Quietly anchored off Alameda, the USS Hornet sits like a sleeping giant in the Bay. Its steel decks are steeped in history and open for all to explore year-round.

Exhibition Director Anthony Wilson remembers when he first stepped aboard as a child, long before he ever imagined he'd be the ship's caretaker.

"I was born and raised in San Francisco, so I can't see the home to here, but it's pretty close. And I remember coming here as a kid and just awe-inspiring," Wilson said.

Today, Wilson roams the same narrow corridors he once wandered in wonder, now preserving them for others. In the depths of the ship, he curates exhibits that capture the daily rhythm of life aboard during World War II. They tell stories of simple meals, small comforts, and fleeting moments of normalcy amid global con

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