BUFFALO, N.Y. — Two years ago, USS The Sullivans’ future looked like it was heading nowhere but down.
But on Monday, the state made sure it’ll stay afloat.
Governor Kathy Hochul was in Buffalo Monday and announced $10 million to support the repair and restoration of two iconic World War II naval ships along Buffalo’s waterfront, The Sullivans and USS Croaker. Her announcement put the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park at its $21 million goal to save the ships.
“Today was an incredible day for the naval park and an incredible day for the community,” said Paul Marzello, president and CEO of the naval park. “The governor's trip today is something that we've been waiting for for the last two years.”
USS The Sullivans has needed restoration since the ship had a weather-related breach of its hull back in April 2022, causing it to begin sinking in the Buffalo River.
Some temporary fixes brought it back to surface level, but keeping The Sullivans afloat long-term is going to take a lot more than some patchwork.
The plan is to go in with a tugboat in September 2025 and tug The Sullivans and USS Croaker to a drydock along Lake Erie. There, they’ll make repairs and then return the two ships to the naval park by the spring of 2026.
While there is a closer drydock in Hamilton, Ontario, federal funding given for this project requires the money to be spent at a dock inside the U.S.
“This is going to be a very complicated situation,” Marzello said. “We have to get her through another winter, which is not going to be an easy task.”
Both vessels have already lasted well beyond the 20 years they were projected to. Marzello said his staff is willing to undergo another challenging task to keep them up and running if it means ensuring their legacies stay afloat as well.
“This project is a tribute to every man and woman who ever wore a uniform,” Marzello said. “We want to make sure to honor them, and the best way to honor them is to preserve this ship”
The Sullivans is an 80-year-old national historic landmark, named for five sailor brothers from Iowa who died in combat. The USS Croaker was decommissioned in 1971 and brought to the Buffalo Naval & Military Park in 1988. The park welcomes approximately 250,000 visitors per year.
Governor Hochul’s commitment of $10 million is in addition to other local, state, and federal funding, including $7.5 million secured by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, $1 million from the City of Buffalo, $1 million from Erie County, $1 million from Senator Sean Ryan and $500,000 from Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.