Scuttlebutt: Official Podcast of the National Museum of the Surface Navy

Joe Sienkiewicz from NOAA's Ocean Predictions Center (otherwise known as our favorite "weather guesser") is our ace in the hole when it comes to inclement weather that's headed our way. He's been instrumental in helping us stay on top of how to prepare for events like Tropical Storm Hilary. This former tug boat operator sat down with us for a fascinating (did you know the...

Picture it: April 1975. Saigon has fallen. Thousands are frantic to get out. They take to the roof of an apartment building and fly off in the largest helicopter evacuation in history. But where do they go? At least 17 head out to sea and attempt to land aboard USS KIRK, the destroyer-escort where a young Dick McKenna is the executive officer. In this podcast Dick shares his experience over those...

Short answer to that one is an emphatic NO. In this video we're setting the record straight on a few of the inaccurate rumors we've been heard floating around lately. Things such as: - Are we cutting a hole in our hull?  - Are we gutting and completely restructuring compartments to make room for the national museum? Find out what we're actually considering and why in this episode of...

We've gotten the question, "Why did you turn the turret" a lot in the last couple of weeks. We get it frequently in response to the out-of-the-box ideas that end up making ship the special place it is. In this podcast episode we answer the "why" behind what we do. * * * * Want to ❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online ⚓ Come aboard for...

"Electric" Bill Weinberg and Angelo Salarpi have been Battleship IOWA volunteers since January 2012, when the ship was undergoing initial restoration in Richmond, CA. They dragged Alan Markle into the fray with them a couple of years later.  Known in the ship's community as the "three musketeers," this trio makes the 6 1/2 hour trek from the Bay Area to Los Angeles several...

What's it like to go aboard a ship that's been closed up for nearly thirty years and help bring it back to life? Bob Lemmond and Marty Palmiere know. They spent years preparing USS IOWA to rejoin the US Navy's active roster in the early 1980s, were there when then-Vice President George HW Bush recommissioned her, and along with Scott Williamson, took her back to sea. In the second h...

What's it like to go aboard a ship that's been closed up for nearly thirty years and help bring it back to life? Bob Lemmond and Marty Palmiere know. They spent years preparing USS IOWA to rejoin the US Navy's active roster in the early 1980s, and along with Scott Williamson, were there when then-Vice President George HW Bush recommissioned her. Prepare for some colorful characters...

Marty Palmiere , Scott Johnson , and Lonnie Cook ( left to right in thumbnail photo ) lived through the worst day in Battleship IOWA's history: April 19, 1989. They've lived with the memories ever since. While Marty and Scott have returned to their ship numerous times, 2023 was Lonnie's first trip back since he left in September 1989. After the ceremony on the 19th, they kindly sat...

Rear Admiral Charlie Brown, USN (Ret.) finished a twenty-eight year career in public affairs for the Navy last summer as CHINFO - the Navy's chief of information. He worked in the Pentagon and was "the direct representative of the Secretary of the Navy and of the Chief of Naval Operations in all public affairs and internal relations matters." We had a thought-provoking chat with thi...

To close out #WomensHistoryMonth, we have the pleasure of bringing you a delightful interview we did with Commander Jenna Van Zeyl, commanding officer of the Gold Crew of USS SAVANNAH (LCS-28).  From astronaut dreams to surface navy command, this Chicagoland native and Naval Academy graduate shares her fascinating path to her present role, some poignant observations about women in leadership roles...

Jose Hernandez was a biologist by trade, but his love of sailing changed his life. When he left small sailboats behind in favor of square riggers, he had no idea he would one day be paid to rig one of the grandest remnants of the Age of Sail: USS CONSTITUTION, the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. We sat down with Jose to talk about knots and rig work and how a Cuban from Southern Californ...

Jose Hernandez was a biologist by trade, but his love of sailing changed his life. When he left small sailboats behind in favor of square riggers, he had no idea he would one day be paid to rig one of the grandest remnants of the Age of Sail: USS Constitution , the oldest commissioned warship still afloat. We sat down with Jose to talk about knots and rig work and how a Cuban from Southern Califor...

