Preserved US WWII submarine enters drydock for refurbishment

A decommissioned submarine that saw service with the US Navy in World War II has been placed in drydock for the first time in 50 years.

The Gato-class submarine USS Silversides is at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding's facilities in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where she will undergo a refurbishment scheduled to last three months. The boat will return to the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan, in October.

The preservation work will be undertaken by Valkor Energy Services at a cost of approximately US$3.5 million. Activities will include hull cleaning, sandblasting, and applying paint and protective coatings where necessary along her exterior.