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Photos by Darrell Grindstaff
Battleship Missouri:
Meet an American Hero Continued
Above: The rear 16-inch gun turret towers over visitors aboard the 887-foot-long battleship. Visitors are allowed a great deal of freedom to explore many parts of the ship, including areas below deck.
Right: Despite the ship's enormity, space was always in short supply. Stacks of bunks were used around the clock in three shifts by ordinary sailors during wartime. Office quarters were only a little better; life could be very difficult aboard the battleship.
Above: During the last modernization, the Navy installed what came to be known as "coffin racks." Each compartment sported a reading light and a privacy curtain.
About Tours to the Battleship Missouri
The Battleship Missouri Memorial is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. It is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The memorial offers a number of guided tours, as well as a self-guided tour, following one of two marked routes. Admission is via a Mighty Mo pass, $20 for adults and $10 for children 4 to 12. The pass includes your choice of one of several tours. The site offers a Battle Stations Tour which requires an additional payment of $25 for adults, $12 for children 10 to 12. Kamaaina discounts are available to Hawaii residents.
Passes can be purchased at the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, which is located next to the USS Arizona Memorial on Arizona Memorial Place, off Kamehameha Highway, about a quarter-mile south of Aloha Stadium. Tickets to the Battleship Missouri, USS Arizona Memorial and USS Bowfin Museum are available at the same location. All three attractions share a common parking area. After purchasing tickets, guests must board a tram to reach the Battleship Missouri, berthed at Ford Island, which has restricted access.
Special Note: Because the USS Arizona Memorial and the Battleship Missouri are located on Ford Island Military Base, special security measures are taken. Bags that offer concealment are forbidden, including purses, handbags, diaper bags, backpacks, fanny packs, camera bags or similar items. Storage lockers can be rented for a small fee from a private vendor located just outside the entrance to the ticket office. Each visitor may bring a camera and a camcorder. Visitors are urged to avoid leaving valuables in their vehicles. A few security officers monitor the parking lots, but break-ins still occur. Sadly, there are criminals in Hawaii who target tourists and their vehicles.
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