World War II Naval Vessels to be Restored

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $10 million to support the repair and restoration of two iconic World War II naval ships along Buffalo’s waterfront: The USS The Sullivans and USS Croaker.

USS The Sullivans, an 80-year-old National Historic Landmark, is a decommissioned Fletcher-class Destroyer, DD-537, the largest and most important class of U.S. Destroyers used in World War II. Named after the five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa who died together aboard USS Juneau CL-52 in November 1942, USS The Sullivans was the only ship in the Navy to be named after more than one person. The Sullivans was decommissioned in 1965 and brought to the Buffalo Naval & Military Park in 1977.

USS Croaker, SSK-246, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of 77 Gato-class submarines constructed during World War II. Commissioned in 1944, she conducted six war patrols in the Pacific theater. USS Croaker is not in her original World War II configuration, as she was converted into a “hunter-killer” submarine with added sonar, radar and quieting capabilities to combat the Russian threat during the Cold War. She was decommissioned in 1971 and brought to the Buffalo Naval & Military Park in 1988.

The total restoration of the two vessels is expected to cost nearly $21 million.

Learn more at governor.ny.gov.