BUFFALO, N.Y. — On Friday, Senator Chuck Schumer announced that funding has been secured to finish repairs on USS The Sullivans.
Schumer said he has secured $7.5 million in an appropriations bill to fund the repairs for the 78-year-old Fletcher-Class destroyer.
The announcement comes months after the hull of The Sullivans was breached and the ship started taking on water. The ship could be seen listing on the shore of Lake Erie.
“In April I put out an SOS to the feds – Save Our Sullivans- and promised it would be all hands on deck until we got the funding needed to restore this pride and joy of Buffalo. Now I am proud to announce that hope is on the horizon to fully restore the USS The Sullivans and ensure she remains at Canalside as a beacon on Buffalo’s beautiful waterfront,” Schumer said.
The announcement came as a surprise to Paul Marzello, President and CEO of the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park.
"I really did find out today and I found out directly from the Senator."
The funding was announced as part of the Senate appropriations bill that was released Thursday. The bill has not yet been voted on.
"In April, when we were in the worst of times, he saw the ship in some pretty dire straits, and promised at that time that he would be back to help," Marzello said. "I have to say he's a man of his words, he delivered and he delivered big time today."
For now, the funding is not in the hands of Naval Park officials.
“This funding is the lifeboat this historic vessel needs to complete its repairs, and I will keep fighting to guide us through these rocky waters and steer this ship through the repair and restoration process to keep her safe and seaworthy for generations to come," Schumer said.
Marzello isn't worried that the $7.5 million will get dropped when the appropriations bill gets through Congress.
"I trust the Senator," Marzello said. "We're going to see these funds."
Two and a half million is being used from the National Parks Service preservation fund. Five million is coming from HUD's community development fund. It's not clear whether this project qualified for HUD money due to its proximity to the Marine Drive public housing units.
Since February of 2021, the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park has been concerned about the state of the ship and was asking for donations to keep the ship afloat.
Now with funding for permanent repairs, Naval Park officials will be reviewing RFP's for the work. The deadline for that RFP was July 29.
One of the options could be to tow the World War II destroyer to a dry dock in Erie, PA for repairs.
"It's about an 18 hour tug time," Marzello said. "So we have to make sure that she's going to be sea-worthy for 18 hours, we're confident we can do that."
As for the status of the ship now, Miller Environmental completed its work on Friday.
Marzello and his team will be touring the USS The Sullivans on Monday. If the inspection completes without any issue, tours of the ship could begin within a couple of weeks.
"It's an amazing way to end the week," Marzello said. "Let me tell you."
USS The Sullivans (DD-537) was used in World War II, the Korean War and the Cold War. The ship is named after the five Sullivan brothers who were serving on the USS Juneau together when they were all killed in action on its sinking in 1942. The ship is a historic landmark.
“This investment will mean the restoration of the USS The Sullivans and secure its place in Buffalo’s Naval and Military Park for generations to come,” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said. “I was proud to stand with Senator Schumer almost immediately after the ship began to sink and once again he has delivered for an iconic Buffalo institution."