MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - It was a scene out of World War II -- playing out Saturday afternoon -- on the USS Alabama.

A love of preserving the past -- inspires the Battleship’s Living History Crew to put on the reenactments of the sacrifice of the Greatest Generation.

“We’re trying to carry on their stories -- stories that they told us. Stories my father’s generation told me. And we are trying to pass those down and preserve our naval heritage and a little bit of our history, which is slowly fading from the scene,” said Peter Cash, Captain of Battleship Alabama Living History Crew.

Planes, guns, and casualties -- a crew of about 50 volunteers put on the show.

“I started doing Living History Crew in about 2016 -- 2017,” said Nathan Howard, Battleship Living History Crew Member.

Howard is also active military -- and will tell you this is about as real as it gets.

“I would encourage folks to come out and see this mainly because it’s a Living History Crew -- you get to interact with the sailors, talk to the marines and get to see... A small sliver of the life the men and women before us got to live,” explained Howard.

Ben Erickson and his wife had a front row seat. While the couple has a yearly membership pass to the park -- this is their first reenactment.

“I’ve not been able to see a plane dive-bombing a ship up close like that. I don’t know anywhere else in the world you’re going to be able to see a re-enactment with them coming in as close as they did and taking off like they were. Very cool,” said Erickson.

A one-of-a-kind perspective aboard the “Mighty A” -- highlighting the historic ship that calls the Port City home.

“Again, the Alabama is unique in that respect because she served only a couple of years after WWII and then was essentially moth-balled intact with all of her machinery in place. So we actually have more of the original equipment -- machines in the machine shop or tools in the tool room than most other museum ships do. So we’re extremely fortunate,” explained Cash.

The USS Alabama’s Living History Crew puts on their reenactments every two months.

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LINK: https://www.wlox.com/2022/04/1...e-aboard-battleship/

Here is a video from last month reenactment:


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One of the things I wanted to see last summer, but didn't have the time to stop. Thanks for the share.

I was at the USS Alabama for the first time about 1976. I loved seeing these memorials of WW2.

That is awesome that they do reenactments there.

I can't imagine a reenactment at the USS NJ!

Very cool. Thanks for sharing!

“Again, the Alabama is unique in that respect because she served only a couple of years after WWII and then was essentially moth-balled intact with all of her machinery in place. So we actually have more of the original equipment -- machines in the machine shop or tools in the tool room than most other museum ships do. So we’re extremely fortunate,” explained Cash.

The Massachusetts the sister ship to the Alabama was mothballed a few months after WWII as well she’s amazingly preserved and still has all WWII configuration.

The kids who viewed the reenactment remarked that the planes came "really close."

Visted the Alabama last fall on a Motorcycle trip quite interesting, you can go all over the ship, the spaces are tight, smell of oil is in the air, easy to spend a whole day going through the ship.

I was there around 1975, it was amazing to experience as a kid.

That's awesome...I didn't know they did this. I'll have to schedule a trip to the in-laws' sometime when one of these is going on. We've visited the Alabama probably 10 different times as it's one of the things we like to do with the kids when we're down at the in-laws'. There's enough there to keep you busy for a full day (besides the Alabama, there's also a hangar full of aircraft, armored vehicles, and the USS Drum, a WWII Gato class submarine), and every time I go I learn something new. If you're ever in the area and have the time, I strongly encourage you to go...it's more than worth the price of admission.

I was just there in October - it is an awesome exhibit! I've toured 2 other Battleships (Missouri and Wisconsin) but this was the first time we actually got to go down inside the main turret - to see all of that with re-enactors there would be fantastic! And as 92fstech mentioned, the USS Drum (right next to the Alabama) is also great!

quote:

I strongly encourage you to go...it's more than worth the price of admission.

That is true, well worth it, the view looking at it coming down the highway toward Mobile is striking as well.

Found a couple of inside photos

Turbine


Control Room



Boiler controls

Here's a shot from one of our visits. I know I have a lot more somewhere, but this is the only one left in my flikr account. She's a beautiful ship.