USS Silversides Returns To Muskegon After Dry Dock Repairs (Photo Gallery)
It’s hard to pass up the chance to see a World War II submarine traveling the Great Lakes, so when I found out that the USS Silversides would be returning to Muskegon in the early morning hours of October 31st it was an easy decision to bundle up and make the trip to the lakeshore. The Silversides had been in Wisconsin for several months for dry dock repairs, and its return drew a crowd of several hundred watching from both sides of the channel as two tugboats helped bring it home. The morning featured several Coast Guard boats, local police boats, many private boats, and even a vintage aircraft flyover as the Silversides was towed into the channel, out into Muskegon Lake to turn around, and then brought to its berth next to the museum on the south side of the channel. Here’s a look at some of my favorite photos from the day:
The estimated arrival time for the Silversides was any time between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. and when I arrived at Muskegon State Park shortly after 8 there was already quite a crowd along channel at the lighthouse and at the museum.
We watched as a Coast Guard ship headed out to meet the arriving convoy, and just before 9 a.m. the submarine and its two tug escorts passed the Muskegon South Breakwater Light (sporting a tarp due to ongoing renovations) and the Muskegon South Pierhead Lighthouse.
The Silversides then passed the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory Lake Michigan Field Station.
Three vintage aircraft made several flyovers of the boat procession.
The submarine was then towed into Muskegon Lake and turned around. The tug Nickelena kept things moving from the front, while the Erika Kobasic brought up the rear.
Here’s a close up look at the Nickelena. It is a 109 foot long tug that dates back to the 1970s and it is owned and operated by Basic Marine Incorporated in Escanaba.
The Erika Kobasic is a much older tug that spent some time on the east coast in the 1940s before coming to the Great Lakes in the 1950s. She spent time in Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, and Muskegon before being acquired by Basic Marine in 1990.
The crowd gathered outside the museum got quite a show as the ship was moved into place. Museum admission was free for the day, and the Silversides is expected to be open to the public again within a week.
The Muskegon County Sheriff boat was a part of the festivities.
The Coast Guard was out in full force as well, with both this small boat and the USCG 49412 buoy tender.
Dry dock work included hull cleaning, a full inspection, fresh paint, structural repairs, and protective coatings. A federal Save America’s treasures grant helped cover some of the estimated $3.5 million repairs, with private and corporate donations helping cover more of it. The museum shared a note on Facebook about the new pink boom that may have caught the eye of some seeing the sub again for the first time: “After the submarine’s original boom was removed following WWII, museum volunteers later acquired a replacement from the USS Roncador (SS-301) while searching decommissioned submarines for missing parts.The boom has its own special history. The Roncador appeared in the 1977-78 television series “Operation Petticoat,” a remake of the popular 1959 film about a World War II submarine painted pink. During Silversides’ dry dock restoration, workers discovered period-correct pink paint hidden beneath layers of black paint on the boom. To honor its time as a television star, the boom has once again been painted pink.”
The Silversides‘ dry dock work was completed at Fincanteri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
The USS Cobia, which is also a Gato class sub like the Silversides, is part of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc and had its dry dock repairs completed at Fincanteri last year. They are two of the six surviving submarines of this type.
Finally, here’s a short video of the USS Silversides passing through. It was truly a day to remember in Muskegon and we are happy to see this local landmark back home. This submarine clearly holds a special place in the hearts of many in the community and it was great to see so many people out welcoming it home early in the morning!