The historic Gearing Class Destroyer, the USS Orleck will be making history yet again – this time in Jacksonville over the weekend! After a very successful preservation period at the Gulf Copper and Manufacturing Corporation, in Port Arthur, TX, the ship is scheduled to sail into downtown Jacksonville this Saturday.

Once in Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Historic Naval Ship Association (JHNSA) will continue to prepare the museum ship for visitors opening as the Jacksonville Naval Museum, with the Orleck being the center piece. The goal is to open the ship in June to help celebrate the city’s Bicentennial founding.

The Jacksonville Naval Museum will honor past generations of Veterans and inspire future Patriots through STEM plus history education opportunities. The museum will serve as a gathering place for naval associations, ship crew reunions, and military conventions while supporting Veterans as a local resource and networking center. Future initiatives can include overnight stays onboard the ship from youth groups, a Tall Ships Festival or Navy Fleet Week, and other themed events all to activate the riverfront. The museum will help spur an increase in local and tourist visitation to downtown Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Naval Museum will also feature the “US Navy Cold War Experience”, which is represented by the ex-USS Orleck. The Orleck embodies the Korean War, Vietnam War, and Cold War periods in US Navy history having served in all three. Having such a long and prolific service history the Orleck is the most decorated post- World War II ship ever built and was awarded 18 battle stars. After the Orleck’s US Naval service, she was transferred to the Turkish Navy and renamed the Yüctepe (D 345). She continued to serve until being transferred back to the United States in August of 2000 to become a museum ship.

The ship is expected to sail into downtown Jacksonville this weekend and will be docked at the Shipyards just east of Berkman Plaza on the North Bank!