USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park
To begin with, the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is more than just a single battleship that is open for the public to rummage through, over the years the park has grown into a veritable sea, air and armor museum. The park is open daily, except Christmas.
Visitors to the museum’s main attraction make there way through the many decks of the USS Alabama, which is complete with informational videos and displays of artifacts from the ship and its sailors. The Alabama isn’t the only ship at the Memorial Park available for viewing - the 311-foot WW II submarine USS Drum has a permanent land side mooring as well. The sub’s inside has been meticulously restored and shouldn’t be missed so you can get an idea of how cramped it was for those who served inside these vessels during the war. The Drum’s combat record is also worthy of mention, it sank a number of Japanese ships in the Pacific including a seaplane tender in 1942.
For aviation enthusiasts, don’t despair, you won’t be disappointed at the Battleship Memorial Park. There are a variety of aircraft displayed both outside and inside in the air conditioned aircraft pavilion. Inside, if thrills are what you crave, tickets can also be purchased for an aircraft simulator ride. Some notable aircraft in the collection include: B-52, Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless, A-12, F9F-5P Panther, YF-105B, F-16A, F4U-7 Corsair, Mig 21 and 12 others.
The biggest surprise to me about the Park was the collection of artillery and armor – definitely more than just the single battleship I had envisioned. From WWII US tanks to a recently captured Iraqi tank, it was there: M4 Sherman, M26 Pershing, M48A1 Patton, 155 mm Field Piece, M75 Armored Personnel Carrier, M42A1 Duster, 120 MM AA Gun and an Iraqi T55. An interesting note about the Iraqi T55, it was used in the invasion of Kuwait and abandoned by the Iraqi army after the US liberated Kuwait. It was shipped all the way back to Mobile via Jubail, Saudi Arabia by a local Army Reserve Unit.
Admission fees at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park for persons 12 & up are $10; 6-11, $5; Under 6, free. For more information: 800.Gangway or www.USSAlabama.com.
The Museum of Mobile
If you were expecting just art at the Museum of Mobile, you would be wrong. There is a strong dose of Mobile’s military history at the museum. To start with, a panel in the lobby of the museum depicts Mobile as the center of experimental submarine technology during the US Civil War. Mobile was the birthplace of the Confederate submarine Hunley. The Hunley was designed, built and sea trialed in Mobile.
The museum also features a section honoring Mobile’s shipbuilding industry, especially its role with the production of WW II Liberty Ships. Hundreds of Liberty ships, the famous mass produced cargo ships, were built in shipyards in Mobile.
On the 2nd floor of the museum, you’ll find items from the personal collection of one of Mobile’s most famous military son’s, Admiral Jeremiah Denton. Denton, whose aircraft was shot down over North Vietnam, became a POW and later went on to be elected to the US Senate.
Finally, there are also displays commemorating the famous battle for Mobile Bay where Admiral David Glasgow Farragut gave the famous order, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.” For more information: www.themuseumofmobile.com or call 251-208-7569.
Fort Conde Historic Museum & Welcome Center
This replica of an 18th Century French Fort serves as a museum and welcome center to Mobile and is built on the 11 acres of the original fort. It is located in downtown Mobile directly above an I-10 tunnel. It opened in 1976. It includes dioramas, costumed tour guides in early 1700s French Colonial Marine uniforms and displays that tell of living and war fighting conditions during the time the fort was occupied.