Walking 300 feet to the nearest restroom, plenty of places to bang your shins, funky electrical systems, guests peeking in your window, and more in Part 2 of our discussion about what it's like to have your office on a WWII battleship.  * * * * Want to ❤️ Support the ship? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/donate/donate-online ⚓ Come aboard for a tour? https://www.pacificbattleship.com/museu...

There are unusual aspects to many workplaces... but can your office nearly float away in a storm? From the significant highs and lows of temperature in this non-heated or air conditioned steel behemoth to overhearing amusing bits of conversation from guests in passageways near our offices, we share the unique and often amusing features of life on Battleship IOWA in 2023. * * * * Want to ❤️ Support...

Judge Eileen Moore served as a combat nurse in Vietnam in the Army Nurse Corp, where she was Lieutenant Eileen Moore. Following Vietnam she went to college, law school, practiced law for ten years, and ultimately was appointed as a judge to the superior court. She currently serves as Justice Moore on the California Court of Appeals.  Justice Moore does a great deal of work with veterans as they co...

Back in July, we had author Dale Jenkins on the podcast to talk about his upcoming book, Diplomats And Admirals. Last Thursday, we were privileged to host the release party for the book. We also sat down with Dale and a panel of speakers for a preview of this fascinating new work. From failed negotiations and tragic misjudgments to powerful leaders and heroic deeds, Diplomats and Admirals tells th...

We've talked a bit about Escape The Mothball Fleet , our new exploration/adventure aboard Battleship IOWA, but what exactly is it? In this episode of Scuttlebutt, we explain not only what you'll experience when you participate, but how the idea for it developed.  It's fun stuff, and it's like nothing you've ever tried before. * * * * Want to ❤️ Support the ship? https://ww...

Battleship IOWA has an uncanny knack for attracting historical treasures of all shapes, sizes, and several eras. From a guest book signed by FDR and his war cabinet to a Mark-48 bombardment computer, we're always on the lookout for things with relevance to the ship. And opportunities to acquire such priceless artifacts and missing pieces seem to fall into our laps. When we have these chances,...

A few podcasts back we got into a discussion about the origins of the word "scuttlebutt." A lot of you looked it up and dropped the meaning in the comments, so we decided to dedicate this week's podcast to ship lingo. We start by explaining a few good ones, then put the sailors in the crowd to the test with a list of terms they had to explain on the fly. Did we stump them? Tune in a...

In our last episode we discussed our strategies for preservation. In this one CEO Jonathan Williams describes the direction we're aiming for the next few years, leading up to the opening of the National Museum of the Surface Navy. How do we stay relevant for the future? How do we deliver the message about the importance of freedom of the seas to this and future generations in a way that'...

Every so often, an event of truly epic proportions becomes the stuff of legend. The engagement off Samar during the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf on Oct. 25, 1944 is such an event. Full of humbling, heroic sacrifice, this incredible naval engagement resulted in a U.S. victory that ultimately cost Japan the war. Presented during our Freedom of the Seas awards gala by Rear Admiral Sam Cox, USN (Ret.),...

We finally have CEO Jonathan Williams back in the house, so we corralled him for a wrap up of this year's Historic Naval Ships Association (HNSA) conference. The theme was hull maintenance, a crucial part of operating a historic vessel as a museum, and in this podcast episode, we talk about the future of the industry with regard to preserving ships that were never intended to last as long as...

If you follow this podcast, you know that veterans are a priority at Battleship IOWA. To that end, for over a year, we have been home to the Los Angeles branch of Veterans Peer Access Network (VPAN).   VPAN is a veterans-helping-veterans program that connects retired members of our armed forces and their families with services, resources, and other veterans to help with everything from the transit...

How do we think of preservation when it comes to Battleship IOWA? There are multiple layers to the question. We're a museum, so we have to conserve the ship as an artifact, but we need the functionality of a modern office space. We have to respect the legacies of three generations of sailors (WWII, Korea, the Cold War), who served aboard. We have to keep things relevant for future generations...

Taking a break from our usual fare to bring you some incredible news: Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson, 64th District stopped by this morning to officially deliver a check for $6.7 million to the National Museum Of The Surface Navy at Battleship IOWA to build the Freedom of the Seas Park Pavilion.  Here is the check presentation ceremony in its entirety. It was a great event hosted by Battleship IOWA...