▁sea ▁and ▁s unk ▁off ▁San ▁Francisco ▁on ▁ 7 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁Boston ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁a ▁very ▁few ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁ships ▁to ▁have ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁and ▁both ▁world ▁wars . ▁Her ▁ 6 0 - year ▁career ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁longest ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War , ▁Boston ▁and ▁Olymp ia ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁surv iving ▁ships ▁from ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Man ila ▁Bay . ▁ ▁Both ▁of ▁B ost ons ▁ 8 - inch ▁( 2 0 3 - mm ) ▁guns ▁were ▁placed ▁at ▁the ▁new ▁Seattle ▁Naval ▁Hospital ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁After ▁the ▁hospital ▁closed , ▁the ▁guns ▁went ▁with ▁the ▁site ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Fir lands ▁San it arium ▁owned ▁by ▁King ▁County ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁At ▁some ▁point ▁after ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁the ▁guns ▁were ▁moved ▁to ▁Ham lin ▁Park , ▁in ▁Sh or eline , ▁Washington . ▁However , ▁county ▁records ▁do ▁not ▁indicate ▁when ▁the ▁guns ▁were ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁park ▁or ▁why ▁it ▁was ▁done . ▁ ▁Of ▁the ▁two ▁guns ▁displayed ▁at ▁Ham lin ▁Park , ▁the ▁eastern most ▁gun ▁be ars ▁a ▁pla que ▁which ▁states ▁that ▁the ▁gun ▁fired ▁the ▁first ▁shot ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Man ila ▁Bay . ▁ ▁The ▁other ▁be ars ▁a ▁pla que ▁cred