Battleship Cove facts for kids
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Aerial view of Battleship Cove
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| Established | 14 August 1965 |
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| Location | Fall River, Massachusetts |
| Type | Maritime museum |
| Public transit access | Southeastern Regional Transit Authority |
Battleship Cove is a special place in Fall River, Massachusetts, where you can explore amazing old ships. It's a maritime museum, which means it's a museum about ships and the sea. It's also a memorial to remember brave people who served in wars.
This museum has the world's largest collection of World War II-era naval vessels. Its most famous ship is the battleship USS Massachusetts, known as "Big Mamie." Battleship Cove is located right on the waterfront, where the Taunton River meets Mount Hope Bay. It sits partly under the Braga Bridge and next to Fall River Heritage State Park.
The idea for Battleship Cove came from the crew of the Massachusetts. They worked hard to save their ship from being taken apart after the war. They wanted it to become a museum ship for everyone to visit. The battleship itself helps create a safe harbor for small boats during the summer. You can also find a historic carousel from 1920 here, which used to be at Lincoln Park. It was fixed up by local students and now plays music from a special fairground organ.
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Discovering Battleship Cove's History
Battleship Cove officially started in 1964 as a nonprofit group called the U.S.S. Massachusetts Memorial Committee, Inc. Veterans who served on the Massachusetts during World War II led this effort. They helped the U.S. Navy donate the ship so it could be shown to the public.
In its first year, over 250,000 people came to see the ship. Soon after, the battleship became the official memorial for Massachusetts citizens who died in World War II. Its inside areas were changed to hold exhibits.
How Battleship Cove Grew Over Time
In 1972, the USS Lionfish, a World War II submarine, joined the battleship. That same year, the "Nautical Nights" program began. This program lets young people camp overnight on the ships, and over 500,000 kids have done it!
The next year, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., a destroyer, was added. This ship became the official memorial for the Korean War and Vietnam War. Later, the Massachusetts became the official memorial for veterans of the Gulf War.
After the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. arrived, the Mayor of Fall River named the site "Battleship Cove." In 1975, a national group for destroyer veterans, called Tin Can Sailors, Inc., was started right here.
In 1984, a North American T-28 Trojan aircraft was added. This plane was used for training and also by the South Vietnamese Air Force. In 1985, the Massachusetts, Lionfish, and PT-796 were named National Historic Landmarks. Later, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. and PT-617 also became National Historic Landmarks. This means Battleship Cove has many important historic ships in one place. It has the largest collection of historic naval ships in the world.
In the 1990s, the museum added over sixty new exhibits about the ships and veterans. Popular programs and visitors helped the museum grow and keep the ships in good shape. On June 14, 1997, a Cold War ship joined the fleet: the Soviet-built missile corvette Hiddensee. Three years later, the Massachusetts and Lionfish received a large grant for important repair work.
Since 1964, over 5 million people have visited Battleship Cove. The museum continues to offer programs like the Community Boating Program and the Veterans’ Voices Oral History Program.
Explore the Ships: Main Exhibits
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USS Massachusetts: The Big Mamie
The South Dakota class battleship USS Massachusetts is the biggest ship at Battleship Cove. Her crew called her "Big Mamie" during World War II. She was the seventh U.S. Navy ship named after the state of Massachusetts.
Her construction started on July 20, 1939, in Quincy, Massachusetts. She was launched on September 23, 1941, and officially joined the Navy on May 12, 1942.
The Massachusetts earned eleven battle stars for her service in World War II. She was known as a "Work Horse of the Fleet." Amazingly, no U.S. Navy personnel were killed in action while serving on her during the war. People say "Big Mamie" fired both the first and last 16-inch shells of World War II. She fired the first at a French battleship and the last at a Japanese steel works just hours before the war ended.
The USS Massachusetts is one of only eight U.S. battleships from the first half of the 20th century that are still around as museum ships.
USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.: The Destroyer
The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) is a Gearing-class destroyer. It was named after Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., a naval pilot and the older brother of future President John F. Kennedy. This ship is now a museum ship at Battleship Cove.
Some important moments in its service include blocking Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It also helped recover astronauts from the Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 space missions. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. stopped active service in 1973 and came to Battleship Cove the next year.
In 2000, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was used in the movie Thirteen Days. It played itself and another destroyer in the film.
USS Lionfish: The Submarine
The USS Lionfish (SS-298) is a Balao-class submarine. It's the only U.S. Navy ship named after the lionfish. After testing, she began her first war patrol near Japan on April 1, 1945. She dodged torpedoes and destroyed a Japanese boat. She also helped rescue B-29 plane survivors.
On her second patrol, she fired torpedoes at Japanese submarines. She also performed "lifeguard duty," rescuing downed pilots off Japan. When the war ended on August 15, she returned home and stopped active service in 1946.
The Lionfish was brought back into service on January 31, 1951, for training. She took part in NATO exercises and a trip to the Mediterranean Sea. She stopped active service again in 1953.
In 1960, the submarine was used for reserve training in Rhode Island. In 1973, she came to Battleship Cove for permanent display. She is now one of the museum's most popular exhibits and a tribute to all submariners.
PT Boats: Fast Patrol Boats
Battleship Cove has two restored PT boats: PT-796 (acquired in 1975) and PT-617 (acquired in 1984). These are the only pair of restored PT boats on display anywhere in the world. PT-617 is the only remaining Elco PT boat similar to John F. Kennedy's famous PT-109.
USS Fall River: A Cruiser's Bow
The USS Fall River (CA-131) was a Baltimore-class heavy cruiser. She was launched in 1944. In 1946, she took part in the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons tests. After a short time in the Far East in 1947, she was put into reserve.
Today, only the tip of her bow is on display at Battleship Cove.
Images for kids
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Hiddensee
See also
- Battleship Cove (MBTA station)
- List of battleships of the United States Navy
- List of maritime museums in the United States
- List of museum ships
- U.S. Navy museums
