The USS Intrepid's History Spans War, Space and 9/11
Susan Maremoff-Zausner, president of the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, discusses the USS Intrepid's remarkable history spanning World War II, the Cold War, Vietnam, and its role as an FBI command center during 9/11, as well as its NASA space recovery missions. She highlights the museum's educational impact, serving over a million visitors annually and teaching STEM to 100,000 children per year while honoring veterans and advocating for women in STEM fields.
Summary
The USS Intrepid is a decommissioned Essex-class aircraft carrier that operated from 1943 to the 1970s and now serves as one of over 2,600 national historical sites in New York City. The ship has an extraordinary service record, participating in World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. It also served as a temporary command center for the FBI during the September 11 attacks and was used by NASA to recover Mercury and Gemini capsules, literally embodying the museum's mission of sea, air, and space exploration.
The Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum was established in 1982 after Zachary Fisher from the Fisher family rescued it from being scrapped. Fisher, unable to serve in the military himself, saw the museum as his way to serve the nation. The museum now attracts over one million visitors annually from around the world. A key feature of the original ship was its wooden flight deck during World War II, which could be more easily repaired when damaged. This deck was later replaced with steel as aircraft technology advanced during the Vietnam era.
Beyond its historical significance, the museum plays a crucial educational role. It brings in over 100,000 children annually to teach STEM education using the ship's artifacts and the stories of the 50,000 men who served aboard. The museum also features the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the original test vehicle for the shuttle program. Susan Maremoff-Zausner emphasizes that the museum's philosophy is to make the ship relevant not just as a historical artifact but as a place that inspires future scientists and engineers by relating past innovations to contemporary challenges.
The museum operates multiple access and advocacy programs, including sensory-sensitive Saturday morning programming for visitors with disabilities and cognitive disabilities. A significant institutional priority is advocating for women in STEM, as research shows women tend to drop out of STEM fields earlier than men. The museum also honors veterans, many of whom volunteer as docents and share their firsthand experiences with visitors.
Susan also reflects on her previous role as venue director for the 1999 Women's World Cup in the New York/New Jersey area, which she considers a pivotal moment in sports history that propelled women's sports forward. She notes that the women's team members became influential role models and leaders who paved the way for subsequent generations in women's sports.
Key Insights
- The USS Intrepid's wooden flight deck during World War II was designed to be more easily repaired when damaged, but it was later replaced with steel during the Vietnam era as aircraft technology advanced and required stronger, longer flight decks.
- The Intrepid museum brings in over 100,000 children annually to teach STEM education by utilizing the ship's artifacts and the personal histories of the 50,000 men who served aboard, relating past innovations to contemporary technology and future possibilities.
- Zachary Fisher rescued the USS Intrepid from being scrapped in 1974 and gifted it to New York City in 1982 as his way to serve the nation, since he was unable to serve in the military himself.
- The museum's core philosophy is to remain 'unique, important, and relevant' by connecting the Intrepid's historical significance (as a NASA recovery vessel and warship) to contemporary and future innovations, positioning it as a place of both history and the future.
- The 1999 Women's World Cup served as a pivotal moment for women's sports that propelled female athletes into prominence, and the original team members became strong leaders and mentors who brought other women along so they wouldn't be the last generation to break barriers.
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] We are on a for Essex class aircraft carrier, one of just over 2,600 national historical sites here, in the great city of New York City, in The United States, I should say. And this was a a ship before it became a museum just a few decades ago. That's right. Served in three separate wars. It became a museum in 1982, and here to talk with us about it is Susan Maremoff-Zausner. She is the president of the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum. Okay. This carrier was in operation from 1943 into 1970s. It served [0:30] in World War two, the Cold War, Vietnam, and my favorite anecdote from reading up last night is it even served…
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