Mighty MO and a trip to Pearl Harbor

I toured the Missouri when it was still in Bremerton, WA. I was shuffling my feet on the deck and accidentally knocked a small plug of wood out of the wooden deck. I handed it to an officer who was handling questions from people touring the ship. He told me I could keep it. It’s somewhere in a big box of keepsakes but it was one of the best experiences in my life and has always been a cool story. I can’t remember I believe the Hornet or the Wasp was there too. I never toured that but I did see it up close.

I regularly visit the ‘bookends’ every 5 years. If you are a member of the Memorial Association and visit during the reenactment of the signing of the armistice, you will get great treatment.

Last time, police escort led us to the ship and we received a military escort to our seats. We latter met the commander of the Pacific fleet, Senator Inouye and even Governor Lingle.

Jets flew like feet over the ship, then went straight up until you could no longer see them. Very loud!!!

It was a most proud movement to be an American citizen.

Nice thread rjpeters.
Enjoyed reading.

@wittmann:

Enjoyed reading.

Me too, very much.  An office colleague of mine visited the Missouri in Hawaii a couple of years ago and gave me copies of the digital pictures she had taken, which I greatly appreciated.  The only Iowa-class battleship I’ve ever visited is the New Jersey, which is preserved in Camden N.J. across the river from the protected cruiser USS Olympia, which I also visited the same day.  Our tour guide on the New Jersey was a retired Navy man, and once the formal group tour was over I stayed behind and chatted with him about the Iowa class battleships, in which I’ve always had huge interest.  Our conversation was so enjoyable that he took me back inside the ship and showed me a few areas that weren’t on the official tour program.  That was a great treat for me and a very nice gesture from this gentleman.

Thanks for sharing this.
I’ve never had an opportunity to visit a battleship. I once went out to see USS Yorktown, USS Laffey, and USS Clamagore at Patriot’s Point near Charleston SC though. Quite impressive and very interesting.

In Japan somewhere they raised one of the Pagoda style Japanese Battleships. Forgot which.

Edit: it was the USS Texas im thinking of NM.

I wish they saved the Tirpitz

@Imperious:

I wish they saved the Tirpitz

I’m afraid it’s beyond repair.

http://www.bismarck-class.dk/tirpitz/gallery/themes/gallthemetirscrapping.html

On a side note, http://www.bismarck-class.dk/ has a lot of fine pictures of the Bismarck and the Tirpitz.

The Bismarck had always been my favourite ship. Thanks for that link Herr KaLeun.