Battleship Memorial Park

Infobox_nrhp_map
name = USS ALABAMA (battleship)
nrhp_type = nhl
boxwidth = 260px

|thumb
caption = USS "Alabama" (BB-60) in December 1942.
location = 2703 Battleship Parkway
Mobile, Alabama, USA
area =
built =Museum opened in 1965.
designated = January 14, 1986cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1206&ResourceType=Building
title=USS Alabama (Battleship)|date=2007-09-27|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = January 14, 1986cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
refnum=86000083
locmapin = Alabama | mapwidth = 180
mapcaption = USS Alabama anchored in Mobile Bay
maplabel=Battleship Memorial Park | maplabelsize=60 | maplabelpos=top
marksize=6
lat_degrees = 30.68
long_degrees = 88.01
lat_direction = N
long_direction = W
lat_minutes = 0
long_minutes = 0

Battleship Memorial Park is a military park located along the shores of Mobile Bay, on the Battleship Parkway in Mobile, Alabama. It has a collection of notable aircraft and museum ships including the "South Dakota"-class battleship USS "Alabama" and "Gato"-class submarine USS "Drum".

History

In May 1962, the USS "Alabama" (BB-60) had been ordered scrapped along with her "South Dakota"-class sister ships, USS "South Dakota" (BB-57), USS "Indiana" (BB-58), and USS "Massachusetts" (BB-59).cite web|title="USS "Alabama" Battleship Memorial Park open for 42 years"|url=http://www.ussalabama.com/html/news/index.cgi?action=fullscreen&primary_key=65|accessdate=2007-11-05|publisher=USS "Alabama" Battleship Commission|date=2007-01-09] Citizens of the state of Alabama had formed the "USS "Alabama" Battleship Commission" to raise funds for the preservation of "Alabama" as a memorial to the men and women who served in World War II. Alabama’s school children raised approximately $100,000 in nickels and dimes from lunch money and allowances to help the cause. The ship was awarded to the state on 16 June 1964, and was formally turned over on 7 July 1964 in ceremonies at Seattle, Washington. "Alabama" was then towed to her permanent berth at Mobile, Alabama, arriving in Mobile Bay on 14 September 1964 and opening as a museum ship on 9 January 1965. She was joined in 1969 by the submarine USS "Drum" which was moored behind the "Alabama" until it was damaged in Hurricane Georges in 1998, resulting in its move to an onshore display.

Hurricane Katrina caused more than $7 million in damages to Battleship Memorial Park on 29 August, 2005 when it came ashore. It almost completely destroyed the aircraft pavilion and gave the USS "Alabama" an eight-degree list to portcite web|url=http://www.murdoconline.net/archives/002743.html|publisher=Murdoc Online|title=Navy Ships and Hurricane Katrina|date=2005-09-03|accessdate=2007-11-05] and shifting at her permanent anchorage. This forced the park to temporarily close. The park reopened 9 January 2006, with the ship still having a three-degree list which has since been corrected. Most of the damage to other exhibits has also been repaired.

Features

*The World War II era battleship USS "Alabama" (BB-60).
*The World War II era submarine USS "Drum" (SS-228).
*Bombers and fighter planes ranging from a P-51 Mustang flown by the Tuskegee Airmen to a A-12 Blackbird spyplane.
*A PBR (River Patrol Boat) used in the Vietnam War.
*Military equipment ranging from items such as a Skysweeper M51 anti-aircraft gun to a M4 Sherman tank.
*A Redstone MRBM (medium range ballistic missile).
*Korean War Memorial
*Vietnam War Memorial

Administration

The park is owned by the state of Alabama and is run by an independent government agency, the USS "Alabama" Battleship Commission. The commission consists of eighteen members from over the entire state appointed by the governor, it has oversight of all operations at the park.

Gallery

Hurricane Katrina.

References

External links

* [http://www.ussalabama.com Battleship Memorial Park] (Official website)