NSM Lecture, The Battle Born History of the USS Nevada

On the 100th anniversary of the commissioning of the battleship, USS Nevada, Judge Chuck Weller will speak about all of the ships that have borne that name, with particular emphasis on the battleship. That fighting ship saw action during World War II at Pearl Harbor, Alaska, Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

The first Medal of Honor of World War II was awarded to a crew member. In recognition of their bravery and sacrifice, the Navy named seven war ships after other members of her crew during the war.

After the war, the Nevada was the target ship among a fleet of one hundred vessels used to evaluate the effect of air dropped and underwater atomic bomb detonations. The present USS Nevada, a powerful nuclear missile submarine, will also be described.

Chuck Weller is a district court judge in Reno and proud to be a Nevadan. One of his hobbies is researching and writing about the state's experiences during World War II. He serves as the historian for the Reno Chapter of the U. S. Navy League.

Admission: $8 for adults; free for museum members and ages 17 and under. 

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Contact Bob Nylen, Curator of History: rnylen@nevadaculture.org or 775-687-4810, ext. 245 for more information. 

Detail  USS Nevada mural painted by Dorothy Nylen for the Nevada State Museum.