Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts is one of the premier naval museums in the world. With multiple ships, boats, a submarine, and of course, the massive battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) on display, a visit to Battleship Cove is sure to be an educational and memorable experience. Be sure to put on your best walking shoes and go explore the decks and passageways of some of America’s most historic ships!
History
Established as a museum on August 14, 1965, Battleship Cove has proudly restored and displayed multiple historic ships ever since. The museum has several exhibits, but the five primary are: PT-617 and PT-796, destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850), submarine USS Lionfish (SS-298), missile corvette Hiddensee, and of course, the battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59). The following is a brief history on each of these vessels:
PT-617 & PT-796
PT (patrol torpedo) boats were used by the United States Navy during World War II. They were designed as small fast attack craft (that were affordable to manufacture) and saw action in both the Pacific and Atlantic theaters of war. Although issues with torpedoes limited the effectiveness of PT boats throughout most of the war, they served in a variety of important roles due to their maneuverability and speed. Of course, the PT boat that most have heard of is John F. Kennedy’s PT-109, which was split in two and sunk after being hit by a Japanese destroyer on August 2, 1943.
On display at Battleship Cove is PT-617 (“Dragon Lady”), which was built by the Elco Boat Company in Bayonne, New Jersey. PT-617 is 80 feet long, displaces 61 tons, can reach a maximum speed of 41 knots (~47 MPH), and carries a multitude of weaponry, to include four mk-13 torpedoes, 40mm, 37mm, and 20mm guns, along with .50 caliber machine guns, rocket launchers, and depth charges. Due to the timing of its launch, PT-617 did not see action in World War Two. After the war, the boat was sold off as surplus and eventually used off the Florida coast as a dive platform. In 1985, PT-617 made its way to Fall River, MA to become a permanent display at Battleship Cove. Remarkably, it is the only Elco made PT boat on display anywhere in the world.
PT-796 (“Tail Ender”) was built by the Higgins Boat Company in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a Higgins boat, PT-796 is 78 feet long, displaces 48 tons, can reach a maximum speed of 40 knots (~46 MPH), and carried the same weaponry as PT-617. This boat, like PT-617, did not see any action during WWII. In 1961, it was used during President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural parade and was even re-named “PT-109,” the same hull that Kennedy served on during WWII. After being decommissioned in 1970, PT-796 was brought to Fall River, MA to go on display at Battleship Cove.
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850)
The Gearing-class destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) (“Joey P”) was launched on July 26, 1945 and commissioned in December of that year. The ship is named after Navy Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy (JFK’s older brother) who served as a pilot in WWII and was killed in action on August 12, 1944, while flying a secret mission over the English Channel. Although it did not serve in WWII, DD-850 served admirably for nearly 30 years (the ship was decommissioned in 1973). In its prime, DD-850 was armed with two dual 5″ gun mounts, two mk-32 surface vessel torpedo tubes (SVTTs), two drone anti-submarine helicopters (DASH), an anti-submarine rocket launcher (ASROC), and manned by a crew of 288 men. Notably, the ship was called on by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 during the Cuban blockade and it served a central role in the affair. Today, the ship is displayed as it would have looked in 1969.
USS Lionfish (SS-298)
The Balao-class submarine USS Lionfish (SS-298) was launched on November 7, 1943 and commissioned in November 1944. It conducted two war patrols in 1945, with its first in Japanese waters in early April 1945. During this first patrol, SS-298 narrowly missed being hit by two Japanese torpedoes (fired from an enemy submarine) and destroyed a Japanese schooner with its deck guns on May 1, 1945. SS-298’s second war patrol began in June 1945, which was marked by engaging multiple Japanese submarines and serving as a lifeguard boat for downed pilots off the coast of Japan. After the war, SS-298 was ordered to Mare Island Navy Yard in San Francisco, CA, where it was decommissioned in January 1946. From 1951-1953, SS-298 was briefly recommissioned and used for training and in NATO exercises (to include a cruise to the Mediterranean Sea). SS-298 became a permanent display at Battleship Cove in 1973.
Missile Corvette Hiddensee
The missile corvette Hiddensee was used by East Germany during the Cold War, specifically from 1984 until 1991. Of course, this meant that it was considered an enemy naval vessel during that time. The ship was manned by a crew of 39, could reach a maximum speed of 43 knots (~50 MPH), and carried a variety of weapons, to include a 76mm gun, 30mm gatling guns, FAM-14 STRELLA surface-to-air missiles, and twin launchers for the dreaded STYX KT-138E missile. In 1991, the ship was transferred to the United States Navy and became an important test platform. At the time, the Hiddensee provided the United States with an inside look into the technology and weaponry of the soviet military.
USS Massachusetts (BB-59)
The South Dakota-class battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59) (“Big Mamie”) was launched on September 23, 1941 and commissioned in May 1942. This remarkable ship was truly a city afloat, as nearly 2,300 sailors worked day and night to keep it working and fighting. The ship took part in the Battle of Casablanca in November 1942 (where it took enemy gunfire, to include damage from an 8″ shell) and on November 12th, was ordered back to the United States to prepare for action in the Pacific theater. The Massachusetts took part in seemingly every campaign in the Pacific, to include: action off of the Solomon Islands, Gilbert and Marshall Islands, the invasion of Kwajalein, Guam, Tinian, and Saipan, and the Philippines (to name a few). Despite taking damage during the war (including damage from multiple Japanese kamikaze attacks), the ship never lost a member of its crew in battle.
