Midway Veteran Resources & Services

The USS Midway Museum is dedicated to honoring the approximately 100,000 young men who served aboard the USS Midway–and by extension all those who serve in uniform. They pioneered new naval aviation standards. They led successful humanitarian missions. And they protected America. We believe it is vital that we preserve their heritage for future generations.

If you are a Midway Veteran, we invite you to visit your ship very soon! Connect from home or come in person.

Stay Connected

Here are links to some of our most popular presentations as well as important visit information.

Many Midway Veterans stay connected with us through one of our social media channels. If you have a Facebook page, join the group below or follow our presentations on YouTube.

To view a complete list of Midway Veteran resources tips & information click below.

Midway Veteran Information

We welcome your individual visit as well as visits of Squadron or Division reunion groups. Please contact the Midway Sailor Program by email to midwaysailor@midway.org or call 619-398-8272 and leave us a message, so we can coordinate museum resources for your visit.  We love having our crew back aboard!

Military Ceremonies: If your group wants to schedule a military ceremony, please contact Stephanie Fitch sfitch@midway.org.  For more event information please see: https://www.midway.org/events/

Group Admission and Docent Lead Tours:  If you are visiting with a large family group, or a reunion group that is not scheduling a formal military event or ceremony, you might be interested in group admissions or booking a Docent lead tour.  Please contact Joe Wagstaff jwagstaff@midway.org for more information and for additional information see https://www.midway.org/visit/group-visit/docent-tours/ .

San Diego Travel Information: If you are visiting from out of town please click here for helpful helpful resources.

Accessibility: If you need elevator assistance or have other access needs onboard, please click here for helpful resources.

Visitor Information Center: Do you have questions about your upcoming visit? Midway’s Visitor Information Center can assist you with general information about the museum, (619) 398-8264 or visitorinfo@midway.org.

We offer all USS Midway veterans a complimentary Lifetime Midway Membership.

To get your Midway Veteran Membership, email midwaysailor@midway.org or call 619-398-8272. We will then send you a membership form, or an email with the information we need. To allow verification of your service history, we do not offer the complimentary Lifetime Midway Veteran Membership online.  You must sign up for your membership in advance of your visit. Membership may take up to 3 weeks to process.

Once your membership card is sent to your home, simply show your card at the entrance for complimentary admission for you and one (1) guest. For immediate help you may call Membership Coordinator Karen Garst at (619) 398-8204.  Her normal hours are Monday to Thursday from 8:30– 4;00 pm and Friday from 8:30 – 12:00.

The library is creating a database of all who served on board from Sept 10, 1945 to April 11, 1992. This includes everyone who sailed on board: Air Squadrons, Marines, Admiral’s Staff as well as Ship’s Company.  To confirm that your information is entered, please email AllAboard@midway.org

During your visit, stop by the Midway Research Library.  Library staff can look up crew members in their cruise book collection and has books about the military through the Battle of Midway Bookstore available for purchase. If you find the bookstore is closed, please contact a librarian in the main library next door to the bookstore.

Click here to learn more about Midway’s Research Library including special publications and history projects!

Interested in seeing your old berthing space or shipboard work center?

Midway’s Safety Team will make every effort to make this accessible to you and up to one guest as long as the area is accessible and properly illuminated for safe access.

This special access must be coordinated in advance by contacting Midway’s Safety Supervisor, Greg Giudice at ggiudice@midway.org

Please provide the following information in your email:

  • Expected arrival date/time
  • Department work center and/or berthing space locations (so that we can determine whether your spaces are accessible and safe)

The Safety Team does not provide behind-the-scenes tours, simply safe and secure access.

If you are interested in a Docent led tour of the ship for parties, reunion or veterans groups, please contact Carol Eakin at ceakin@midway.org to obtain pricing for admission and private Docent-led tours.

If you are traveling with a group of 5 or more people consider pre-ordering boxed lunches for your visit.

Contact our Fantail Cafe at (619) 398-8215 before your visit to arrange grab-and-go boxed lunches and simply pick them up during your visit at the Fantail Cafe counter, or other designated area. Minimum is 5 lunches.

We welcome donations of Midway memorabilia you can no longer care for and high-quality copies of pictures and other printed items.

Click here to learn about how you can easily donate your items to our archives.

You may also support the Midway’s programs by making a donation in any amount through our website using a credit card.  You first specify the area you wish to support, click on the red button, and then specify the amount of your donation.   Here is the link: https://www.midway.org/donate-now/

If you have questions, or would like to make a gift in honor or memory of a loved one, please contact Robin Hatfield at rhatfield@midway.org  619-398-8280.

Midway’s Historian, Karl Zingheim

Click here to visit “Karl’s Korner”  a monthly blog sharing aircraft carrier and naval aviation history as well as museum updates and exhibit features!

You can contact Karl at kzingheim@midway.org or (619) 398-8301.

Midway Sailor Program Facebook Group

This is a new private Facebook group just for those who served aboard the USS Midway. Come join us to connect with other former crew and for ongoing updates and special information for those who served aboard. Our Midway Sailor Program Liaison Paul “Chappie” Ward can be contacted through Facebook or at pward@midway.org if you have questions.

 

Flag Flying Service

We are proud to raise a flag at no charge.  To arrange this please visit our Flag Service page here.

Jet Shop (Gift Shop)

Want to wear a Midway ball cap?  Items from our museum gift shop can be purchased online here  or by phone at (619) 398-8244.  To get your members discount, enter your Membership ID in the Membership ID box at check out and be sure to click “APPLY”.

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