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Originally Posted by Biggs[CV]
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I just visited her last year - my third time.
Interior wise she is in good shape. though she does not have the "static display" items that some of the other boats open for view have - e.g. Nautlius in Groton which has mannequins dressed in uniforms/work attire throughout the boat such as the wardroom, galley, control room etc. - she does have all her machinery still on board. You can not go into the conning tower, however there is a video location in the control room which will give you an over view of the tower. There are video locations in the wardroom and forward torpedo room also. In fact all her bunks are still aboard and in place including the ones hanging from the overhead in the forward torpedo room.
Her exterior - though well maintained above the water line - is deteriorating below the water line as one can see a large amount of rust.
It's a shame the group that supports her as a museum is not actively seeking assistance to get her to dry dock which has not been done for over 55 years!!! Maybe she should have stayed in Chicago where she was with the U-505 - which has been moved indoors on land! - rather than move to Muskegon Michigan where she has been for some time.
There is a museum there which has the dive control station of the nuke USS Silversides as a display along with many other displays of the Silversides. It also has a display outside of the recovery chamber used to go down to sunk subs to rescue crew survivors.
All in all a great visit. We had free run of the boat - went in September no crowds - so had lots of time to view her. Have posted some pictures in the past. Will try and get them together and post some here soon.
I hope she does not go by the way side.
She is too important a part of the past.
From my understanding the Silversides is the last surviving WWII boat holding the record she does. The Flasher - having only her tower/bridge supestructure to represent her in Groton - is the only one with a better record.
Happy Hunting