After the war, the ship was decommissioned (1947) and slated to be disposed of; however, former crew members pushed to have the ship saved and preserved as a museum. Thankfully, they were successful and in August 1965, the Massachusetts anchored in Fall River as part of the newly established Battleship Cove museum. Today, the ship continues to serve as a fitting memorial to all those who have served. There are dozens of displays throughout the ship’s interior honoring the many ships, men, women, and technologies that helped the allies win the war.
Interesting Facts
- Battleship Cove boasts the largest collection of WWII naval vessels in the world
- Over 500 PT boats were built and utilized during WWII; however, only four are believed to still exist. Two of those four are on display at Battleship Cove!
- USS Lionfish (SS-298) is one of the few preserved American WWII submarines still in its original wartime configuration. Due to this, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
- The USS Massachusetts (BB-59) traveled over 225,000 nautical miles during its time at sea. That is equivalent to nine times the world’s equator.
Our Visit & Recommendations
Battleship Cove (5 Water Street, Fall River, MA 02721) is the largest naval museum in not just the United States, but the entire world! If you live in New England or just happen to be passing through the area, I highly recommend stopping by (but be sure to set aside at least 2 hours if you want to see it all). The museum is open 9AM – 5PM daily, seven days a week and free parking is available on site (more details, to include pricing, can be found on their website). Tickets can be purchased in the gift shop. Because all of the tours at Battleship Cove are self-guided, you are free to explore the exhibits and ships at your own pace.
The first exhibit you will see at Battleship Cove is quite remarkable: PT-617 and PT-796. As two of only four PT boats still in existence, be sure to take your time exploring and taking in these amazing boats. While you cannot actually climb inside them (they’re pretty small to begin with), there are viewing windows on the side of the hull that you can peak through to see what some of the interior looks like. In between PT-617 and PT-796 is another amazing display. The PT-59 exhibit, which has the actual wreckage of PT-59 in a water tank (these pieces of the boat are undergoing conservation), was made possible in the summer of 2020 when Battleship Cove worked with the NY Metropolitan Transit Authority to recover the remains of the sunken boat.
When you’re done visiting the PT boat exhibit, you will then head out to tour the four other ships/boats on display, the first being the USS Joseph P. Kennedy (DD-850). As mentioned, all of the tours are self-guided, so take your time and enjoy wandering around the empty passageways of the ships (I recommend doing so slowly and cautiously- there are many steps, “knee-knockers,” valves, and other things inside the ship that you can bump your head on or snag your shirt). On the Kennedy, feel free to walk all around topside, to include the flight deck and the bow. Additionally, many of the main deck passageways are open to tour, as well as the pilot house and upper decks.
When you’re ready to move on to the USS Lionfish (SS 298), head back towards the stern of the Kennedy and you will see the gangway to cross over to the submarine. Onboard the Lionfish, you can climb onto the conning tower and from the bow, climb into the boat to walk the main deck (this includes the torpedo rooms, staterooms, galley, and other spaces that are generally furnished to look as it did during WWII). Be mindful that the spaces and passageways are pretty tight, especially if you are not a fan of small spaces!
From the Lionfish, you can cross over to the missile corvette Hiddensee to explore. This ship is one of the more interesting on display, particularly because it was not designed or built by or for the United States Navy. The Hiddensee offers a unique glance into the Cold War-era and every time I visit, I compare the varying types of weaponry and technology between it and the American-built ships (be sure to check out the six-barrel gatling guns near the stern). Similar to the others, you are able to walk topside and explore some of the inner passageways of this ship.
Of course, the centerpiece of Battleship Cove is “Big Mamie.” I recommend touring the USS Massachusetts (BB-59) last and ensuring that you set aside at least an hour to do so (more time is even better!). You can explore a great deal of the massive ship, to include both topside and interior spaces. Some favorite things to do is to climb into the 40mm gun tubs and walk the teak-wood decks of the ship while admiring the powerful 16″ gun barrels towering above- this ship is quite literally bristling with guns! Other than the three 16″ gun turrets (with a total of nine barrels), the Massachusetts has 10 5″ gun mounts (20 barrels total), 60 Bofors 40mm guns, and 38 Oerlikon 20mm cannons.
Within the interior of the ship are dozens of unique and detailed exhibits, which include numerous displays for the various PT boats that served in WWII and include a variety of original items used or captured by those crews. Additionally, there are exhibits that highlight the role of women in the armed forces (particularly during WWII), the evolution of communication and weapons technology throughout the years, and other fascinating displays.
Battleship Cove displays some of the most historic ships and boats from naval history. Furthermore, the museum offers a unique educational and fun experience for everyone in the family- a visit will undoubtedly be the highlight of any trip or vacation. Of course, maintaining and preserving these ships and artifacts is an incredibly labor, time, and money consuming operation. If you are ever able to donate your time or funds towards the maintenance and preservation of these timeless artifacts, you will be doing much more than you realize. The hope is that Battleship Cove will be around for many years to come, to ensure generations of Americans are able to visit, learn our history, and appreciate the sacrifice that so many men and women have made to protect our nation.