Museum Ships

So, I happen to be reading an article at work about the USS New Jersey, which is now docked as a museum ship across the river from Philadelphia, PA. Across, in fact, from the Independence Sea Port in Philadelphia, which is, itself, home to the USS Olympia (the only surviving Spanish-American Naval vessel), the USS Becuna (WWII submarine) and the windjammer Moshulu.

Having visited Philadelphia only recently and failed to see these ships, and being such a HUGE fan of museum ships like the USS Alabama, I did a little investigating…

All four of the Iowa-class battle ships of WWII (Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, and New Jersey) have gained “museum ship” status, but only the New Jersey and the Missouri have permanent berths at non-profit museums: the Missouri in Pearl Harbor and the New Jersey in Camden, NJ. The Wisconsin is berthed at a semi-permanent station in Norfolk, VA (where I saw her in the very early 90’s) and the Iowa is parked in Suisun Bay, CA awaiting a suitable home somewhere in CA that isn’t openly protesting our Armed Forces and the Iraq war (all sarcasm intended, believe me!).

The interesting thing about these four ships (and several other retired and struck vessels) is that the US Navy has determined that the need for superior surface firepower is still something the Navy has… so none of these vessels can be altered in a manner that renders them incapable of future use in a military manner. This means that, unlike their sister ships USS Alabama and the USS Massachusetts (both South Dakota-class battleships) which are only required to supply parts and material to repair and maintain the larger Iowa-class ships, these four must be capable of full-service within a 60 day period! That is the primary condition of their no-cost “lease” to non-profit organizations… cheap, reliable maintenance of ships for the Navy, without the cost and hassle of “mothballing” them.

These four, along with the USS Midway (CV-41) and several others, are a fantastic way to celebrate our freedom and history (as museums) while still maintaining nearly functional quasi-modern battleships for our Armed Forces. Anyone coming to visit either myself or Jambo that DOESN’T stop to see one of these mammoth ships of war and contribute their paltry $8 to $18 dollars to park and tour the ships is as uncaring and un-American as I could hope to find.

In ships like these, we see an unbroken line from the ultra-modern active surface navy of today (the single most powerful armada in maritime history) all the way back through history to the very first vestiges of a US Navy… the USS Constitution, whose home is the Boston Naval Shipyard in Boston MA. That is tangible, real history going back to 1794, my friends… history you can touch, smell, walk upon, and experience with your children and your grandchildren.