Battle on the Hudson

Battle of the Hudson

The 45,000-ton battleship Missouri never faltered in her course when a Kamikaze hit her off Okinawa, but when New York City school children swarmed aboard, the "Mighty Mo" shuddered from stem to stern. At her Hudson River berth last week, she was boarded by 60,000 sightseeing youngsters in a single day. Manhattan's moppets were marauders: many came armed with pliers, wrenches and screw drivers, besides their standard equipment of penknives. In a short, sharp action they:

P:Stole just about everything portable, including fire-hose nozzles. P:Hacked off metal and plastic name plates identifying equipment. P:Tried to pry up the metal plaque on the veranda deck marking the spot where the Japs' surrender was signed. P:Scribbled "compositions" and scratched their initials on newly painted bulkheads. P:Scarred the hard enamel of the 16-in. guns so badly that the muzzles had to be raised out of reach. P:Set off the general alarm, which sent the cursing crew dashing to battle stations.

One youngster pulled the wrong lever; it released a two-ton life raft which crashed to the deck below, miraculously injuring nobody else. But he lost a finger in the process.

This week, the battle-scarred Missouri retired in defeat to the Navy Yard in Brooklyn, for repairs. But one member of the crew was left behind. He had come down with the mumps.

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