Watch the historic USS Silversides return to Muskegon on October 31, 2026, following extensive preservation work and a 15-hour tow across Lake Michigan. Detroit River Live News explores this remarkable WWII submarine's homecoming.
USS Silversides Returns Home to Muskegon After Historic Restoration
Published November 4, 2026 | Detroit River Live News
A piece of American naval history is back home on the Great Lakes.
The USS Silversides (SS-236), one of the most decorated American submarines of World War II, returned to Muskegon, Michigan, on Saturday, October 31, 2026, following an extensive preservation project in Wisconsin.
The 312-foot submarine made the journey across Lake Michigan under tow, arriving on Halloween morning after an approximately 15-hour crossing from Sturgeon Bay.
For a vessel that once conducted combat patrols across the Pacific Ocean, the voyage was a very different kind of mission — one focused on preserving its history for future generations.
Two Tugboats Bring Silversides Home
The submarine departed Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay on Friday, October 30, escorted by two tugboats operated by Basic Towing of Escanaba, Michigan.
The tugboats, Nickelena and Erika Kobasic, guided the historic vessel across Lake Michigan and back into the Muskegon Channel.
Silversides can no longer operate under its own power, making the carefully coordinated towing operation essential.
The submarine had originally departed Muskegon on July 13, arriving in Wisconsin the following morning. It was the beginning of a preservation effort that would keep the vessel away from its longtime museum berth for more than three months.
A Major Preservation Project
At Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, crews worked to address decades of deterioration and protect the submarine's aging structure.
According to the USS Silversides Submarine Museum, the project included cleaning accumulated marine growth from the hull, inspecting ballast tanks and other underwater spaces, replacing deteriorated steel, repairing structural components, and applying protective coatings.
The museum described the preservation effort as an estimated $3.5 million project, supported in part by a $750,000 Save America's Treasures grant.
The work was especially important because Silversides had not undergone comprehensive dry-dock preservation since the 1950s.
These repairs are intended to protect the vessel and help ensure it remains accessible to future generations.
One of America's Most Decorated WWII Submarines
USS Silversides has a remarkable history that stretches far beyond the Great Lakes.
Commissioned on December 15, 1941, just eight days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Gato-class submarine served in the Pacific during World War II.
According to the U.S. Navy's Naval History and Heritage Command, Silversides completed 14 war patrols and was credited with sinking 23 enemy vessels.
The submarine earned 12 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation for its wartime service.
Its missions included attacks on enemy shipping, dangerous encounters with Japanese naval forces, and the rescue of downed American aviators.
After the war, Silversides served as a Naval Reserve training vessel in Chicago before eventually becoming a preserved museum ship.
Preserving History on Lake Michigan
In 1987, USS Silversides was brought to Muskegon, where it became the centerpiece of what is now the USS Silversides Submarine Museum.
The submarine is both a National Historic Landmark and a lasting reminder of the American sailors who served during World War II.
Visitors can explore the vessel's interior, including the torpedo rooms and the cramped spaces where submariners lived and worked during wartime.
Following its October 31 homecoming, museum officials anticipated reopening the submarine for public tours on Saturday, November 7, after completing final preparations. Visitors should confirm current access with the museum.
The museum's larger mission continues: preserving the submarine, documenting the experiences of its crews, and helping visitors understand the sacrifices made during World War II.
A Historic Homecoming
The return of USS Silversides represents more than the completion of a restoration project.
For Muskegon, it means the return of a familiar waterfront landmark. For military historians and veterans' families, it means another chapter in the preservation of an important American warship.
And for Great Lakes maritime enthusiasts, it was an extraordinary sight — an 85-year-old submarine making its way across Lake Michigan.
Silversides' combat missions ended decades ago, but its role in preserving American naval history continues.
Sources and Further Reading
USS Silversides Submarine Museum — Dry Dock Restoration Updates
https://silversidesmuseum.org/dry-dock-updates-uss-silversides/
USS Silversides Submarine Museum — Preservation Project Announcement
https://silversidesmuseum.org/event/dry-dock-notice-submarine-away-for-dry-dock/
WGVU News — USS Silversides Returns to Muskegon After Repairs, November 2, 2026
Mason County Press — Historic Dry Dock Restoration, October 30, 2026
U.S. Navy — USS Silversides (SS-236) Historical Record
https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/ships/submarines/silversides-ss-236.html
Photography and Video Attribution
Homecoming photograph: Starling1858 / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0, cropped for presentation.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Silversides_20261031_Muskegon.jpg
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Additional Photography — Aaron Headly
USS Silversides at Muskegon Berth — June 5, 2026
Photographer: Aaron Headly
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mugland/55331173450/
License: CC BY 4.0
Photograph cropped and reframed for vertical video.
USS Silversides Forward Torpedo Room — June 5, 2026
Photographer: Aaron Headly
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mugland/55331173845/
License: CC BY 4.0
Photograph cropped and reframed for vertical video.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The accompanying Detroit River Live News video uses authentic historical U.S. Navy photographs and licensed contemporary images, including the actual October 31 homecoming photograph. It does not contain footage of the 2026 tow or restoration work. Complete individual image credits are provided in the YouTube video description.
Detroit River Live News covers the Detroit River, Great Lakes maritime history, shipping, waterfront developments, and the communities connected by these waterways.