Mega Trip Report- Part Five

[cassie_KY]

Saturday, July 4th

After departing the ship, we headed straight to the USS Alabama. We had read some brochures describing it. Coupled with the fact that we could see it from out cruise ship, it was a must-do.

Before I go into a description of our time there, I wanted to provide some background on USS Alabama and Battleship Park (with the help of the brochure).

At Mobile’s Battleship Memorial Park you don’t have to look very far to find heroes. From the mighty USS Alabama to the Submarine USS Drum and 21 combat aircraft, the spirit of military pride is alive and well. Voyage through time and revisit an era of adventure and bravery as you tour our many exhibits.

The recipient of nine WWII Battle Stars, the Battleship Alabama and her crew of 2,500 saw action in the Atlantic for a year before joining the Pacific fleet in mid-1943. There she fought at such key locations as Leyte, the Gilbert Islands, and Okinawa. After the signing of the war-ending surrender documents in September 1945, Alabama, or the “Mighty A,” as she was known, led the American Fleet into Tokyo Bay.

Nearby the battleship, you can climb inside the USS Drum, and see firsthand the conditions that confronted our Navy’s submariners. You can relive the glory days of the Air Force with “Calamity Jane,” a B-52 Stratofortress that served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Another cold war veteran, the A-12 “Blackbird” spyplane, is another fascinating blast from the past.

You’ll also want to see the World War II fighter planes in our Aircraft Pavilion, including a gull-winged Corsair and the P51-D Mustandg Redtail, the plane flown by the Tuskegee Airmen. Then inspect other aircraft from Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm.

Battleship Park is a very large facility! When we pulled into the parking lot (lined on both sides with American flags), we weren't sure where to go first. The battleship takes center stage, but other outside attractions are scattered around the park.

Opting to stay outside, we walked over to see the Calamity Jane. Her sides were decorated with her confirmed hits. Next to her was a monument dedicated to dogs who helped the war effort. Beside it was a Korean War Memorial and a tank. A more somber display was a blank granite monument bearing the names of Alabamians who had lost their lives in war. Standing perpetual watch was a bronze statue of a veteran coming to visit his brothers. Another statue that caught my eye was a giant POW bracelet.

We walked around for a time looking at the other aircraft (Some in better shape than others.) Before heading inside.

Tickets are twelve dollars (Ten with AAA discount). We picked up a sheet describing different "routes" through the ship. we followed the yellow route and promptly got lost.

I never knew the inside of one of those ships was so complicated! We climbed over seven decks before we reached the top. Several rooms were restored to resemble officer’s quarters, the control room, and a lounge (among others). We really liked the short film that described the history of the ship. Veterans that served on the battleship were interviewed about what their days were like on the ship.

A display regarding how the USS Alabama came to be in Mobile was really interesting. She was scheduled to be scrapped. A fundraising campaign took place and the battleship was towed from Washington state. It was reported to have been one of the heaviest tows ever.

Next to the battleship was a large building full of aircraft. My favorite was the Blackbird. An article was displayed next to it explaining how it was dedicated to a test pilot. He disappeared in the sixties. His family did not know he was a pilot. They thought he worked for NASA. Each day when he went to work, he went to the base they thought he worked at and then he flew to Area Fifty One. When he disappeared, the military gave no explanation to his family about what happened. They didn't learn anything until 2007 when the information was declassified.

The USS Drum was next. Like I thought, they fit a lot into a small space. The kitchen was not much bigger than a broom closet. The crew even shared beds! The idea was called "hot bed." Two men were assigned a bunk. While one was on duty, the other rested. The captain said it was really nice when working up north but wasn't as fun in the tropics.

After our tour we headed to the gift shop. As it was July fourth, many people were milling around. Col. Glenn Frazier was signing his book, Hell's Guest. His story began in 1941 when he was sixteen years old. Lying about his age, the sixteen year old enlisted in the US Army. Five months later, he went to war and fought at Bataan. Soon after, he was captured by the Japanese. He survived the Death March and three years at a Japanese prison camp before he was freed. I felt honored to have met him.

We found the gift shop prices to be quite reasonable and purchases some magnes, patches, post cards, and a Christmas ornament. We also checked out the snack bar and the prices were cheaper than what I expected and the quality seemed to be good.

One other exhibit at Battleship Park is a line of old Mobile Police cars. They date from the late forties through the sixties. I had to have my picture taken with the paddy wagon.

We ended up spending five hours at the park. Honestly, I could have stayed longer and not been bored. There is so much to do and learn about our military past. This is a Mobile must-see!

Thank you for reading! Pictures will be up soon. Our next trip report will be the Georgia Aquarium.