Justin and I love a good historical tour, and a retired World War II battleship sounded like the perfect way to spend a couple of hours. The official website for the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama, suggested setting aside at least 2.5 hours, but in our usual optimistic fashion, we thought we could breeze through the self-guided tour in maybe 90 minutes. We were absolutely wrong—and we couldn’t have been happier about it. The site was spot-on! Our visit proved that to fully appreciate this incredible National Historic Landmark, you need every minute and more.
A Walk Through History Aboard the Mighty A
The USS Alabama (BB-60) is one of the four legendary South Dakota-class battleships. She was commissioned in August 1942, right in the thick of World War II, and quickly earned the nickname “The Mighty A” for her distinguished service. She served in both the Atlantic and, later, the Pacific Theatres, earning nine battle stars—all while never suffering a single casualty or significant damage from enemy fire. An amazing feat!
To begin our journey, we started with the film in the small theater. It offered a great historical overview of the ship’s service, and while the sound was a little tricky to hear (I had to move to the front row), the context it provided was invaluable before stepping onto the massive deck.
The beauty of the self-guided tour is its meticulous design. With three distinct, color-coded routes, you get an unparalleled look into nearly every part of the battleship, from the engine rooms deep below the waterline to the bridge high above. The pathways are clearly marked and numbered, making it easy to follow the lives of the 2,500 courageous Americans who once called this warship home.
Highlights of the Battleship Tour:
- The Bridge: Stepping onto the bridge, you feel the weight of command. This is where Captain George B. Wilson and his crew directed operations, including the crucial moment in the Battle of the Philippine Sea where the Alabama’s radar detected enemy bombers an unprecedented 190 miles away!
- Massive Gunnery: Seeing the 16-inch guns up close puts the ship’s immense power into perspective. These guns were used in shore bombardments across the Pacific, supporting amphibious assaults on Japanese-held islands.
- Living Quarters: The sheer size of the ship shrinks when you walk through the crew’s cramped bunks, the galley, and the dental and medical offices. It offers a humbling look at the daily reality for the men who spent years at sea.
Submarine USS Drum: A Different Kind of Heroism
After completing the expansive battleship tour, we needed a break. We were genuinely exhausted and thirsty, so a shared iced tea from the gift shop was the perfect palate cleanser.
Next up was a visit to the USS Drum (SS-228), a World War II Gato-class submarine moored on the grounds. As expected, the tour through this vessel was a much quicker, yet equally intense, experience. Being the oldest American submarine on public display, the USS Drum is a National Historic Landmark in its own right, and was highly decorated, credited with sinking 15 enemy vessels and earning 12 battle stars.
The contrast between the battleship and the submarine is striking. The Drum is a dark, tight, 311-foot vessel designed for stealth and close-quarters combat. You enter one area, walk in a straight line through rooms such as the torpedo room, a tiny control center, living quarters, the galley. We spent only about 15-20 minutes, but it was enough to gain enormous respect for the 72-member crew who lived and worked in such confined spaces; I can’t even imagine.
More to See at the Battleship Memorial Park
Before leaving, we took a moment to explore the area near the ticket building, which is home to the Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion. This space is packed with history, featuring over 30 historic aircraft and military vehicles. A few standouts for us were the Mach 3 A-12 Blackbird spy plane and the restored B-25 Mitchell bomber. There are also powerful memorials to those who served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, ensuring the park serves as a full memorial to all branches of our nation’s military history.
Final Verdict: If you’re planning a visit to Mobile, I recommend a few hours at the USS Alabama. It’s not just a ship; it’s a living museum that deserves to be fully explored. The self-guided experience is seamless, allowing you to move at your own pace and truly absorb the incredible service and sacrifice of the brave sailors who sailed the “Mighty A.”
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