The third USS Alabama (Battleship No. 60) was laid down at the Norfolk Navy Yard where she was christened and launched on 16 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Lister Hill, wife of the senior Senator from Alabama at the time.
The lucky battleship, which suffered no combat losses in her busy, commissioned just six months later and earned nine battle stars for her World War II service.
Decommissioned on 9 January 1947 after serving less than five years with the fleet, the still-young battlewagon was laid up at Bremerton until she was formally turned over on 7 July 1964 in a ceremony to officials from her namesake state for use as a museum in Mobile, where she has been on permanent berth since 14 September 1964.
And she is still beautiful.
Note her distinctive large SK3 radar antenna array near the top of her mast. Photo by Eger