The USS Wisconsin was built in Philadelphia at a cost of $110 million and originally commissioned in 1945. This was the second ship to bear the name "Wisconsin''. The first was decommissioned in 1901. During World War II, the ship performed a large number of operations including supporting operations against Iwo Jima and using its 16-inch guns, the barrels of which are 67 feet long, to fire on the Japanese city of Okinawa.
After the war, the ship was decommissioned in 1948, but was brought back into service again. She was decommissioned a second time and brought back before her final decommissioning took place in September of 1991.
The USS Wisconsin, which was one of the last battleships built by the United States Navy, now resides in a specially built berth at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum located inside Nauticus in Norfolk, Virginia.
Since her arrival at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in December of 2000, the USS Wisconsin, which is 887 feet long, has been a popular attraction. The museum and the USS Wisconsin are operated by the United States Navy. Visitors can visit the ship, which does not charge an admission fee, but the interior portions of the ship are not available for viewing.
The reason that large portions of the ship cannot be viewed is that, even though the ship is now a museum, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2006 states that if needed, the USS Wisconsin can be returned to active duty at any time. To ensure that it is ready should the need arise, Congress has ordered the following:
Wisconsin must not be altered in any way that would impair her military utility;
The battleship must be preserved in her present condition through the continued use of cathodic protection, dehumidification systems, and any other preservation methods as needed;
Spare parts and unique equipment such as the 16-inch (406mm) gun barrels and projectiles be preserved in adequate numbers to support Wisconsin, if reactivated;
The Navy must prepare plans for the rapid reactivation of Wisconsin should she be returned to the Navy in the event of a national emergency.
For the time being, though, the USS Wisconsin is a museum. There are volunteers on board during hours of operation to answer any question that visitors may have about the ship or the role it played during its many operations while it was of active status. Most recently, during Operation Desert Storm, the ship fired 24 Tomahawk missiles.
One visitor from Indiana said, "Unless you serve in the military, your chances of going on a battleship are slim. That's why being able to visit this gem is a life altering, historical experience.''
The ship may be closed to the public from time to time for private functions, so it is a good idea to check about specific dates when planning a visit.
