MOBILE, Ala. — History came to life along the Mobile waterfront on Saturday as World War II reenactors took part in a “Call to Battle Stations” drill at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.
The living-history event centered on the park’s two signature vessels, the battleship USS Alabama and the submarine USS Drum. As part of the drill, enemy aircraft “flew over” the ships while crewmen manned and fired the guns to defend against them, giving visitors a vivid sense of what wartime service aboard the vessels once demanded.
A hands-on history lesson
Reenactments like Saturday’s are a longtime tradition at the park, where costumed volunteers help translate the scale and urgency of shipboard life into something visitors can see and hear firsthand. The booming of the guns and the choreographed response of the crew turned the static museum ships into an active stage for the day.
On the air from the USS Alabama
The Deep South Amateur Radio Club was also on hand for the event, broadcasting from aboard the USS Alabama during the drill and connecting the historic ship to radio operators well beyond the waterfront.
Battleship Memorial Park remains one of Mobile’s most recognizable landmarks and a popular destination for families, veterans and history enthusiasts alike. Events such as the “Call to Battle Stations” drill continue to give visitors a memorable, hands-on way to connect with the wartime generation the park was built to honor.