War Memorial Park
Visit War Memorial Park~Home of the USS Batfish and the Largest Piece of the USS Oklahoma
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/134636596_10157636345002109_210176345962771856_n-1024x1024.jpg)
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/130307615_701219540754049_1077316935626493895_n.jpg)
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/134912790_10157636344992109_4960361212807776255_n-1024x1024.jpg)
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/batfishqslfrontsmall.jpg)
Eyeball QSO Card
When visiting the park, be sure to sign the log book with your call sign and ask about getting a copy of our eyeball QSO Card.
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/batfishqslbackv2small.jpg)
Tolling Of The Boats
Saturday June 3 at War Memorial Park.
2019 Flood
A week of relentless rain caused water on the Arkansas River near Muskogee, Oklahoma, to rise more than 42 feet, inundating the submarine. The river was higher than any level since May 1943, when it topped 48 feet. The river hasn’t hit 40 feet since then; the closest it came was 1986, when levels hit 39.6 feet.
The Batfish floated in 1986, too, and came close to snapping its lone tether and floating off.
But if it wasn’t for that history and the work of dozens of people over the last 48 hours, the Batfish might have broken free, floated downstream and collided with a bridge, or somehow worse, a dam.
The entire site of the museum and memorial was at risk of flooding. The mast of the USS Oklahoma, which sat at the bottom of Pearl Harbor after Dec. 7th, 1941 for 70 years, was already underwater once again.
Volunteers did the best they can to save history. The group rescued and cataloged 17,000 artifacts, some priceless, others personal, before the worst of the flooding hit. They couldn’t save them all, but they saved the ones with real history, real meaning.
![FM0 FC101111000:zzzzzz0 d c8 00 0 05f04224503ea1040 c30139243 55 0220 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7b19eb190 064 01d3b1b9b1bb 064 01bfb1a5b1ae 0 0 01dbb169b173 06f 01dfb1adb1b4 064 01e3b1b6b1c6 064 01e7b1cbb1ea 064 01ebb1d2b1f4 064 01efb1e8b208 064 01f3b1f9b216 064 01f7b1f8b213 064 01efb1f6b217 064 01efb1eeb20f 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Original-Resting-Place-scaled.jpg)
![FM0 FC111010100:zzzzzz010 92 00 0 05f04224503ea1040 c30139243 55 0210 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7e1a7e15b 064 01d3e19ee15e 064 01bfe1a9e174 0 1 01abe187e151 06e 01c7e15de122 064 01cbe19ae13c 064 01cfe19ae143 064 01d3e19de14c 064 01d7e1a2e155 064 01dbe1a7e155 064 01dfe1ace155 064 01e3e1b1e15c 064 01e7e1b3e15b 064 01ebe1b1e155 064 01e3e1a9e14a 064 01e3e1afe153 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Last-pic-of-USS-Oklahoma-Mast-at-Evacuation-scaled.jpg)
![Flood-Waters-Rising-on-USS-Oklahoma-Mast](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Flood-Waters-Rising-on-USS-Oklahoma-Mast-2.jpg)
![FM0 FC110010001:zzzzzz0 b aa 00 0 05f04224503ea1040 c30139243 55 0213 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7e102d1cd 064 01d3e10ad1b9 064 01bfe0fad19d 0 6 01dbe0d5d164 06e 01dfe0efd17d 064 01e3e0ecd175 064 01e7e0e7d168 064 01ebe0e2d16c 064 01efe0ded16a 064 01dfe0ded169 064 01dfe0d6d164 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/First-Light-Inspection-of-Water-Rising-scaled.jpg)
![Port-Aft](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Port-Aft-1.jpg)
![FM0 FC011111100:zzzzzz0 d b1 00 0 05f04224503ea1040 c30139243 55 021b 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7a164915e 064 01d3a198918a 064 01bfa15c9150 0 0 01dba12c912a 06e 01dfa1789174 064 01e3a1819185 064 01e7a1949194 064 01eba19e919b 064 01efa1ba91ae 064 01f3a1c491bb 064 01f7a1c391b6 064 01efa1b791a2 064 01efa1e191c3 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Port-Aft.jpg)
![FM0 FC111001101:zzzzzz0 e 9b 00 0 05f04224503ea1040 c30139243 55 020d 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7c1cfb198 064 01d3c198b147 064 01bfc154b132 0 c 01dbc113b116 06e 01dfc139b13f 064 01e3c14db13d 064 01e7c13cb145 064 01ebc134b154 064 01efc14eb14a 064 01f3c15cb141 064 01f7c178b13e 064 01fbc161b143 064 01f3c155b144 064 01f3c158b14c 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Port-Midship-scaled.jpg)
![FM0 FC010011011:zzzzzz0 e a33c0 0 06c24dc2b22701040 c30139243 55 0219 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7c101c11c 064 01d3c11bc14f 064 01bfc104c135 0 1 01dbc0edc0ee 06e 01dfc126c120 064 01e3c127c141 064 01e7c124c157 064 01ebc12cc16f 064 01efc12fc171 064 01f3c12cc16c 064 01f7c12ec16e 064 01fbc12bc16f 064 01ebc120c165 064 01ebc135c17b 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Water-Rising-Sarboard-Stern-scaled.jpg)
