This World War II Submarine Noted for Sinking Enemy Ships Just Journeyed Across Lake Michigan for a Multimillion-Dollar Makeover
The USS 'Silversides' earned a dozen battle stars for its work patrolling the Pacific Ocean. The Gato-class sub is now the star of a museum in Michigan
For nearly six decades, the USS Silversides silently drifted in Muskegon, Michigan, as a beacon of history at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum. Recently, this 312-foot-long Gato-class submarine embarked on a 16-hour journey across Lake Michigan to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where it is set to undergo a major $3.5 million renovation.
The USS Silversides, constructed in 1941, distinguished itself during World War II with 12 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. Now, over 50 years after its last dry dock, the vessel is in dire need of structural inspections and maintenance. Crews from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, utilizing two tugboats, successfully transported the submarine to its restoration destination.
The project, primarily funded by private donations and a National Park Service grant, will involve sandblasting, hull repairs, invasive zebra mussel removal, protective coatings, and painting. Museum officials emphasize the significance of the work, noting that it is rare to work on a 85-year-old submarine.
Once the dry dock work is finished in October, the USS Silversides will return to Muskegon, allowing visitors once again to explore this piece of World War II history.
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