"Mighty Mo" is back home. | FerrariChat

"Mighty Mo" is back home.

Discussion in 'Hawaii' started by sowest, Jan 8, 2010.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. sowest

    sowest Formula Junior

    Aug 18, 2006
    899
    #1 sowest, Jan 8, 2010
    The "Mighty Mo", battleship USS Missouri is back home at its berth on Ford Island near the USS Arizona. It was moved from drydock yesterday where it spent several months undergoing repair and refurbishment.

    Whether you come to Hawaii as a visitor or you live here, the whole Arizona Memorial, Ford Island, USS Missouri experience is a great way to spend a day, (or more). One of the attractions that doesn't get as much publicity is the WWII submarine, USS Bowfin that is part of the Arizona Memorial complex. I found the walk through the submarine to be fascinating.

    Also on Ford Island, there are some beautiful old homes that are used for Navy officer housing. I believe that they were built in the inter-war years. They are on the northwest corner of the island and are well worth wandering over and taking a look at: elegant old style homes with big lawns and giant, beautiful trees. When I first saw them, I said to myself, "I'll sign up right now if they let me live here".
     
  2. oss117

    oss117 F1 Rookie

    Jan 26, 2006
    4,185
    Plantation, Florida
    Full Name:
    Alfredo
    #2 oss117, Jan 10, 2010
    I was there 2 years ago, visiting the Arizona Memorial but run out of time to see the
    USS Missouri.
    It was a real bummer, as I consider that class of ships one of the finest, best looking examples of battleships ever built, besides her hystoric importance.
    I'll make sure I have enough time to visit next time around.
     
  3. norcal2

    norcal2 F1 Veteran

    Sep 21, 2007
    6,815
    Sierra Nevada Triangle
    #3 norcal2, Jan 10, 2010
    I was just there at Thanksgiving, I did another Arizona visit and a lot had changed from when I saw it decades earlier, truly something everyone should visit.
     
  4. hank sound

    hank sound F1 Veteran

    Jan 31, 2004
    5,953
    Burbank, CA
    Full Name:
    Hank Garfield
    #4 hank sound, Jan 10, 2010
    Ahh yeah ........ the "Mighty Mo"............ the John Wayne of battleships !!!

    Cheers, Hank
     
  5. Jedi

    Jedi Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Mar 18, 2008
    31,564
    Seattle Area
    Full Name:
    Dave
    #5 Jedi, Jan 10, 2010
    "Back Home" - I guess it depends how that is defined. She was built in
    Brooklyn, NY and in 1955 was put into the Pacific Reserve Fleet in Bremerton, WA
    (about an hour from my home), reactivated under Reagan and ultimately
    saw Gulf War duty, then back to Bremerton until 1995 when she was MOVED
    to Hawaii.

    Having been on the old girl as a Cub Scout, and for several school field
    trips as a kid and teen, Bremerton Ship Yard will always be "home" to me
    for Mighty Mo. I have a dozen pictures of myself as a kid on deck.

    I see the Hawaii connection of course.... just sayin.

    I just miss having her so close to home I guess.

    Jedi
     
  6. sowest

    sowest Formula Junior

    Aug 18, 2006
    899
    #6 sowest, Jan 11, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Hi all

    The whole Arizona Memorial, Ford Island, USS Missouri experience is a real treat for anyone that has even a passing interest in history or machinery. I would guess that an interest in machinery is a given for all of us on F-Chat.

    OSS117 It is too bad that you did not get to tour the ship while you were here. I hope that you do get another opportunity. It is an amazing creation.

    Jedi I used the term "home" just because it moved back to Ford Island after being moved several miles away to a drydock that is still within Pearl Harbor. I do know that others do have some claim to the ship. There was some competition over where the ship was going to go when the Navy released it from the inactive ship facility. The Navy did see the significance of it being close to the USS Arizona. The operative phrase at the time was "The bookends of our involvement in WWII". Of course, the power and influence of our Senator Inouye cannot be discounted.

    I am attaching a picture of the USS New Jersey, BB62. It is a sister ship to the USS Missouri, BB63. While in Vietnam, we would bring supplies up to a river close to the DMZ. Sometimes we would see the New Jersey up there giving fire support. It was quite a sight. At night it was even more spectacular. This is just one of the 16" guns firing. Imagine what a full 9 gun broadside salvo would look like.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  7. 1ual777

    1ual777 F1 Rookie

    Mar 21, 2006
    2,948
    Orange County, CA
    #7 1ual777, Jan 12, 2010
    I read somewhere that each shell is the size of a VW bug and can be sent 20 miles. When it was used off the coast of Lebanon, it would come in very close to the shore, all the locals would run out to see it and then it would open up.
    A relic from another era, but an important one at that.
     

Share This Page