Monumental Mobile: The USS Alabama and the Stories It Preserves

In this episode of Monument Matters, host Mike Johns talks with Matthew McCluney of USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park about one of Mobile’s most memorable destinations for attendees of MBNA’s 2027 Monument Industry Show. McCluney explains how the USS Alabama escaped the scrapyard, became a permanent memorial, and continues to be preserved as both a historic artifact and a place of remembrance. The conversation explores visitor access, restoration decisions, personal artifacts, park memorials and the importance of creating spaces where people can pause, reflect and honor service. It’s a timely invitation to experience Mobile’s history beyond the show floor together. Chapters (00:00:05) - Monument Matters(00:01:29) - The USS Alabama(00:03:48) - The USS Alabama: A National Monument(00:06:08) - Cofferdam(00:07:25) - The USS Alabama(00:09:18) - How Much of the USS Alabama Is Open to Visitors(00:12:58) - The USS Alabama(00:16:35) - USS Alabama(00:18:11) - The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park(00:19:55) - Seems Like a Place of Remembrance: USS Alabama(00:22:18) - Monument Matters