Ship - Name, Where?

John M · Feb 14, 2021

This is a pic of my grandparents, unfortunately both are gone now, and my mother doesnt recall anything about this
pic. We think it was made in the late 70s on a trip to see my aunt in Pensacola, Fl. The only museum battleship we
could find near there is the Alabama in Mobile, Al. In comparing current pics of the Alabama, it could very well
be it, but the guns are not positioned the same now as in the pic. The Corsair is also not shown in any online pics
or the website. The story goes it was the ship my gramps left on and the came back on from WW2, but he did not
serve on it. He was an Army medic. My question is, by chance, would anyone have visited the Alabama back in the
70s, early 80s maybe am=nd can confirm this is the Alabama?

Hdonly · Feb 14, 2021

Yes, looks like it is the Alabama in Mobile. This picture was taken in 2010.

John M · Feb 14, 2021

Im about 90% sure it is. The biggest difference between your pic and mine is the big guns on the side are facing
different directions. I know that could have been changed easily, though. Current pics have a bomber sitting where I
think the Corsair is.

Hdonly · Feb 14, 2021

The two pictures were taken from different perspectives. The gun turrets could easily been moved as you say. Over the years, the static displays around the ship get changed. I have been there a couple of times and have seen some changes in the displays. Last time I was actually there was about 2004.

fastfarmall · Feb 14, 2021

I like the Corsair airplane,Oh Pappy Boyington, what a trooper!

marloweg · Feb 14, 2021

a lot of the on shore displays got damaged or destroyed by the hurricanes so a lot were changed

John M · Feb 14, 2021

Great point! I had not thought about that before.

John M · Feb 14, 2021

TURRETS! Thats the word I was trying to remember. Dang memory!

Two Dogs · Feb 14, 2021

I stopped there just before Christmas and I think it is the Alabama. There is also an SR71 and a B52.
It only costs four dollars a car to get in the park, But they charge out the wazoo to tour the battleship and the Submarine. I toured the Battleship about fifty years ago and I figured not much has changed. Also several areas of the ship were/are blocked off to visitors. TDF

Billy Shafer · Feb 14, 2021

The only battleship on the gulf coast. Is the USS Alabama BB 60.Docked in Mobile bay.

4wdtom · Feb 14, 2021

Find some pictures of Iowa class battleships. They were re activated from time to time and with the number of guns it could be one of them.

DoubleO7 · Feb 14, 2021

The Alabama has been in Mobile Bay since Jan. 1965.

Many of the aircraft inside the Aircraft Pavilion are owned and loaned by the Naval Aviation Museum on NAS Pensacola. As well as the smaller ones outside.
So some do get changed out with different ones every few years.

Your grandparents may also have visited the aircraft carrier USS Lexington from 1963 to 1991 while it was stationed at NAS Pensacola.

Stephen Newell · Feb 14, 2021

Looks like a match to me for the Alabama.

L.C. · Feb 14, 2021

There have been three significant hurricanes pass through there since the late 70s - Frederic in '79, which came right up Mobile Bay, Ivan in 2004, and Katrina in 2005. Plus any number of other tropical storms and hurricanes. I think there was some pretty extensive aircraft damage from Katrina - the battleship itself took a list of several degrees.

John M · Feb 14, 2021

They may have. My uncle that was stationed there did something on the Lexington, but I havent been able to reach hip
to find out what it was. Its been years since Ive talked to him since he and my aunt divorced, and she passed away in
2013.

John M · Feb 14, 2021

Yes sir, I believe we nailed it. I did find some more pics, and one was with that prop.

muleboss · Feb 14, 2021

I toured the Alabama in 1966 as a young 18 year old, was really impressed. Never saw anything that big before in my life.

bc · Feb 14, 2021

Yep. Looks like the Alabama to me. Been there at least a dozen times in 40 some years. Part of the Under Siege movie was filmed on it in 92. At one point it broke loose from its mooring during hurricane Katrina and was listing 8 degrees to port. Concrete gangway collapsed. All 4 sides of the hangar was damaged and every aircraft at the park was damaged. The Drum came out ok. Took months to repair everything.

The Lexington was in Texas when I saw it. Only other battleship in the area would be the North Carolina at Wilmington, NC. Not quite as big as the Alabama or Missouri now in Hawaii which I saw last March.

Talked to some Navy guys when getting our nnalert shots at the VA on Saturday. Talked about all the hatches and gangways were made for guys shorter and thinner than they are today. Remember climbing to the top level above the bridge. Steep narrow stairs and hatches. Went up one side and down the other. Had 14 inches of deck armor and that first drop below decks through a 14 inch thick deck hatch was a doozy.

John M · Feb 15, 2021

Ive been on the NC once. Seems like there were some at the old Charleston base we went on back when I was in Boy
Scouts. I remember those still being active and crew members showing us how stuff worked, but I dont recall which
ones they were.

Ship - Name, Where?

John M

Well-known Member

Hdonly

Member

John M

Well-known Member

Hdonly

Member

fastfarmall

Well-known Member

marloweg

Well-known Member

John M

Well-known Member

John M

Well-known Member

Two Dogs

Well-known Member

Billy Shafer

Well-known Member

4wdtom

Well-known Member

DoubleO7

Well-known Member

Stephen Newell

Well-known Member

L.C.

Well-known Member

John M

Well-known Member

John M

Well-known Member

muleboss

Member

bc

Well-known Member

John M

Well-known Member

Similar threads