Battleship Memorial Park is a state-owned museum park on Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama, built around the World War II battleship USS Alabama (BB-60). The ship was saved from scrapping through a statewide campaign that included about $100,000 raised in nickels and dimes by Alabama schoolchildren, and the park opened to the public on January 9, 1965.[1][2] The park also displays the submarine USS Drum and a collection of military aircraft. Both ships are National Historic Landmarks.[2]
| Location | Mobile, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Opened | January 9, 1965 |
| Ship type | South Dakota-class battleship |
| Park size | 155 acres (per Encyclopedia of Alabama) |
| Landmark status | USS Alabama and USS Drum, National Historic Landmarks (January 14, 1986) |
| Governing body | USS Alabama Battleship Commission (18 members) |
The ship
USS Alabama is a South Dakota-class battleship and is preserved as a memorial to the men and women who served in World War II.[2] It was decommissioned in 1947. In May 1962 the Navy ordered it scrapped along with its sister ships South Dakota, Indiana and Massachusetts, but only Alabama and Massachusetts were ultimately saved.[1][2]
Saving and moving the battleship
The Alabama Battleship Commission was established in September 1963, and a statewide campaign raised more than $800,000 by spring 1964. More than one million students gave about $100,000 of that amount, mostly in small coins. About $225,000 went to dredging a channel and building the first 75 acres of the park, and $525,000 to towing and preparing the ship.[1] The ship was awarded to the state on June 16, 1964, and formally turned over on July 7, 1964, in Seattle, Washington.[2]
What visitors see
Three self-guided tours cover about two-thirds of the ship, each taking about half an hour, and visit the engine rooms, the captain’s quarters and a galley that served 2,500 crew members three meals a day.[1] The submarine USS Drum (SS-228), credited with sinking 15 Japanese ships and earning 12 battle stars, was donated by the Navy in 1969 and moved onto land in 2001 as part of a $15 million renovation; it is among the oldest surviving submarines in the United States.[1][2]
Hurricanes and operations
Hurricanes Camille (1969), Frederic (1979), Georges (1998) and Ivan (2004) damaged the park. Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, caused more than $7 million in damage, shifted the battleship at its anchorage and gave it an eight-degree list to port; the park reopened on January 9, 2006.[1][2] The park is self-supporting, funded by admissions and gift shop sales, and according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama has drawn more than 13 million visitors since 1965.[1] It was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on October 28, 1977.[2] See also Mobile.
FAQs
Where is USS Alabama? It is a museum ship at Battleship Memorial Park on Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama.
How did Alabama save the battleship? Through a statewide fundraising campaign in 1963 and 1964 that included about $100,000 from schoolchildren.
What other ships are at the park? The submarine USS Drum, and a replica of the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley.
Sources
Key facts
- Opened January 9, 1965
- Ship entered Mobile Bay on September 14, 1964
- USS Alabama and USS Drum are National Historic Landmarks
- Hurricane Katrina damaged the park in 2005
Quick checkWhen did Battleship Memorial Park open to the public?Show answer
January 9, 1965.
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Alabama. USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park. n.d. (accessed 2026-11-10)
- Wikipedia. Battleship Memorial Park. 2025 (accessed 2026-11-10)
Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue