gather to fulfill a promise made 24 years ago, a promise that we would never forget the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.”

For Barbara Pandolfo, the terrorist attack is tremendously personal. Her only daughter, Dominique, who was attending a meeting on the 99th floor of the North Tower, died that morning.

“It took my life away,” said Barbara, who traveled to San Diego from New Jersey to attend the ceremony. “Everybody tells me how strong I am, that I keep getting up every day and putting one foot in front of the other. But they took the best and the brightest that day.”

In the days following that attack, nearly 100 emergency response personnel from San Diego traveled to New York City spending more than two weeks at Ground Zero.

“In the wake of the attacks, San Diegans answered the call,” said Mayor Gloria. “Our city’s sons and daughters stepped forward to serve, to defend, and to protect.”

“I also think that it’s not just ‘never forget 9/11,’ but always remember 9/12 and how we came together as a united front against terror and those who want to defeat us.”

“We were told to get ready to get in there,” remembered Ron Edrozo, who was a member San Diego Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 8 at the time of the terrorist attack. “We all got our equipment together and made sure we had everything ready, and within five days we were gone. You train a lot and you hope that the training is going to prepare you for the worst. But until you see the worst, there’s no way you could imagine that much destruction.”

For David Blacksberg, the annual ceremony is more than just reflecting on the countless acts of heroism demonstrated that day, it’s an opportunity to draw the nation closer together.

“I offer as much as I can to speak and to educate on how important it is to remember that day,” said David, who was still working at the scene near the North Tower when the second plane struck “I also think that it’s not just ‘never forget 9/11,’ but always remember 9/12 and how we came together as a united front against terror and those who want to defeat us.”

There are few jobs that are more dangerous than landing a plane on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Often referred to as “controlled crashes,” every successful landing is not only graded, but lauded.  Carrier landing milestone for individual pilots are celebrated with patches on their flight jackets, while the carriers themselves will exult these achievements with a ceremony often involving the cutting of a monumental-size cake.

More than 342,000 successful carrier landings were made on the USS Midway (CV-41) over the course of its nearly 50-year career.  Each of those 1,000th landing records were commemorated with a brass plate engraved with the landing number, the date and the pilot’s name. The plates were then anchored to large brass plaques, usually 30 plates to a plaque.

The plaques were part of a small number of artifacts from the Midway’s history that were stored in a hangar at Naval Air Station North Island following the ship’s decommissioning in 1992. The plaques were given to Midway when it returned to San Diego and opened as a museum in 2004.

“The Midway library has been storing the eleven heavy brass plaques commemorating more than 300 of the 1000 landing milestones on board the ship,” said Dave Hanson, Midway’s curator. “For years, the librarians have been researching the information needed to replicate the missing plates on some of the plaques. We are now ready to move forward with replacing the ones that are missing, and have joined forces with the ship restoration team to get it done.”

Over the past 20 years, a countless number of museum librarians have been involved with this exhaustive research project to create a database that has the details for many of the missing plates. The missing information was gleaned from in-depth reviews of Midway’s deck logs and ship’s newsletters, and sometimes from the pilots themselves.

The curatorial team is looking to replicate the brass plates missing on several of the plaques by using an onboard engraving machine. The cost for the new brass plates is being covered by revenue generated from Midway bookstore sales.

The goal is to ultimately display the plaques somewhere along a guest tour route. Currently, passageways near the airwing spaces and clean-shirt wardroom are being considered as possible display locations.

“This project has been long in the making, and it is great to see it finally start to move towards completion,” said Dave. “The first of the plaques to be shined up looks great.”

The curatorial team hopes that by displaying the plaques, it will be another source of interesting knowledge for museum guests about the Navy and naval aviation.

“I hope it helps the public understand how many landings have been made on the ship, which should be an amazing number to most guests, as most of them don’t visualize the pace of operations or the fact that Midway had been doing this for 47 years,” said Dave. “It also tells the story of a Navy tradition of keeping track of such milestone landings. Perhaps, by having the display open to the public, we might get some of the later pilots to give us information to help fill in the gaps.”

With its residents speaking more than 100 languages, San Diego is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the country. The combined strength of this diversity has been a driving force behind why San Diego is considered America’s Finest City.

“San Diego is a special place with limitless potential, where everyone deserves equal access to opportunity, happiness and a bright future,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who has made equity a central pillar of his administration.

The diverse heritage of the community was again on full regalia during the USS Midway Museum’s 4th annual Multicultural Celebration. Musicians, singers and dancers from eight San Diego communities gathered on the museum’s hangar deck engaging in performances that highlighted the distinct and unique nature of their cultures.

“I thought the groups were fantastic to watch,” said Irene Pacheco, who was visiting Midway with her family. “I especially loved how elaborate and colorful many of the costumes were. It made the performances very vibrant.”

The celebration was organized by Midway’s community engagement committee with the goal of enhancing the community’s awareness and appreciation for San Diego’s different cultures.

“I think it is important to celebrate and share our diversity in San Diego because there are so many people from different backgrounds here and many people are still unaware as to how diverse and multiethnic San Diego is,” said Dennis-Michael Broussard, a member of Midway’s community engagement committee. “It is important to share and celebrate these differences, and know we are still all San Diegans, we are still Americans, and we are all in this together.”

Performing on a former Navy warship was a unique experience for each of the groups.

