Often times, it’s the USS Midway Museum volunteers that work quietly in the shadows that have the greatest impact on the guest experience and the museum’s overall success. While subtle, the restoration of a space on the ship or a historic aircraft can capture the imagination of a visitor.
“Everything our volunteers do is indescribably important,” said Len Santiago, Midway’s chief engineer. “It doesn’t matter how big or small their contributions are, the combined efforts of our nearly 800 volunteers are why Midway is the number one thing to do in San Diego.”
Together lets salute our volunteer standouts for the third quarter.
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.
Comments are closed.