The battleship USS Missouri returned to it’s Ford Island berth after 12 weeks of repairs in dry dock at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. The ship began the repair work, that cost about $18 million, on Oct. 14, 2009. The replacement of hull plates and the installation of a $1 million dehumidifying unit as well as regular maintenance and painting were part of the work done by shipyard workers. The “Mighty Mo” will be prepared to welcome visitors again, and is expected to have a formal grand reopening on January 30, 2010.

A fundraiser at the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island Thursday to save the aging control tower was held a few weeks ago. Contributions are still welcome. If you would like to support this effort please go to the museum support page.

You might also be interested in Hangar Talk, a blog on many aspects of the Pacific Air Museum and related subjects.