An interesting encounter for all BB-63 fans

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jimpeel

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I was at work today and there was this elderly man on an electric scooter shopping. He was wearing a BB-63 U.S.S. Missouri cap.

I asked him if he had served on the Missouri and he said "No, I was on the steering committee for the memorial." It was all I could do to keep from throttling him on the spot.

I told him that I thought the decision to move the Missouri to Pearl Harbor was a bad decision and that by their actions they had removed the ship from the access of 80% of Americans.

He stated that there was a real debate about that but that it was significant that Pearl Harbor was the site of the beginning of the war.

I said that if they wanted significance, they should have docked it in Tokyo Bay.

He said that if they did that only the Japanese would see it.

I said that that wouldn't bother me a bit -- lest they forget; and since the main tourism source for Hawaii is Japan that was who saw it the most anyway.

I told him that when it was docked in Bremerton, WA we could drive to see it. Now, we have to sail or fly to see it. I also told him that I will never in my lifetime go to Hawaii and that I have no desire, and will never have any desire, to go there.

I tried to stay as cordial as I could but I couldn't help but mutter under my breath "You stupid son of a bitch" as I departed.
 
I had the honor of walking the decks of the BB-63 several years ago when she was docked in Long Beach, CA. Adding to the thrill was being able to stand on the dock looking down the bow of the Missouri on my right and the New Jersey on my left. I have never felt so proud to be in the presence of any inanimate object as I was that day in the presence of those two ships.

The Iowa class battleships are, and will remain, the most beautiful ships of the line ever built by any nation at any point in world history.
 
"The Iowa class battleships are, and will remain, the most beautiful ships of the line ever built by any nation at any point in world history."

Bleh.

Iron Duke.

Then you've got the New Mexicos...
 
As Pearl Harbor is the biggest maritime memorial we have, I don't understand your spite.

If you want to see WWII battleships you can go Mobile or Norfolk, so what's the big deal?
 
You can't beat the symmetry and sweep of the silhouette of the Iowa Class battleships. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h44000/h44528.jpg

Compare the sleekness of the Iowa class from overhead http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h97000/h97206k.jpg and http://www.battleship.org/images/bb62oa.jpg as opposed to the fata$$ South Dakota Class that preceded them http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/g220000/g222923.jpg .

Check out the profiles of the two also http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/k09000/k09343.jpg and http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h97000/h97264.jpg

For an interestuing page on battleships go to http://www.battleship.org/html/Articles/Features/MysteryShip.htm and they have a great timeline at http://www.battleship.org/html/Articles/History/BriefUS.htm which shows the status of all American battleships.

And nothing compares to a nine gun broadside http://www.battleship.org/images/bb62fb.jpg http://www.battleship.org/images/bb62fa.jpg unless its a fifteen gun broadside. http://www.battleship.org/images/bb61fa.jpg :D
 
Handy

As Pearl Harbor is the biggest maritime memorial we have, I don't understand your spite.
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The drunken logic on placing the Missouri in pearl Harrbor was that it represented the end of the war and would be a fitting place for it to be placed as the Arizona represents the beginning of the war.

While the Arizona analogy is true -- and the Arizona was at that spot when the war began -- the analogy fails in the instance of the Missouri. The Missouri was sitting in Tokyo Bay when the surrender was signed -- not Pearl Harbor.

If you want to see WWII battleships you can go Mobile or Norfolk, so what's the big deal?
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No other ship in history holds the historical importance of the Missouri other than the U.S.S. Constitution. Something of that significance should not be removed from the access of the American people. I should not have to fly 2,700 miles from the west coast to see my own memorial when I used to be able to drive up to it.

On top of that, The Hawaiian Islands have a growing secessionist movement so what happens if that movement succeeds and the Missouri is docked in a foreign port?

The Arizona lay in a foreign port from 1941 until 1959 but I guess no one thinks about that fact. The Arizona memorial was not dedicated until 1962 and it was not until 1950 that the practice of flying the National Ensign above the wreck was adopted.

This is what she looked like in 1958 http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/u030000/u036055.jpg

I'm just happy that I was able to tell one of the purveyors of this abortion my opinon. I wasn't rude or unkind but not because I didn't want to be. My momma simply raised me better, that's all.
 
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