Battleships....where is the USS INDIANA now?

[Chuck Lutz]

With the USS IOWA being towed out of the Mothball Fleet in Suisun Bay following a trip to Richmond, there aren't many relics of WWII left....the "Jeremiah O'Brien" and the USS PAMPANITO are still here but I did a little looking and found something that those Hoosiers might want to try to get back in honor of the USS INDIANA (a battleship no less!).

She was scrapped a long time ago and many artifacts were given to the State of Indiana in rememberance of that ship and here service in WWII.

However.....if you go to Google maps and enter "1962 - 4th St., Berkeley, CA" you will find what is left of her sitting in a parking lot across from Spenger's Restaurant right off University Ave.

I have no idea who owns this relic but it should be returned to the State of Indiana in honor of the BB named after the state. Maybe some of you Hoosiers can get up a non-profit to get what is left of her purchased, a little restoration and a prominent place for the remains of her to go on display? She certainly isn't getting much attention where she is.

[pj128]

Is that the bow from the ship what a sad end for a great ship stuck in a car park I couldn't even see a sign with the ships history ,I hope it ends up back in Indiana in a more appropriate place than a car park

[Jon]

Google earth

[wjohn]

thats a heck of a place to park a ship, they must have wanted a nice Seafood meal....

boat.jpg

1962 - 4th St., Berkeley, CA

[Wolfman]

I have to admit, Chuck.
When you first said move a battleship, my thought was, How the heck would you do that ? Especially from California to Indiana. And where would we put it ( beside a parking lot) ? We have a few lakes but float a battleship ?
After looking at the picture, it is not as large as I expected.
Is something missing ? Like most of the ship.
I really expected something much, much bigger.

[wreckless]

Like many posts it seems to lack substance

[Chuck Lutz]

Mike...it seems the ship's bell and the mast and other artifacts were sent to Indiana when she was scrapped but for some reason the prow is here in Berkeley and since it's not getting any attention, I thought that a heads up to you Hoosiers might get the ball rolling and perhaps even this tiny bit of her history can be saved and sent back to the State of Indiana where it might receive better recognition.

I'm sure that many in Indiana either forgot or never knew this piece of their State's namesake battleship was still around. I know if it was a section of the USS ARIZONA that was in a parking lot in Newark that the residents of the State of Arizona would do what they could to retrieve it.

[gpw6335]

At least someone had the foresight to save this. I have a feeling it may wind up back in Indiana. Hope so.

[wreckless]

I am pleasantly surprised a scrapper hasn't scavenged it piece by piece.

[itlldue]

The time will come that we will all realize that every historical artifact cannot be saved forever, regardless of it importance to a select group of people. Unfortunately, that is.

[MASH_4077]

Lots of flat land here in Indiana!! Lol

[Wolfman]

Thanks for the heads up, Chuck.
I know of a guy in Plainfield that has a pretty inpressive military museum.
Mostly flying stuff but he might be interested in a battle ship.
I have a few connections. See if I can get word to him.
MASH__ 4077. Ought to nickname you "Hawkeye" !
Were almost neighbors.
On a clear day, I could almost see you out my kitchen window.
You know Ropkey ?
He used to have the museum on the west side of Indy, just west of 465.
He moved it to Plainfield.

[Lee Bishop]

WOW, I had no idea this still existed! Yeah, it should be in a museum somewhere and not in a parking lot!

[Chuck Lutz]

With the artifacts already in some places in Indiana, perhaps one of those locations (university where the mast is?) might want the prow if some of the alumni could help out. It can't cost that much and trucking isn't a big deal either.

When the cruiser USS SAN FRANCISCO was damaged in the Guadalcanal battles, part of the bridge was removed due to damage when she was repaired at Mare Island and is now a memorial out at Land's End where she sailed from after she was build in the 1930's.

[Hammerhead]

Do you really think it's the bow of a battleship? Looks awfully small to me to be off of a battleship. I've visited the USS Alabama and the USS Texas and their bows are much bigger than this appears.