Battleship Memorial Park

Battleship Memorial Park
USS Alabama in Battleship Memorial Park in 2008
LocationMobile, Alabama, United States
Coordinates30°40′54″N 88°00′53″W / 30.68178°N 88.01479°W / 30.68178; -88.01479
FoundedJanuary 9, 1965
Official nameBattleship Alabama Memorial Park
DesignatedOctober 28, 1977[1]
Official nameUSS ALABAMA (battleship)
DesignatedJanuary 14, 1986[2]
Reference no.86000083
Official nameUSS DRUM (submarine)
DesignatedJanuary 14, 1986[3]
Reference no.86000086
Battleship Memorial Park is located in Alabama
Battleship Memorial Park
Location of Battleship Memorial Park in Alabama
Battleship Memorial Park is located in the United States
Battleship Memorial Park
Battleship Memorial Park (the United States)
Main articles: USS Alabama (BB-60) and USS Drum (SS-228)

Battleship Memorial Park is a military history park and museum on the western shore of Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama. Its notable aircraft and museum ships include the South Dakota-class battleship USS Alabama and Gato-class submarine USS Drum. Alabama and Drum are National Historic Landmarks; the park as a whole was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on October 28, 1977.[1]

History

In May 1962, USS Alabama had been ordered scrapped along with her South Dakota-class sister ships, USS South Dakota, USS Indiana, and USS Massachusetts.[4] 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 about $100,000 in nickels and dimes from lunch money and allowances to help the cause.[4] The ship was awarded to the state on June 16, 1964, and was formally turned over on July 7, 1964 in ceremonies at Seattle, Washington. Alabama was then towed to her permanent berth at Mobile, Alabama, arriving in Mobile Bay on September 14, 1964, and opening as a museum ship on January 9, 1965.[4]

Alabama was joined in 1969 by USS Drum, a World War II Gato-class submarine, which was moored behind her until 2001, when the submarine was moved onto land for preservation in a permanent display.[5]

In 2003, a replica of a Confederate submarine that was built in Mobile, CSS H. L. Hunley, was moved to the park.[6]

Hurricane Katrina caused more than $7 million in damage to Battleship Memorial Park on August 29, 2005.[4] It almost completely destroyed the aircraft pavilion. It shifted Alabama at anchorage and gave her an eight-degree list to port.[7] Repairs closed the park until January 9, 2006.[8]

Features

Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion

Up to World War II[9]
Korean War era[9]
Vietnam War era[9]
Cold War[9]
Coast Guard[9]

Events

The 2001 USA Cross Country Championships were held at a cross country running course in the park.[10]

Political events have not been allowed at the venue since 2012.[11]

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 18 members appointed by the Alabama governor. It has oversight of all operations at the park.[12]

Scenes within the park
  • Entrance with F-4 Phantom
    Entrance with F-4 Phantom
  • USS Drum moored behind USS Alabama in 1994
    USS Drum moored behind USS Alabama in 1994
  • USS Alabama's forward guns and deck in 2008
    USS Alabama's forward guns and deck in 2008
  • A-12 Oxcart on display in 1994, before construction of the first aircraft pavilion
    A-12 Oxcart on display in 1994, before construction of the first aircraft pavilion
  • Type 69-II main battle tank from Iraq
    Type 69-II main battle tank from Iraq

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage". Alabama Historical Commission. www.preserveala.org. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  2. ^ "USS Alabama (Battleship)". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
  3. ^ "USS DRUM (Submarine)". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on January 11, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d "About The Park". USS Alabama Battleship Commission. Archived from the original on July 27, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  5. ^ "A History of the USS Drum (SS 228)". USS Alabama Battleship Commission. Archived from the original on August 3, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  6. ^ http://www.hunleystore.com/Newsletter_66-notes/Newletter_66.htm#Hunley Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine replica
  7. ^ "Navy Ships and Hurricane Katrina". Murdoc Online. September 3, 2005. Archived from the original on November 16, 2007. Retrieved November 5, 2007.
  8. ^ "Battleship Memorial Park, USS Alabama". Gulf Coast Information Systems. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Aircraft". USS Alabama. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "USATF - Events - 2001 USA Fall Cross Country Championships - Results".
  11. ^ Porter, Tom; Dorman, John L. (June 30, 2021). "Trump had to cancel a July 4 weekend rally at an Alabama military memorial park after the venue backed out". Business Insider. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  12. ^ "USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park Commissioners". USS Alabama Battleship Commission. Archived from the original on June 30, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
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