Day 5: Washington, D.C. - Smithsonian American History Museum

Toga Toting George Washington at Smithsonian

This morning we returned to the Decatur House for several lectures.  Dr. Randy Papadopoulos, the Secretariat Historian of the Department of the Navy educated us about Operation Neptune, the Navy's efforts to transport 120,000 soldiers over the English Channel on D-Day.  We also heard from Ms. Courtney Speckmann, the Director of Education at the White House Historical Society about Washington and the White House during World War II.  

For lunch, Isaac and I walked to GCDC (Grilled Cheese DC) and met my brother Jeff.  Isaac had a grilled cheese with bacon and spinach, and I had a Mediterranean grilled cheese, which was a little too olivey for my taste.  Isaac told me he was amazed to meet a prestigious Lorena graduate and former Leopard great.  He was a little camera shy, so we only got a photo of the Borchardt brothers.  

   After lunch, the group walked to the National Archives building to get our research cards.  It is definitely getting a little hot and sticky here in DC, so I am happy to be heading to France, where I'm hoping for cool and cloudy weather.  

We spent a good amount of time at the Smithsonian Museum of American History.  We went through the military history exhibit "The Price of Freedom" and Isaac tested out some of the Revolutionary era percussion.  We saw a half-dressed George Washington (see above), the Star Spangled Banner, the American President's exhibit, the lunch counter from Greensboro where civil rights activists began to sit in.

As I was leaving, I saw the Texas flag waving outside the museum.  It reminded me of the many people who are following our trip from back in Texas.  We miss you, but we're not ready to come back yet!