Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
Patriots Point is located in South Carolina
Patriots Point
Location within South Carolina
Established3 January 1976 (1976-01-03)
LocationMount Pleasant, South Carolina
Coordinates32°47′25″N 79°54′30″W / 32.790377°N 79.90821°W / 32.790377; -79.90821
TypeNaval museum
Websitewww.patriotspoint.org

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is a naval museum located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, at the mouth of the Cooper River on the Charleston Harbor, across from Charleston.

History

The museum was born out of an idea by former naval officer Charles F. Hyatt to develop a major tourist attraction on what had once been a dump for dredged mud.[1] Initial plans for the museum called for a large building onshore to display exhibits related to the history of small combatants ships in the U.S. Navy.[2] On 3 January 1976, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown was opened to the public.[3]

The destroyer USS Laffey was added to the museum in 1978.[4] The museum was expanded again in 1981 with the addition of the submarine USS Clamagore in May and the NS Savannah in October.[5][6] The USCGC Comanche was acquired in 1984.[7]

The Patriots Point Development Authority attempted to capitalize on its financial success in 1987 when it announced an plans to build a hotel and marina.[8] However, the museum encountered controversy in 1989 when it was revealed that the Comanche, which never opened to the public, had been used to conduct cruises for private tours and VIP parties.[9] The same year, USCGC Ingham arrived at the museum, replacing the Comanche.[10][11] The latter was removed from the museum and sunk as a reef in 1992, but not before suffering damage during Hurricane Hugo.[12][13] By that time, the development project had failed and the development authority was forced to declare bankruptcy.[14]

A replica of a Vietnam War-era naval base was opened in 1993.[15]

The Savannah was removed from the museum and towed to the James River Merchant Marine Reserve Fleet in 1994.[16]

On 2 September 2003, Yorktown served as the backdrop for the formal announcement of Senator John Kerry's candidacy as he sought, and ultimately won, the Democratic nomination for President of the United States for the 2004 election.[17]

The Laffey was towed to a shipyard for repairs on 19 August 2009.[18] The following day, the Ingham was removed by the Coast Guard.[19] The destroyer returned to the museum in 2012.[20]

The Clamagore was towed away for scrapping in 2022.[21]

Exhibits

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Ships

USS Laffey

Aircraft collection

Vietnam Experience

Other exhibits

See also

References

  1. ^ Hitchcock, Wallace C. (23 August 1981). "Patriot's Point". The State. p. 1-C. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Charleston, S.C. to Get New Naval Museum". Evening Journal. 25 March 1975. p. 25. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Small Crowd at Yorktown Dedication". The State. UPI. 4 January 1976. p. 1-C. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  4. ^ "New Ship for Patriots Point". The Times and Democrat. 30 November 1978. p. 3B. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Sub Returns to Charleston for Final Place of Rest". Greenville News. AP. 15 May 1981. p. 2F. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  6. ^ Stracener, William (23 October 1981). "Savannah Arrives at Berth". The State. p. 11-D. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. ^ Matthews, William (12 April 1984). "Museum Claims Vessel". Daily Press. p. 20. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. ^ Baker, Crystal A. (21 September 1987). "Patriots Point Makes History Good Business". The State. p. 6. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Patriots Point Will Cut Loose Ship Used Only by State VIPs". The State. Associated Press. 10 September 1989. p. 6-B. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Historic Cutter to Arrive at Patriots Point Museum". The Herald. AP. 21 August 1989. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Patriots Point Will Cut Loose Ship Used Only by State VIPs". The State. Associated Press. 10 September 1989. p. 6-B. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Shipyard Says Plan to Sink Ship Wasteful". The State. Associated Press. 7 December 1991. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  13. ^ "Coast Guard Cutter Comanche Sunk for Offshore Fishing Reef". The Times and Democrat. 19 July 1992. p. 7B. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. ^ "Lawyers Agree on Patriots Point Payment". The Times and Democrat. Associated Press. 17 April 1991. p. 3B. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ^ Saine, Deborah (2 March 1993). "'Somewhere, South Vietnam'". The Herald. p. 1C. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  16. ^ "N.S. Savannah Headed for 'Ghost Fleet'". The State. Associated Press. 16 July 1994. p. B7. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  17. ^ Silva, Mark (3 September 2003). "Kerry Notes He Fought in War". Orlando Sentinel. p. A7. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  18. ^ Kropf, Schuyler (20 August 2009). "Laffey Towed to Shipyard for Repairs". The State. p. B8. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  19. ^ Bird, Allyson (24 October 2009). "Big Debt Looms for Patriots Point". The State. pp. B1, B5. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  20. ^ Smith, Bruce (25 January 2012). "WWII Destroyer Returns to SC Home After Repairs". Yahoo News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  21. ^ Ramsey, John (14 October 2022). "Navy submarine Clamagore towed from Patriots Point to be scrapped". The Post and Courier. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  22. ^ "USS Yorktown (CV-10)". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  23. ^ "USS Laffey (DD-724)". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  24. ^ "N-2 Stearman-Kaydet" (PDF). Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  25. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Stearman-Boeing N2S-3 Kaydet, s/n 07526 USN, c/n 75-7130". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  26. ^ "A-4C Skyhawk". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  27. ^ "AD-4N Skyraider". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  28. ^ "EA-3B Skywarrior". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  29. ^ "SBD Dauntless". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  30. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Northrop-Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless, s/n 36173 USN". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  31. ^ "TBM Avenger". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  32. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman-General Motors TBM-3E Avenger, s/n 69344 USN, c/n 2083, c/r N66475". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  33. ^ "FG-1D Corsair". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  34. ^ "A-6E Intruder". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  35. ^ "E-1B Tracer". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  36. ^ "F-14 Tomcat". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  37. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman F-14A Tomcat, s/n 159025 USN, c/n 086". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  38. ^ "F4F Wildcat". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  39. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman F4F-3A Wildcat, s/n 3956, c/n 0838". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  40. ^ "F6F Hellcat". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  41. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Grumman F6F-5K Hellcat, s/n 79593 USN, c/n A-10738". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  42. ^ "S-2E Tracker". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  43. ^ "TF-9J Cougar". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  44. ^ "QH-50 DASH". Patriot's Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  45. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed S-3B Viking, s/n 159731 USN, c/n 394A-1060". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  46. ^ "A-7E Corsair II". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  47. ^ "F-4J Phantom II". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  48. ^ "F/A-18A Hornet". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  49. ^ "B-25D-NC SN 41-29784 "Furtle Turtle"". B-25 History Project. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  50. ^ "SH-3G Sea King". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  51. ^ "F-8 Crusader". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  52. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Vought F-8K Crusader, s/n 146939 USN, c/n 648". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  53. ^ "AH-1J Cobra". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  54. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Bell AH-1J Sea Cobra, s/n 159210 USMC, c/n 26050". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  55. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Bell UH-1D Iroquois, s/n 65-10132 US, c/n 5176". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  56. ^ "UH-1 Huey". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  57. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Bell UH-1M Iroquois, s/n 66-15005 US, c/n 1733". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  58. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Boeing-Vertol CH-46E Sea Knight, s/n 154009 USMC, c/n 2360". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  59. ^ "UH-34D Seahorse". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  60. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse, s/n 147171 USN, c/n 58-1087". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  61. ^ a b "Vietnam Experience Exhibit". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  62. ^ "Medal of Honor Museum". Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Retrieved 24 April 2023.

External links

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