The days of the battleship—those imposing steel behemoths that ruled the seas—may be behind us, but their tales are by no means lost. America’s last battleships now stand as living museums, a glimpse into naval history and engineering that still mesmerizes. Here are the eight surviving US battleships and where to find them today.
8. USS Iowa (BB-61): The Navy’s Longest-Serving Giant
Commissioned in 1943, the USS Iowa outpaced her class and became the final battleship to remain in active US service. At a length of 887 feet, Iowa fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War. She was briefly retired after the war but came out of retirement for Korea before being comprehensively refitted in the 1980s, trading some of her guns for missiles.
A disastrous turret explosion in 1989 killed 47 crewmen, and she was finally decommissioned in 1990. She’s now a museum ship moored in the Port of Los Angeles at San Pedro, which is operated by the Pacific Battleship Center.
7. USS North Carolina (BB-55): A Pioneering Design
The USS North Carolina, launched in 1940, marked the first US battleship in nearly 20 years and introduced notable design improvements. At 728 feet, she was faster and more maneuverable than earlier dreadnoughts, armed with 29 large-caliber guns and a powerful anti-aircraft suite. After the Navy focused on Iowa-class ships, North Carolina was saved from scrapping and is now on display in Wilmington, North Carolina, along the Cape Fear River.
6. USS Missouri (BB-63): The Mighty Mo
Commissioned in 1944, the USS Missouri was the last—and biggest—battleship constructed for the US Navy. She is most famous for serving as the site of the Japanese surrender ceremony that ended World War II. Missouri rode out post-war reductions, remaining the only active battleship from 1947 to 1950 at the order of President Truman. Reactivated in the 1980s, she finally retired in 1992. Missouri now lies in rest at Pearl Harbor, yards from the sunken USS Arizona, a moving symbol of war and peace.
5. USS Wisconsin (BB-64): Norfolk’s Maritime Treasure
The USS Wisconsin was an Iowa-class battleship and the second-to-last US battleship constructed, as well as the final one to fire during combat. The ship was in action during World War II, Korea, and the Persian Gulf War, receiving substantial modernization during the 1980s in the form of Tomahawk missiles and drone technology. Decommissioned in 1991, Wisconsin now serves to moor the Nauticus maritime museum in Norfolk, Virginia, and is still a treasured symbol of the city’s naval past.
4. USS Alabama (BB-60): The People’s Battleship
Commissioned in 1942, the USS Alabama was a South Dakota-class battleship that served in World War II. Carrying a crew of 2,500 at full strength, she was the only American battleship so decorated by the Soviet Union. Alabama’s active career lasted only a short while, and she entered the reserve fleet just five years later. Owing to a local campaign to preserve her, she is now housed in Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama, waiting to be visited by future generations.
3. USS Massachusetts (BB-59): The Most Original Survivor
Nicknamed “Big Mamie,” the USS Massachusetts was commissioned in 1941 and is renowned for firing the first and last 16-inch shells of World War II. She stands at 680 feet and has four steam turbines. She was heavily armed. Following deactivation in 1947, Massachusetts was preserved through a public appeal and was given to the state in 1965. She’s now moored at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts, and is one of the most complete battleships in the world.
2. USS Texas (BB-35): America’s Last Dreadnought
The USS Texas, commissioned in 1912, is the oldest afloat battleship remaining in the US and the world’s last surviving dreadnought. She served during both World Wars and underwent extensive modernization during the interwar period, such as 14-inch guns that could reach up to 13 miles away. Decommissioned in 1947, Texas was the nation’s first battleship museum and is now extensively repaired in Galveston, Texas, with reopening plans to the public.
1. USS New Jersey (BB-62): The Most Decorated
She was nicknamed “Big J,” and she entered service in 1942, earning more battle stars than any other US battleship. World War II, Korea, and Vietnam are conflicts in which she served, and she was the lone battleship reactivated for the Vietnam War. She was decommissioned in 1991 but is now a museum ship in Camden, New Jersey, cared for by the nonprofit Home Port Alliance, commemorating a proud history of American naval dominance.
Each of these eight vessels holds a distinctive tale, being converted from weapons of war into museums that are alive to pay tribute to the skill, creativity, and sacrifice that characterized the battleship age.