ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The USS Hornet was a legendary aircraft carrier during World War II, and in 1969 it was the ship that retrieved the Apollo 11 astronauts when they returned to earth after their historic moon landing. On Saturday night, the old carrier, which is now a museum near Oakland, played host to the U.S. Marines, who celebrated their 240th birthday at their annual Marine Ball. Among the hundreds of Marines in attendance was a famous Marine reservist named Rick Monday, who was one of the guests of honor.
"This means a lot," said Monday, who attended the event with his wife Barbaralee.