Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 2012 |
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| Location | 1680 Martin St Bay City, MI 48706 United States |
| Type | American history |
| Public transit access |  Bay Metro |
The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum is a special place that teaches people about the history of the United States Navy. This museum is inside a real, retired Navy ship called the USS Edson. It's a type of warship known as a destroyer. You can find the museum in Bay City, Michigan, in the United States.
A person named Mike Kegley, who is the president of the museum, worked for 15 years to bring this amazing ship to Bay City. The USS Edson is the main attraction, but the museum plans to add more exhibits in the future. Other important people who help run the museum include Richard Janke (vice president), Mary Kegley (secretary), and Mark Janke (treasurer).
Contents
History of the USS Edson
The Ship's Story
The USS Edson is a retired US Navy warship. It first started serving the country on November 7, 1958. This destroyer was active for 30 years before it was taken out of service on December 15, 1988.
The ship was built by a company called Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. It was named after Major General Merritt Austin Edson. The USS Edson had a crew of 17 officers and 276 other sailors. It was known for firing more five-inch shells than any other destroyer. Because it was so quick to fire, its motto became “Three Guns, No Waiting.”
The USS Edson is 418 feet (about 127 meters) long. It was powered by steam from four large boilers. Even though it was famous for its powerful guns, the ship only took part in two major conflicts. It served during both the Vietnam War and the Cold War.
The Ship's Big Trip
On April 24, 2012, the United States Navy agreed to let the USS Edson become part of the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum. It took many years for the museum to get approval for a retired destroyer. But Mike Kegley, the museum's president, kept trying and stayed in touch with Navy officials.
Once approved, the museum had 50 days to pick up the ship. It was their job to move it. They had to wait to find out how much it would cost to get two tugboats. These tugboats would help pull the USS Edson from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard to its new home.
The USS Edson was towed over 2,000 miles (about 3,219 kilometers) from Philadelphia to Bay City. There was one big problem before the ship could leave. The USS Edson had propeller guards. These guards protect tugboats from hitting the ship's propellers. When the ship was passing through locks near Canada, Canadian officials worried the guards might damage the locks. After a long talk, the Canadian authorities understood why the guards had to stay. They then let the destroyer continue its journey.
The ship's permanent home in Bay City is at the Independence Park Boat Launch. It's right next to the Independence Bridge in Bangor Township.
Where to Find the Museum
The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum is located in Bangor Township. It is open for everyone to visit and enjoy. The ship was given to the museum on April 24, 2012. It then started its journey to Bay City on July 18.
The USS Edson was expected to arrive at its spot on the Saginaw River on August 3, 2012. However, strong winds delayed its arrival until August 5. The USS Edson will stay docked permanently as a floating museum. It will be open for tours once all the required tests from the Environmental Protection Agency are finished.
The USS Edson is the main attraction for the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum. It sits proudly in the Saginaw River. The whole project cost about $1.4 million. This includes $750,000 for the museum to buy the USS Edson from the Navy. The rest of the money covered the tugboats and the fuel needed to move the destroyer to its new home.
How Volunteers Help
The Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum was able to get this Navy destroyer because of a lot of volunteer work. The board members and many other people helped out. For example, a permanent dock was built for the museum. They ordered about 140 gallons (about 530 liters) of gray paint for the dock.
While waiting for more paint to fully repaint and restore the USS Edson, the museum got good news. People in the Navy's delayed entry program, who are waiting to go to boot camp, offered to help. They are willing to volunteer their time to restore the destroyer.
