Bloomington Township in Monroe County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
USS Indiana (BB-58)
Photographed by Daniel Barriball, June 15, 2026
1. USS Indiana (BB-58) Marker
The prow of the USS Indiana, a World War II battleship, is a gift from the Frank Spenger Company to Indiana University. After the ship was decommissioned and dismantled, its prow became part of the Spenger collection of Navy memorabilia in Berkeley, California, where it was displayed until July 2013.
The prow's relocation to Memorial Stadium was made possible by private funding. It has been renovated and reunited with the ship's mainmast and two of its gun mounts. These artifacts will serve as treasured vestiges of naval history and tradition, preserved in honor of this historic vessel that honored the great state of Indiana.
Dedicated on these grounds September 7, 2013
Erected 2013 by Indiana University.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • War, World II. A significant historical month for this entry is July 2013.
Location. 39° 10.855′ N, 86° 31.618′ W. Memorial is in Bloomington, Indiana, in Monroe County. It is in Bloomington Township. It is on East 17th Street near North Dunn Street, on the right when traveling west. This memorial stands on the west side of Memorial Stadium
this page online
Regionally, this memorial is in Southern Indiana. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: USS Indiana (here, next to this marker); Memorial Stadium (a few steps from this marker); George Taliaferro Plaza (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Calabi-Yau Quintic Cross-Section (approx. 0.6 miles away); Collins Living-Learning Center (approx. 0.7 miles away); Kappa Alpha Psi (approx. Ύ mile away); Original Memorial Stadium (approx. 0.8 miles away); Woodburn House (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bloomington.
Also see . . .
1. Indiana. World War II Database
On 10 Jan(Submitted on July 14, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana.)1945, Indiana departed from Pearl Harbor for Iwo Jima. On 24 Jan, she bombarded Iwo Jima. On 10 Feb, she returned to Iwo Jima with Task Force 58 for the invasion. Between 17 and 28 Feb, she screened for aircraft carriers as their aircraft attacked Tokyo, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Between 5 and 14 Mar, she anchored at Ulithi for replenishment. On 14 Mar, she departed Ulithi for the Okinawa invasion, and remained at sea until Jun 1945 in support for carrier operations against Okinawa and the Japanese home islands. On 13 Jun, she sailed to San Pedro, Philippine Islands. Between 1 Jul and 15 Aug, she sailed off Honshu, Japan and bombarded coastal targets. On 14 Jul 1945, she bombarded ironworks at Kamaishi, Iwate, in northern Honshu.Photographed by Daniel Barriball, June 15, 20262. USS Indiana (BB-58) Marker in contextThis memorial plaque is the darker plaque on the wall of Memorial Stadium in between the mast and the left gun. The USS Indiana marker is the gray plaque to the right of this one.
After the Japanese surrender, Indiana sailed into Tokyo Bay for occupation duties on 5 Sep 1945. On 14 Sep, she sailed for San Francisco, California, United States, arriving on 29 Sep. She was placed in reserve at Bremerton Navy Yard, and was decommissioned exactly one year later. She was sold for scrap on 1 Jun 1962.
2. University adds USS Indiana prow to collection. The American Legion An article about IU's acquistion of the USS Indiana's prow in 2013.
The university will formally welcome the ships prow to its new home with a re-dedication ceremony Sept. 7, when IU hosts Navy in a football game. Representatives from the university, the U.S. Navy and the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center in Martin County, as well local, state and federal lawmakers, are expected to attend. "Indiana University is an appropriate home for this treasured vestige of naval history and tradition from the last warship named in honor of our great state," IU President Michael A. McRobbie said in a statement. "The fact that we have an opportunity to preserve a physical piece of this legacy and provide a lasting home for it at the states flagship public university is a source of immense pride that I share with all Hoosiers."(Submitted on July 14, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 14, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. This page has been viewed 16 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 14, 2026, by Daniel Barriball of Chesterton, Indiana. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
