Visiting “The Mighty A”, The USS Alabama was an awe inspiring experience. We spent most of the day at Battleship Park. We started the visit with The aircraft pavilion and their many displays. The collection ranged from a WWII bi plane trainer up to present day jet aircraft. For us the two most interesting and historical planes were the B-25 Medium Bomber and the P-51 Mustang flown by the Famous Tuskegee Airmen.
From there is was on to The USS Drum Submarine and talking to all of the re-enactors that were on site the day we visited. The re-enactors were a wealth of knowledge both on the USS Drum and The Alabama. Many of them were direct descendants of men and women that were in WWII. Also as we moved around the Ships we found re-enactors representing The US, Germany and Japan. Such a cool way to spend a day. But, the big attraction is Visiting “The Mighty A”, The USS Alabama. So let’s learn a bit.
| Sister Ships: | MASSACHUSETTS, INDIANA, SOUTH DAKOTA |
| Launched: | 16 February 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 16 August 1942 |
| Displacement: | 35,000 to 44,500 tons |
| Length: | 680 ft |
| Beam: | 108 ft. 2 in. |
| Height of truck light above keel: | 194 ft. |
| Design Draft: | 33 ft. 8 in. |
| Actual weight when fully loaded: | 42,500 tons. |
| Speed: | 28 knots |
| Range: | 15,000 Nautical miles at 15 knots |
| Crew: | 2,500 crew members at the height of WWII |
| Power Plants: | Horsepower: 130,000 hp4 engine rooms, each carrying 2 boilers and 2 turbines.Four propellers, 2 five bladed and 2 four bladed, each weighing 18.2 tons. |
| Armament | 9 – 16″/45 cal. Guns (3 turrets)20 – 5″/38 cal. Guns (10 mounts)48 – 40mm Guns (12 mounts)52- 20mm Guns |
| Armor | Turret faces: 18 inches20 – 5″/38 cal. Guns (10 mounts)Conning tower: 16 inchesSide armor: 12.2 inches, tapering to 1 inch at bottom |
From its humble beginnings on February 1, 1940 as the keel was laid at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, Battleship USS ALABAMA (BB-60) has had a remarkable career. She began her World War II adventures in the North Atlantic in 1943, then later that year, went to the South Pacific seas. She ended up in Mobile, Alabama as a National Historic Landmark and memorial to millions.
Home to a crew of 2,500 courageous Americans, this 45,000 ton war machine’s WWII adventure culminated with BB-60 leading the American Fleet into Tokyo Bay on September 5, 1945. Nine Battle Stars for meritorious service were awarded the “Mighty A” during her brief three year tenure as the “Heroine of the Pacific”.
Battleship Park
https://www.ussalabama.com/explore/uss-alabama-battleship/
https://storiesacrossamerica.com/van-gogh-experience-in-new-orleans/
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