“It was a dream come true, an honor, to finally be blessed with the opportunity to board this carrier,” said Rosemary Mantanona, who leads the Guamanian performing group Guma’ Imahen Taotao Tano. “I was literally walking in history, thinking of the times this vessel was active in war. I felt overjoyed to share my indigenous Chamorro culture with the community and staff members aboard.”

Over past 20 year, Midway has become a cornerstone and icon for the city.  Hosting the annual multicultural event continues to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to people of San Diego.

“With each year, Midway becomes more and more important to San Diegans,” said Pha Le, chair of the museum’s community engagement committee. “The people will look to us to lead in civic engagement, in support of our military and in support of all communities in San Diego. Therefore, it is fitting that we should also lead in bringing greater awareness to the city, as well as visitors to the Midway, of the diversity that inherently exists in the history of the ship, as well as the diversity of the city itself.”

“The USS Midway is an iconic part of the San Diego landscape and one of the most popular spots to visit in the city,” said Dennis, who coordinated the various performing groups’ participation in the day-long celebration. “By being a champion of diversity and bringing people together, Midway can be a leader in showing the importance of coming together and being a unified people, despite the many different origins of the citizens of San Diego.”

The performing groups represented Asian, Hispanic and African-American communities in San Diego. The event on Midway allows these communities to share their heritages with people who may have never had a previous opportunity to experience them.

“Celebrating and expanding the awareness of the cultural diversity of the San Diego community presents a platform for building cohesion,” said Rosemary, whose father served in the Vietnam and Korean Wars. “These communities feel seen, heard and validated for their efforts in community service and cultural preservation. Above all, they feel treasured and that they matter.”

During the event, Midway also celebrated it’s 80th birthday. The ship was commissioned a week after the end of World War II in September 1945.

“Celebrating Midway’s 80th birthday in combination with a celebration of our community’s diversity made it extra special and one of my favorite events on the Midway,” said Pha, who is also member of Midway’s board of directors. “Celebrating ethnic and cultural diversity is celebrating who we are as San Diegans. Furthermore, it helps us pay tribute to the diversity of the men who served on the Midway, and of the men and women who serve in our military today. This diversity is the backbone of our strength and will always be the source of our ingenuity.”

Since the USS Midway Museum opened to the public more than 20 years ago, volunteers have and continue to be the lifeblood of the museum. Whether it’s docents openly engaging with guests on the flight deck or the air wing team quietly toiling in the restoration of a historic aircraft at Hangar 805, the unparallelled passion of each of the museum’s volunteers is the driving force behind Midway’s success.

Patty Forest embodies the quintessential passion of Midway volunteers, and then takes it up a notch.

“The work I do honors every person that served their country while stationed on the USS Midway,” said Patty, a Massachusetts native. “Volunteering at the Midway gives you a purpose to wake up each day and continue to make sure the history of this ship will live on for future generations.”

Although not a military veteran, Patty was intrigued about Midway shortly after it arrived in San Diego and opened as a museum.

“One Sunday morning I was watching the KUSI Sunday Morning News, and one of their reporters was broadcasting from the USS Midway Museum,” said Patty, who has been a volunteer since 2007. “I thought, wow, I am not doing anything today, so I think I will take a tour of the museum. From the moment I saw her from the pier, she took my breath away and I wanted to help keep her memory alive. During my first visit, I got a brochure on the museum’s volunteer opportunities. The rest is history.”

Like many of Midway’s volunteers, Patty wasn’t satisfied with lending her talents to just one department. She currently splits her time between the safety and ship’s restoration departments and outreach programs. While enjoying the work regardless of what color shirt she’s wearing on any given day, her contributions to ship restoration bring her a special satisfaction.

“I love restoring or repurposing the Midway to align with our core values especially as it relates to preserving this historic aircraft carrier and the legacy of those who served,” said Patty, who worked in accounts receivable for California Coast Credit Union after moving to San Diego in 2000. “I love seeing the excitement on the faces of our guests as they tour the Midway and knowing I helped put that smile on their faces.”

Patty’s impacts as a multipurpose volunteer have not gone unrecognized. In 2016, she was named Midway’s volunteer of the year.

“I was humbled and honored to be named volunteer of the year for something I love to do,” said Patty, who has amassed more than 11,500 volunteer hours. “Volunteering gives me a great deal of satisfaction in my life knowing I have made a difference in keeping various aspects of history alive for future generations.”

“Patty is self-motivated, pro-active, focused, organized and dependable,” said Laurie Switzer, Midway’s director of volunteer programs. “She continues helping Midway, not just in restoring the ship, but also working on our outreach team, promoting the museum as an ambassador, and as a member of the safety team. It is the efforts of volunteers like Patty that have made Midway such an exceptional place.”

As one of Midway’s longest serving volunteers, Patty has seen a significant evolution of the museum experience over the last two decades.

“The exhibits are currently becoming more sophisticated to relay the history of the Midway to our guests as opposed to solely refurbishing areas to their time,” said Patty, who has lived in San Diego for more than 35 years. “After all these years, I just keep asking myself ‘where did the time go.’ I look around the ship and I see all the projects I have worked on and then say, ‘that’s where the time went.’”

Although Patty dedicates her time and talents to Midway, she feels strongly that everyone should look for volunteer opportunities in their community.

“Volunteering gives people a daily purpose for their lives,” said Patty, whose family are first generation Irish and Italian immigrants. “Non-profit organizations like Midway depend on volunteers to help keep their overhead costs down with more money being available to those in need.”