The USS Alabama Battleship - A Mobile Must See

by Mark - Father of 4 boys

When visiting Alabama, there is one absolute must do attraction in Mobile, a city situated in the southern part of the state, just north of the Gulf of Mexico.

The attraction is a visit to the USS Alabama, a battleship that won 9 battle stars as a result of her efforts during World War II. When entering Battleship Park there are a number of memorials that may be visited. Most include specific information about Alabamians who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of their country.

There is a modest entry fee to take the self-guided tour of the Battleship which includes a number of historical plaques, exhibits, and other informative stops along the way. One especially interesting stop is the Hollywood exhibit that shows all the different movies that have been filmed on the Battleship over the years.

The vast majority of the ship is accessible, including the Big 16 inch guns on the bow and the stern. This accessibility makes it great for small children (especially boys) whose imaginations run wild as they pretend what it would be like on the sea of this mammoth battleship.

Each 16 inch gun could shoot a 2,700 pound shell up to 21 miles with amazing accuracy. The ship also offers overnight adventures for interested parties, which is a great activity for Cub Scout troops, Church Youth groups, etc. In addition to the Battleship, there is also an Aircraft pavilion that houses a number of exciting planes. Unfortunately, the pavilion was significantly damaged during Hurricane Katrina, but has been remodeled since that time.

The most exciting plane in the pavilion is the A-12 Blackbird. The pavilion also includes a flight simulator where one can participate in a number of adventures.

Last, but certainly not least, is the USS Drum, a submarine utilized heavily in World War II as well. Dry docked adjacent to the Battleship, the Drum can be accessed after climbing two flights of stairs.

Like the Battleship, many parts of the vessel are accessible and a well document self-guided tour is offered. Any visit to Alabama, should include a trip down to Mobile to visit an awesome, historical, and wonderfully entertaining visit to the USS Alabama Battleship Park.

USS Alabama