In 1964, the Battleship U.S.S. Alabama, a valiant veteran of the Atlantic and
Pacific theaters that earned nine battle stars during World War II, was old and tired and ready for the junkyard, destined to be scrapped.
But schoolchildren across Alabama gave their ice cream nickels and businesses around the state came forth with grants to save the ship.
She was towed 5,600 miles from Bremerton, Wash., to Mobile Bay, “the longest non-military tow in history,” according to Karen Conner, director of sales and marketing for Battleship Memorial Park.
With just 12 inches of leeway, the Alabama slid through the Panama Canal to make her way to Mobile. And for 45 years, she’s greeted visitors and locals as they cross the Causeway.
The ship serves as Alabama’s official memorial to military veterans.
The battleship, now designated a National Historic Landmark, opened Jan. 9, 1965, and generally welcomes 300,000 visitors across her bridge annually.
But once again, she needs help. And once again, schoolchildren are coming to the rescue.
The ship’s superstructure was heavily damaged by Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, and, said Conner and Lynn Price, director of development, it is in dire need of repair.
It will take at least $1 million to restore the battleship and park properly so that future generations can enjoy our living history museum on the Bay.
“During those 4½ months we were closed after Katrina, we were not able to clean out all that salt water, and it just eats (the metal) up,” Price said.
Current revenue comes from ticket sales, gift shop receipts and donations — income hat is not nearly enough to take care of the added expense of repair.
So the faculty, parents and students at Dodge Elementary School and the USS Alabama Foundation are sponsoring the first “Run for the Battleship” 5K Run/Walk and One Mile Sailor Sprint at 8 a.m. Saturday to raise some of the money needed.
The entry fees for the 5K Run/Walk is $15 for adults and $12 for children 16 and younger, if registration is made prior to race day. Log onto www.Active.com by midnight Wednesday; Jan 6, or in person at McCoy Outdoor, 3498 Spring Hill Ave., no later than noon Jan 7 to register.
Race-day registration at the battleship is 7 to 8 a.m. Jan 9 and the fee will be $20 for adults and $15 for children 16 and younger. Fee for the One Mile Sailor Sprint is $10.
All pre-registered K-12 students in the 5K or Fun Run can pay $5 to run and not receive the traditional T-shirt. Runners are encouraged to wear red, white and blue.
Conner estimates that it will take at least at year to raise the money required to repair the battleship. And while the run fundraiser is a start, Foundation officials are asking for contributions from other sources.
Donations, she said, can be mailed USS ALABAMA Battleship Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 65, Mobile, AL 36601 or online at
.
For details, contact Janet Leffard at jleffard@mcpss.com. Carol Taylor,
, Karen Conner at
or Lynn Price at 251-438-2834.
BATTLESHIP FUNDRAISER
What:
Run for the Battleship 5K Run/Walk and One Mile Sailor Sprint
Sponsors:
Schools for Our Ship, created by faculty, parents and students at Dodge Elementary School; and USS Alabama Battleship Foundation
When:
Saturday, 8 a.m.