USS Hornet Museum

Coordinates: 37°46′21.15″N 122°18′10.23″W / 37.7725417°N 122.3028417°W / 37.7725417; -122.3028417

USS Hornet (CVS-12) (Aircraft Carrier)
USS Hornet docked in Alameda, CA
NRHP Reference # 91002065
CHL # 1029[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP December 4, 1991[2]
Designated NHL December 4, 1991[3]

The USS Hornet Museum is a museum ship in Alameda, California, USA.

It is composed of the USS Hornet (CV-12) aircraft carrier, exhibits from the NASA Apollo moon exploration missions, and several retired aircraft from the Second World War and the transonic and early supersonic jet propulsion period. A number of compartments contain exhibits concerning contemporary carriers that are supported by related associations. The flight deck, hangar deck, and first deck below are open for self-guided tours. Docent-led tours are available into the ship's navigation and flight deck control areas of the island and down into one of the engineering spaces containing two of the four ship's propulsion turbines.

It is located on the southernmost pier of the former Naval Air Station Alameda. There are plans to relocate it to the corner of the Seaplane Lagoon closest to the Alameda Point Museum in conjunction with a ferry terminal and a light rail or bus connection to BART.

Mission statement

Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation preserves and honors the legacy of the USS Hornet, a national historic landmark,[4] and its role in naval aviation, the defense of our country, the Apollo Program, and exploration of space. The USS Hornet Museum connects the greatest generation of Americans with future generations, educating and inspiring them to meet their challenges.

Opening ceremony

The USS Hornet Museum officially opened to the public on October 17, 1998. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin was the principal speaker. Attending dignitaries included Congresswoman Barbara Lee; Honorable Jerry Brown – Mayor-elect of Oakland; Honorable Ralph Appezzatto – Mayor of Alameda; General Richard Hearney – Vice President for Domestic Business Development, Boeing Company; and RADM Robert Chaplin – Superintendent, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.[5]

Aircraft on display

The USS Hornet Museum has a number of aircraft on display including propeller aircraft, jet aircraft, and helicopters. The aircraft are from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Museum guests can get up-close to the aircraft displayed on the Flight Deck and on the Hangar Deck. Aircraft are sometimes moved between decks utilizing the ship's #1 aircraft elevator. Exhibit highlights include:

Apollo splashdown display

USS Hornet was selected in 1969 to serve as the Prime Recovery Ship (PRS) for the Apollo 11 moon mission. The whole world watched as Hornet led a picture-perfect recovery of America's first astronauts to land on the Moon following their Splashdown back on Earth. Four months later, Hornet recovered the all-Navy crew of Apollo 12. The USS Hornet Museum has the largest Apollo Program exhibit on the West Coast. Artifacts on display include:

Tours

The ship is mostly self-guided. A tour map is available at the admissions desk and museum docents are available throughout the ship to answer questions and lead special tours. A short video on the history of the ship is shown in the orientation area.

Overnight programs

The USS Hornet Museum offers a Live-Aboard Program that is available to any organized youth group or family. Guests can experience the life of a sailor by touring the ship at night, eating in the crew's mess, and sleeping in the berthing compartments (bunks).

Gallery

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to USS Hornet Museum.
  1. ↑ "USS Hornet". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  2. ↑ Staff (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  3. ↑ "USS Hornet (Cvs-12) (Aircraft Carrier)". National Historic Landmark summary listing (where year designated appears as 1992, believe to be incorrect). National Park Service. September 28, 2007.
  4. ↑ http://www.nps.gov/nhl/find/statelists/CA.pdf List of National Historic Landmarks located in California
  5. ↑ http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~drmiles/1998_recommissioning.html Opening Ceremony program

External links

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