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Hampton Roads Naval Museum Bids Farewell to Historic Battleship

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS091217-29
Release Date: 12/17/2009 6:59:00 PM

From Hampton Roads Naval Museum and Naval History and Heritage Command Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Hampton Roads Naval Museum surrendered responsibility for USS Wisconsin (BB 64) Dec. 14 to the city of Norfolk.

The museum's staff, now a part of the Naval History and Heritage Command based in Washington D.C at the Washington Navy Yard, began work on the project in 1998. The museum developed interpretive plans, tour routes, staffing models and other administrative work necessary to operate what has turned out to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state of Virginia.

This preparatory work was aided by a group of volunteers who, together with the museum staff, welcomed the battleship to Norfolk on Dec. 7, 2000.

Wisconsin is tied up at a layberth specifically built for the ship, next to the Hampton Roads Museum located on the second floor of the Nauticus facility in downtown Norfolk. The Iowa-class battleship has been the largest artifact to date for the Hampton Roads Naval Museum and the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.

Each year, volunteer hours total the equivalent of 10 full-time staff members. One volunteer of the 316, has the equivalent of five years of full-time service and five others are veterans of the ship when it was in an active duty status.

"To be a docent on USS Wisconsin and to join with other volunteers in interpreting the battleship to thousands of visitors is a very rewarding experience," said Eugene Kanter, Wisconsin docent and veteran. "It's most interesting to watch the expressions of amazement as they learn about the capabilities of the ship and its massive guns. I am extremely happy about USS Wisconsin being docked at the pier where visitors can learn about her extraordinary history instead of having her sit in the river rusting away."

By the end of November 2009, nearly 2.5 million visitors have walked the teak decks of historic battleship. The dramatic attendance increase through the years has proven to be beneficial to the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, Nauticus and other Norfolk-based attractions especially the businesses, restaurants and hotels in the downtown area.

Since her move to downtown Norfolk, Wisconsin has served as a very popular backdrop for a number of military ceremonies, averaging an about 700 each year. These ceremonies are managed by the museum's active duty military staff, many of whom have benefited from the opportunity to learn the Navy's history by walking the decks of the ship.

What is equally interesting is the number of civilian events held on board Wisconsin—to include weddings, christenings and group photo shoots. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum will continue to request volunteers and offer like services inside the gallery after the turnover of Wisconsin to the city.

"The city of Norfolk is very fortunate to have the ship here," said Gene Biesecker, a Wisconsin docent and veteran.

The battleship Wisconsin (BB-64), one of the famous Iowa-class ships, was launched on Dec. 7, 1943 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and commissioned on April 16, 1944. The warship reported for duty in the Pacific with the 3rd Fleet when the liberation of the Philippine Islands was underway. Wisconsin helped neutralize Japanese sea, air and ground forces occupying the islands. BB-64 was reassigned to the 5th Fleet in February 1945 and supported the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The battleship's World War II career concluded with the transport of war-weary service members back to the U.S.

Wisconsin entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in 1948, only to be recommissioned in March 1951 for the Korean War. The ship steamed to the Pacific and assumed her station as flagship for the U.S. 7th Fleet. The battleship provided gunfire support for American, Korean and other United Nations troops on the Korean peninsula until relieved in April 1952.

Wisconsin embarked on a series of training missions in the ensuing years. The ship once again entered the inactive fleet in 1958, where she remained until 1988, when she was reactivated. The ship carried new Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles in addition to her 16-inch guns when it steamed to the Arabian Gulf in 1990 for Operation Desert Storm. After effective use of missiles and high explosives in the desert conflict, the battleship returned home to be decommissioned for the third time in September 1991.

On April 16, 2001, exactly 57 years after the U.S. Navy first decommissioned the ship, Wisconsin opened to the public under the care of the Hampton Roads Naval Museum.

Since 1994, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum has operated on the second level of Nauticus on downtown Norfolk's waterfront. It is one of 11 officially operated U.S. Navy museums reporting to the Naval History and Heritage Command. Since 2000, the museum has operated the World War-era battleship, Wisconsin. The museum also covers the history and heritage of the U.S. Navy in Hampton Roads from the Revolutionary War to today's modern Navy. The museum staff and volunteers greet approximately 400,000 visitors each year.

Last year, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum was awarded the field's highest seal of approval, accreditation from the American Association of Museums. The accrediting committee found the museum to be an excellent example of a military museum collaborating, and developing good relationships, with its local community.