OZZY, SHARON OSBOURNE Tour Battleship Missouri
March 12, 2004Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon brought the their MTV reality show, "The Osbournes", to the Navy Tuesday (March 9),when they visited and toured (photo) the USS Missouri (BB 63) Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
"The concierge desk called this morning and asked if we could give a special tour," said Same Lowe, director of visitor operations at Missouri. "At first, they couldn't tell us who or even if the people were coming."
By noon, Lowe got word that the mystery guests were the Osbourne couple who, along with a camera crew, showed up at the memorial and began their tour. Lee Collins, vice president for marketing and sales, presented the couple with Battleship Missouri ball caps as tokens to remember their visit.
Lowe led the Osbournes and the MTV camera crew across the main deck of the battleship, explaining the armaments and history along the way. Ozzy, who said he has a great interest in the World War II era, listened as Lowe talked about the various events in the battleship's lifetime. The tour wound through the ship's interior, with Ozzy and Sharon asking Lowe questions along the way.
At the end, Lowe led the Osbournes and their crew into the captains cabin. Ozzy expressed his appreciation for the tour and his admiration for the sailors of yesterday and today.
"This has all been very educational," he said. "Being on the actual spot where MacArthur actually signed the documents accepting Japan's surrender was wonderful. This kind of thing you normally see only on TV. Being here makes me appreciate even more the sacrifices the sailors have made and are still making for all our freedoms."
Ozzy spoke passionately about the freedoms the United States offers its people.
"I'm British, but the U.S. provides the greatest amount of freedoms, personal freedoms," he said. "I've traveled so many places in my life, and other countries don't have as many freedoms as the U.S."
Osbourne has enjoyed performing in United Service Organization (USO) tours for troops deployed around the world in the past.
"I really like doing USO tours," he said. "Without those kids protecting us, we wouldn't have all the liberties we do now."
Representatives said footage shot aboard Battleship Missouri may air during the fourth season of "The Osbournes".
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