By Andrew Paul
Published
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One of the most decorated submarines of World War II is finally receiving some much needed restoration work. The USS Silversides recently arrived at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for its first dry dock preservation project in over 50 years. Over the next three months, workers will inspect the submarine’s structural integrity, clean its hull, and apply multiple protective coatings to safeguard the vessel for decades to come.
“We are honored to support the preservation of this historic submarine, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding vice president and general manager Jeffrey Frank told WBAY. “This project requires the kind of careful planning, skilled trade work, and technical coordination that our team takes great pride in delivering.”
Submarine enthusiasts can tune in from around the world via the submarine museum’s livestream. However, viewers will only see an empty inlet for a bit before the real renovation begins.
Built in less than one year and launched on August 21, 1941, the Silversides is a Gato-class submarine measuring nearly 312 feet long. It is outfitted with 10 torpedo tubes, a .50 caliber deck gun, as well as 40 mm and 20 mm cannons. The vessel completed more than 90,000 long tons of shipping and sank 23 enemy vessels over multiple patrols in the Pacific theater during World War II. The U.S. decommissioned the Silversides in 1946, later placing it service as a training ship for Naval Reservists in Chicago, Illinois. Following later restoration work, the submarine was eventually transported to the Great Lakes Naval Memorial & Museum in 1987, and is now displayed at its own USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan.
“This effort is a testament to what can be accomplished when communities come together to protect and preserve our nation’s history,” added museum executive director Veronica Campbell.
The Silversides’ $3.5 million dry dock preservation is expected to be complete in October before it is returned to its home across Lake Michigan. 
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Andrew Paul is a staff writer for Popular Science.
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