The USS Silversides docked on the Muskegon channel. MCP file photo.
MUSKEGON — USS Silversides, one of the most decorated submarines of World War II, will leave Muskegon next month for a major preservation project that museum officials say is critical to ensuring the vessel’s long-term survival.
The USS Silversides Submarine Museum announced this week that the submarine will be towed across Lake Michigan to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where it will undergo extensive drydock work for the first time in decades.
The tow is tentatively scheduled for July 13, with the submarine expected to return to Muskegon in mid-October.
For more than 80 years, USS Silversides (SS-236) has stood as a symbol of American courage, innovation and sacrifice. Much of the submarine’s structure remains below the waterline, making it impossible to fully inspect critical components while the vessel is afloat.
The estimated $3.5 million preservation project is being managed by Valkor Energy Services, which previously served as project management and engineering firm for the restoration of the Battleship Texas.
Once in Sturgeon Bay, USS Silversides will enter drydock at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, one of the largest shipbuilding and repair facilities on the Great Lakes. The submarine will be transported by Basic Towing Inc. of Escanaba, a company that specializes in Great Lakes towing operations.
During the drydock period, preservation specialists will clean the hull, conduct structural inspections, repair steel components and apply protective coatings designed to extend the vessel’s lifespan.
“USS Silversides is more than a historic artifact — she is a powerful, living connection to the men who served and the communities that supported them,” said Veronica Campbell, executive director of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum. “This project represents our commitment to preserving that legacy with care and integrity. By taking action now, we are ensuring that future generations can continue to experience her story firsthand.”
Museum officials said the submarine has not undergone a full drydock preservation project in more than 50 years. Delaying the work further could increase the risk of structural deterioration, create safety concerns and significantly increase future repair costs.
The project follows a similar preservation effort completed last year on USS Cobia, a World War II submarine operated by the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. In 2025, USS Cobia was towed to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for its first drydock inspection since 1996. During that project, crews removed invasive mussels, inspected previously inaccessible areas below the waterline, completed repairs and repainted the vessel before returning it to Manitowoc.
Museum officials said the Cobia project demonstrated the importance of periodic drydock preservation for historic submarines operating as museum ships on the Great Lakes.
Funding for the USS Silversides project includes a $750,000 grant from the Save America’s Treasures Grant Program, administered by the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Museum officials credited the grant, along with contributions from donors and sponsors, for making the project possible.
Although the submarine will be absent during the preservation work, the museum building in Muskegon will remain open and continue offering exhibits, educational programming and visitor experiences.
The museum is also planning additional waterfront attractions during the submarine’s absence, including a visiting tall ship. Details are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
USS Silversides was commissioned in 1941 and earned 12 battle stars during World War II. The submarine is recognized as one of the most successful U.S. Navy submarines of the war and has served as a museum ship in Muskegon since 1987.
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