Welcome aboard “Showboat,” USS NORTH CAROLINA, BB55, the most highly decorated American battleship of World War II.
In this podcast, we’ll discover the stories of an extraordinary ship that steamed into history, what makes her tick, what keeps her going, and her vital contributions today.
Search for “Showboat” to find us on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and more. Don’t see us on your app? Let us know.
Episodes
About Episode 1: Saving the Showboat
A brief history of the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA and how the Ship was saved through a statewide grassroots campaign. We will also explore how the Battleship earned the name “Showboat.”
Music credits
- “The Fairest of the Fair,” The United States Navy Band, navyband.navy.mil
- “Triumphant Return” Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
- “Opus One” Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
- “Conclusion” by scottholmesmusic.com
- “Awake” by scottholmesmusic.com
- “Forces of Attraction” by scottholmesmusic.com
- “Remember the Heroes” Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com
Click here for a text transcript of Episode 1.
Click here to listen to the episode on YouTube with closed captioning.
About Episode 2: Ship Shape
What does it take to maintain a 729-foot long, 45,000-ton vessel every day? What are the challenges? How are major repairs managed? In this episode we discover how Showboat is kept in “ship shape” condition for another generation of visitors.
Music credits
- Royalty free music from Fesliyan Studios
- “Forces of Attraction” by scottholmesmusic.com
Click here to listen to the episode on YouTube with closed captioning and full transcript.
About Episode 3: Kingfisher
We explore the OS2U Kingfisher that sits on the Battleship’s fantail. We learn about the plane, its restoration, and primary wartime missions. We delve into two heroic rescues and a closer study of air-sea rescues in the Pacific theater.
Music and other credits
- “Forces of Attraction” by scottholmesmusic.com
- Thanks to Aaron Swindle, Skysong Soundworks,
for the Pratt & Whitney R-985 “Wasp Junior” radial engine audio files from the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing - Thanks to author Martin Irons, Phalanx Against the Divine Wind: Protecting the Fast Carrier Task Force During World War II, Merriam Press, 2017 and forthcoming Corsair Down!
Click here to listen to the episode on YouTube with closed captioning and full transcript.
Support for this podcast 
In 2020, the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA received a NORTH CAROLINA CARES: Humanities Relief Grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, www.nchumanities.org.
Funding for NCCARES has been provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act economic stabilization plan.