CEO Corner
Updates from Jonathan Williams
Jonathan Williams is the President & CEO of the Pacific Battleship Center, home of the Battleship IOWA, LA Fleet Week, and the National Museum of the Surface Navy. A purpose-driven leader and storyteller, he shares updates and insights from one of the nation’s most innovative nonprofit organizations. His writing explores leadership, community, and culture — connecting lessons from the deck plate to the boardroom while highlighting the people, progress, and purpose that continue to drive the mission forward.
Newest Updates
Kristen Burns-Agria: SkillBridge Intern on Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life
Since early January we've been fortunate to have Kristen Burns-Agria with us. She's active Navy and a participant in SkillBridge - an internship program from the Department of Defense, designed to help service members transition from the military to civilian worlds. In this week's episode Kristen talks about her experience both with SkillBridge and with Battleship IOWA. * * * *Want to- Support the ship? http://pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online- Come aboard for a tour?...
Captain Tyler O’Connor: US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey Pilot
We managed to sneak two podcast recording sessions in during #LAFleetWeek. Here's the second.Meet US Marine Corps captain Tyler O'Connor. Tyler and his crew brought in the star of our mini-airshow: the mighty MV-22 Osprey.Quite the spectacle to watch an aircraft that doesn't look like it should even be able to fly land and take off from our parking lot. In this episode Tyler discusses what it takes to learn to pilot one and why he loves it.BONUS!For footage of Tyler showing off his Osprey -...
Brian O’Rourke: Navy Region Southwest Media Relations Officer
This episode finds our team sleep-deprived, sun-burned, and hours away from the finish of LA Fleet Week 2022. Despite the lack of coherence, they managed to coordinate a visit with Brian O'Rourke. Since 2017, as media relations officer for Navy Region Southwest, Brian has been heavily involved in the planning of LA Fleet Week from the Navy side of the equation.Get more of the behind-the-scenes details that happen both before and during this annual celebration of the sea services.* * * *Want...
LA Fleet Week with Jenny Sova Part 2
We're back with more of a look at what goes on behind the scenes with LA Fleet Week. From ordering beverages for 50,000 to the logistics of wrangling ships, entertainers, and displays to coordinating receptions, meetings, and events to handling the whirlwind of crazy, last-minute changes to golf cart shenanigans, this celebration of our nation's sea services and military in general is a total team effort.It's a lot of work and a lot of fun!* * * *Want to - Support the ship?...
Jenny Sova: Battleship IOWA Chief of Staff
Jenny Sova joined our team in 2017 as director of planning for LA Fleet Week. Currently, she's Battleship IOWA's chief of staff. We dragged this wonderful, fun lady away from her crazy-busy schedule to chat about what it's like to stage an event as large as LA Fleet Week.Warning: we're a few weeks from the start of this first major public event since Covid, and we've hit the point where we're a little goofy.* * * * *Want to - Support the ship?...
George Musulin: Battleship IOWA’s Electrician
Battleship IOWA's crew is full of unique individuals who've come together to create a rather extraordinary team. That team is full of interesting characters... like our electrician, George Musulin.He's been around for years, and we'd like to put in a pithy description of him, but really you just have to experience him. Enjoy.* * * * *Want to - Support the ship? http://pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online- Come aboard for a tour? http://pacificbattleship.com/museum_visit- Volunteer with...
Homecoming: 1980s Crew Members Return To Battleship IOWA
If you've been following this podcast, you know that April 19 is an important date for our organization. It is our time to celebrate the lives of 47 sailors lost on that day in 1989.For the last two years, Covid forced us to hold the ceremony as a mainly virtual event. This year we were happy to be able to open it to in-person attendance again. Crew members who survived that day in '89 came back to their ship and we took the opportunity to invite them to talk about their lives on IOWA when she...
USS THE SULLIVANS And Hull Maintenance
The museum ship industry was saddened recently to see heartbreaking images of the Fletcher-class destroyer USS THE SULLIVANS (DD-537) with a starboard list so significant, her decks were awash almost to the ship's centerline. No armchair quarterbacking here. For this episode we assembled a panel of professional mariners to discuss the challenges of maintaining the hulls of these legacy vessels and potential ways of righting THE SULLIVANS.
CIO David Canfield: Your Story Is Bigger Than Your Trauma
On April 19, 1989 at 9:55 AM local time, the center gun on USS Iowa's Turret II suffered an open breech explosion (technically a deflagration). 47 sailors working within the turret perished.Vice President and Chief Information Officer David Canfield was a nineteen-year-old 3rd class engineman serving aboard Iowa that day. In this episode we talk about his experiences then, his ongoing healing process, and how he has learned that both his story and Iowa's reach far beyond one horrible day.For...
Jonathan Williams Receives Department of the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award
Limited time only!
Kids Board Free
In the all-new Life of a Sailor experience, kids become sailor recruits, building their skills, following the story of a famous sailor, and joining Vicky the Dog on a scavenger hunt through Battleship IOWA.
Kids board free with a paid adult.