Remembering Our Forgotten Heroes
Support the National Museum of the Surface Navy and donate in honor of our forgotten sailors who fought for Freedom of the Seas.
“A Date Which Will Live In Infamy…”
At 7:55 AM on December 7, 1941, a peaceful Sunday morning was shattered by an attack that forever changed the course of history.
Today marks 80 years since that unforgettable morning that left nineteen U.S. ships damaged, including eight battleships. As a battleship and museum for the Surface Navy, this date is particularly meaningful to us.
IOWA is a massive armored fortress. Everything about her makes you feel safe and secure. It can be surreal to walk her decks on Dec. 7th. If you stop and think about it, you can picture what it must’ve been like on ships very similar to IOWA that morning – chaos, death, and destruction everywhere. You can stand near a .50 caliber machine gun and wonder what it might have been like for sailors shooting at Japanese planes from similar guns at similar spots on other US battleships. You can imagine smoke billowing all around, explosions making the ship shudder, and unrelenting noise bombarding your ears. It’s a sobering contemplation.
Moments like these are what make it so important to preserve Battleship IOWA. USS ARIZONA lies beneath the calm waters of Pearl Harbor completely inaccessible, but IOWA floats beside a pier, open to the public – a living monument to a time of manufacturing prowess, unity, and great sacrifice. Her presence is a silent testimony, an indelible connection to lessons of the past that help guide us toward promising decisions for the future.
CEO Jonathan Williams and members of Battleship IOWA’s crew took some time to reflect on the significance of the day and what it means for us now. Click the photo below for the video.
(If you’re interested in the official commemoration in Pearl Harbor, click here.)
We Need Your Help To Remember Our Forgotten Heroes
The National Museum of the Surface Navy will not only preserve the incredible stories of 246 years of sailors and ships, but it will highlight the ongoing work the US Navy still does daily to protect the freedom of the seas.
How can you be a part of this incredible legacy?
- Become a Plank Owner
- Share your story (or a loved one’s)
- Donate
- Include us in your legacy giving
- Volunteer
And as a thank you for your donation to the Surface Navy Museum between now and the end of the year, we want to send a gift for your contribution:
- $25 – Receive a National Museum of the Surface Navy Museum sticker
- $50 – Receive a National Museum of the Surface Navy challenge coin
- $250 – Receive a National Museum of the Surface Navy hat
- $500+ Receive each of the items above
Please be sure to include your mailing address when you donate. Feel free to contact us at development@labattleship.com with any questions.
This Week, Your Battleship Crew
…took a little time to celebrate the season. Over 100 IOWA crew members got together for a potluck feast. We made some noise by firing the 5″ guns on Mount 56, then bundled up to watch the LA Harbor Holiday Afloat parade. A good time was had by all!
Thanks to our crew – volunteer, staff, and supporter alike. We got through 2021 because we stuck together. Nothing better than a common passion to create an incredible team and we’ve got that in spades.
SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to our Camp Battleship staff, who missed the festivities to make an overnight experience special for a group of Cub Scouts. Your dedication is much appreciated!
Save The Date
It’s time for AMERICA’S GAME. That’s right: Army and Navy are about to get after it for their 122nd clash. Navy leads the overall in the battle between the academies 61-53-7, but Army has won four of the last five meetings, including a 15-0 smackdown last year.
This game is full of spirit and tradition and is a must-see. Who are you rooting for? Our crew embraces personnel from all branches of the armed forces, but we may be a little prejudiced for this one…
Become A Plank Owner Today
Be a part of all the incredible things happening at Battleship IOWA and get in on our transition to become the National Museum of the Surface Navy from the beginning. Register to become a Plank Owner, and at the same time, memorialize your service or a loved one’s.
As a Plank Owner, you receive special benefits – including perks in our points system (details coming soon), and recognition on our Plank Owner listing.
Sign up today. It’s free!
