Museum Ship USS Becuna & USS Olympia

USS Becuna (SS/AGSS-319) is a Balao class submarine that served with the US Navy between 1944 and 1969. During WW2 she carried out 5 operational patrols and is credited with sinking three and half Japanese ships. Her armament consisted of 10 21 inch torpedo tube (6 forward, 4 aft) with 24 torpedoes, one 5 inch deck gun and a 40mm and 20mm cannon. Crewed by 82.
Became a museum ship in 1976.
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USS Olympia (C-6) is a protected cruiser that was in service between 1895 until 1922. Olympia served as the flagship during the Battle of Manila in the Spanish-American War in 1898 when the American fleet of 4 protected cruisers, 2 gunboats 1 revenue cutter and 2 transport ships destroyed the Spanish fleet of 2 protected cruisers, 5 unprotected cruisers, 5 gunboats and 1 transport ship. She was decommissioned in 1899 but returned to active service in 1902 as a training ship. in 1917 she returned to active service at sea patrolling the American coast and convoy escort. After WW1 she took part in the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War in 1919. In 1921 USS Olympia carried the remains of the American Unknown Soldier from France to Washington D.C. where his body was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. She was decommissioned in 1922 and became a museum ship in 1957. Her main armament in 1917 was 10 x 5 inch and was crewed by 429 men.

A 'protected' cruiser had armour plating on its decks to protect vital machine spaces where as an 'armoured' cruiser had armour extending down the sides of the hull.

For current visiting hours, please visit the website of the museum.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward