USS Wisconsin (BB-64), one of the four Iowa-class battleships, began her career in the middle of World War II. Wisconsin reported for duty with the Pacific Fleet in October 1944. The powerful new warship joined Admiral William F. Halsey's 3rd Fleet when the liberation of the Philippines was underway. The battleship helped neutralize Japanese sea, air and ground forces occupying the islands. Wisconsin was reassigned to the 5th Fleet in February 1945 and supported the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The battleship's brief but active World War II career concluded with the transport of war-weary GI's back to the U.S. during operation Magic Carpet.
Wisconsin entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Norfolk in 1948, only to be recommissioned in March 1951 for the Korean War. She steamed to the Pacific and assumed her station as flagship for Vice Admiral H. M. Martin, Commander, 7th Fleet. The battleship provided gunfire support for American, Korean and other United Nations troops on the Korean peninsula until relieved by her sister-ship Iowa in April 1952.
Wisconsin embarked on a series of training missions in the ensuing years. A 1956 collision with USS Eaton (DD-510) damaged the battleship's bow. In a novel repair technique, the bow of the uncompleted battleship Kentucky was grafted on the old battleship in only 16 days at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.
Wisconsin 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 she steamed to the Persian 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.
Wisconsin was moved to a berth at Nauticus, in downtown Norfolk on December 7, 2000 and is in the care of the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Because Wisconsin is still a mobilization asset, a candidate for reactivation, environmental control systems remain in operation for the preservation of interior spaces and equipment. For this reason, visitation is limited almost entirely to exterior portions of the ship on the main deck and above.
above text from (
visit link)
The USS Wisconsin is berthed beside Nauticus. Access to the second floor of Nauticus requires buying a ticket, however the first floor and the USS Wisconsin is free. The USS Wisconsin was the last Battleship in the US Navy to be decommissioned.
To log this Waymark, do one of the following:
1. Send me the second name written on the forward gun Turret.
2. List what three items are visible in the second port on the Starboard side of the ship.
3. Post a picture of yourself anywhere onboard the ship.