MOBILE, Ala. — It was a major undertaking at the time. A channel 11,000 feet long, 36 feet deep and 125 feet wide was dredged in Mobile Bay at a cost of $225,000. A total of 2.9 million cubic yards of white sand was then deposited to form the first 75 acres of what is now USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park.

By the time the venerable battleship was brought up the new channel after a 5,600-mile journey from Bremerton, Wash. in the spring of 1964, Alabama schoolchildren were well on their way toward raising $100,000 through nickels, dimes and quarters as their way of honoring those who served aboard her. Businesses and individuals brought the total to nearly $1 million.

Saturday marks the 45th anniversary of the day the ship opened to the public on Jan. 9, 1965. The day is also the 63rd anniversary of its decommissioning by the U.S. Navy.

Among the activities planned to celebrate the milestone is a certified 5K run/walk from the battleship to Spanish Fort and back, as well as a one-mile Sailor Sprint on the park grounds.

“It’s going to be a little cool (in temperature), but exciting,” said Bill Tunnell, park executive director. The run is planned as a fundraiser for the park, which suffered costly damage from hurricanes in recent years.

Registration forms can be picked up/dropped off at McCoy Outdoor in Mobile until noon on Thursday or online (www.active.com) until midnight Wednesday. Race day registration at the Battleship will be from 7–8 a.m. The race begins at 8:30.

Preregistration for the 5K is $15 for adults and $12 for children age 16 and younger. Day of race registration is $20 for adults and $15 for children. The Sailor Spring is $10 for everyone. All preregistered K-12 students may take part in either event for just $5 without the T-shirt.

The event started as a project at Dodge Elementary School in Mobile, according to Tunnell. He said, “They started taking an interest in the ship, and raised a nice amount of money.”

Schools for Our Ship (SOS) was a project created by the school faculty to help raise money as the schoolchildren of the 1960s did. Information and lesson plans are continually being added to help educators, Scouts, and visitors.

The 5K run/walk is one of the many fundraising projects being sponsored by SOS, and Little Red Hen Productions in assisting in coordinating the event.

Battleship Park is now 175 acres, including Goat Island, which sits off the ship’s stern inside Baldwin County. The entire park serves as a tribute to all veterans.

The USS Alabama and its crew served during WWII in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, earning nine battle stars.

The keel of the BB-60 was laid at the Norfolk Navy Yard on Feb. 1, 1940 and was the sixth vessel to bear the name Alabama.

At the outbreak of hostilities, her hull construction was nearing completion. The South Dakota Class battleship was launched in a ceremony on Feb. 16, 1942, which was attended by many national figures. Sponsoring the vessel was Mrs. Lister Hill, wife of the Alabama senator.

The ship was placed in full commission on Aug. 16, 1942 during ceremonies at Portsmouth, Va., and Capt. George B. Wilson assumed command.

After the ship was towed to its current place of honor, the paint was stripped in every area that would be open to the public. The ship also received a thorough cleaning. Crews had to park along the road also known as the Causeway and board a boat to reach the work site, Tunnell said.

A $15 million project begun in 1999 included restoring the ship’s hull and placing a cofferdam around the vessel. The submarine USS Drum was also placed on dry land as part of the project in order to preserve it.

Just five years later, however, Hurricane Ivan caused $400,000 in damage at the park, with most confined to the aircraft pavilion roof. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 then brought about an additional $7 million in damage.

Tunnell said the park is sustained through ticket sales and donations. No city, county or state funds have ever been used for the daily operations of the park, but money is still needed to make up for hurricane losses.

Around two-thirds of the ship is open for public tours, including 12 of the 19 decks and one of the engine rooms.

For more information about the battleship, the submarine and the many other static displays at Battleship Park, visit www.ussalabama.com.