Stay Overnight On An Old WWII Battleship Here In Alabama
By Lisa Battles|Published December 08, 2023
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Lisa Battles
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Lisa has traveled the U.S. for over a decade, seeking out and sharing the stories of its most interesting places, people, and experiences. A journalism graduate of Auburn University, she has been a content strategist, editor, and writer for more than 25 years. Lisa has worked in community news, PR, and marketing with a focus on tourism, hospitality, and economic development. Besides following her curiosity around every corner, she's a devoted dog mom of two and advocate for animal welfare.
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Fundraising efforts of schoolchildren over 60 years to bring the USS ALABAMA to Mobile continue to pay dividends to kids today, who are the only ones who get to stay overnight on the World War II battleship. As much as I’d love to share that this is an experience anyone could book, I also think it’s cool that it’s a VIP option just for young people, given the ship museum’s backstory.
The battleship operated from 1942 to 1947, along the East Coast and in the North Atlantic in 1943 and 1943, then in the Pacific from 1943 through 1945. The ship was formally decommissioned in 1947 and sat in reserve at Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington for 15 years.
In 1962, a Mobile man who worked for the visitors bureau, the late Jimmie Morris, saw a newspaper brief that told the ship's fate to be scrapped. Morris immediately organized a committee, which secured the support of the governor, who rallied state and federal support.
Even with a formal state agency established to bring the ship to the bay, there was no budget. It was then a huge public fundraising effort began, which ultimately raised the $800,000 needed. School kids raised a whopping $100,000 of that. That's almost $1 million of $8 million in today's money.
For their efforts, Governor George Wallace guaranteed them free admission to the attraction for the duration of his time in office.
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While anyone may visit Battleship Memorial Park, the ship museum, and other amenities, the overnight stays are only open to youth groups such as Scout Troops, JROTC units, church groups, and others. Everyone must be at least age 6 and no older than 18 except a limited number of adult chaperones for each group.
Fees start with a non-refundable $100 deposit and headcount required for reservations. The cost is $20 per person to meet a minimum $300 reservation for each group.
The visit includes everything a typical admission does, which is a self-guided tour of the USS ALABAMA, USS DRUM, and Aircraft Pavilion, plus the surrounding displays, memorials, and recreation areas. The park recommends everyone allow at least two hours to explore it all.
While the USS ALABAMA is the centerpiece, visitors also love touring the WWII submarine ship museum, USS DRUM, which the park added in 1969. It was commissioned in 1941 and is the only Gato-class submarine still in existence. Decommissioned in 1946, the boat received 12 battle stars for service during the war.
After the public tours end for the day, groups of overnight guests gather to go to their assigned berthing areas. For comfort, guests are asked to bring a sleeping bag, or a combo of twin sheets and blanket. While shower facilities are available, guests must bring their own towels and toiletries.
While the tour includes a look into what it would be like to dine in the ship's mess hall, the kitchen's food is not real. When it comes to what the kids will eat during their stay, groups have their choice of what to food and beverages to bring with them.
There are microwaves available on the ship, and groups can also use grills in the recreation area of the park. With two week's notice, they can also preorder bagged breakfasts, overnight embroidered patches, and dog tags to commemorate the trip.
If you’re considering a visit to the park and aren’t chaperoning a youth group, Mobile has many great hotels. You can get more information about booking groups or individual admission rates, hours, and more on the USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park website and get the latest updates on the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park Facebook page. Let us know about your experience if you’ve already been!
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