![FM0 FC100010111:zzzzzz0 d c0 00 0 05f04224503ea1040 c30139243 55 0212 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7d18ad1c0 064 01d3d184d1bd 064 01bfd16dd197 0 0 01dbd163d175 06e 01dfd1b4d1de 064 01e3d183d1d4 064 01e7d17cd1dc 064 01ebd1ced24e 064 01efd1f1d285 064 01f3d1fbd29c 064 01f7d1fad29f 064 01efd1eed288 064 01efd1f0d27d 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Water-Rising-as-seen-through-Museum-Back-Door-scaled.jpg)
![FM0 FC011111101:zzzzzz0 b c0360 0 06b64d42c42821040 c30139243 55 020f 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7d101c1ff 064 01d3d083c131 064 01bfd07bc11c 0 2 01dbd070c0f0 06e 01dfd07cc0e9 064 01e3d07dc0f3 064 01e7d07ec105 064 01ebd086c119 064 01efd085c117 064 01e7d084c113 064 01e7d085c116 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/First-Light-Inspection-on-Morning-of-Evacuation-scaled.jpg)
![FM0 FC000000000:zzzzzz011 88 00 0 05f04224503ea1040 c30139243 55 0249 01e7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 01e7f10ef10f 064 01d3f101f107 064 01bff0d2f0da 0 0 01dbf0a9f0b2 06e 01dff0e0f0ea 064 01e3f0e7f0f2 064 01e7f0edf0f8 064 01ebf0fcf106 064 01eff0fcf108 064 01f3f102f10f 064 01f7f107f113 064 01fbf10af114 064 01fff109f112 064 0203f10bf112 064 0207f108f10d 064 01fff104f107 064 01fff10bf111 064 0](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Coax-Flood-Damage-at-Bow-scaled.jpg)
USS Batfish (SS 310) War Patrol #8 Location of War Patrol: Muskogee, Oklahoma Date of War Patrol: 1969 – 1973
This “War Patrol” deals with the story of how Batfish made it to Muskogee, Oklahoma. Read about the Batfish’s final journey….War Patrol #8.
In 1956 the United States Submarine Veterans of World War II incorporated itself as a national fraternal organization with chapters is each state. As the Navy began to retire the obsolete fleet submarines in which these men served, SubVet chapters in coastal states began acquiring them as war memorials for their communities. The Navy was willing to give these men their old boats, so long as they could be afforded respectful upkeep to promote interest in the history, traditions, and contributions of the U.S. Navy.
By 1969, the Oklahoma SubVets were impressed with the U.S.S. Drum in Mobile, Alabama, which drew over 300,000 paying visitors its first year. A delegation from the Oklahoma City and Tulsa chapters asked the Navy if they could adopt a retired submarine. On hand at the New Orleans Naval Yard was the U.S.S. Piranha, which the Navy agreed to turn over to them if they could fulfill the donation requirements. Wanting the Piranha for his hometown, Republican State Senator James Inhofe agreed to sponsor a bill accepting the submarine for Oklahoma.
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trench_2-990x1024.jpg)
The donation contract was drawn up on June 24, 1971. The Secretary of the Navy approved the transaction and congressional approval was obtained on November 8, 1971. On December 9, 1971, the Batfish belonged to Oklahoma – at least on paper. The towing of the Batfish was divided into two phases: a direct offshore tow from the Orange Naval Inactive Maintenance Facility to the Avondale Shipyard at New Orleans. Then, after Avondale raised and cradled Batfish between two pairs of baredecked barges on steel lifting straps, the 1,350-mile upriver tow would proceeded.
Batfish was towed to the Bethlehem Steel drydock in Beaumont, Texas, after the Orange drydock went on strike. At Bethlehem Steel, after a general inspection of her hull and compartments, all air salvage valves were made operable, fuel, oil, and most of her ballast were removed, and all her tanks were flushed clean. Then the hull openings were sealed. Batfish was ready on March 1, 1972 to be towed to the Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans.
At Avondale, it became obvious that the specified four barges would not provide enough buoyancy to reduce Batfish’s draft. The revised flotilla design, incorporating six 120-by-32- foot bare-deck barges, would be ballasted to the outside, bound together by steel stabilizing and breasting cables. On March 13, the barges were partially secured to Batfish by lifting straps, but no cables had yet been placed to bind them together. That afternoon, the English tanker Silvermain sped by at 11 knots in a 5-knot zone and her wake hit the flotilla broadside at Avondale’s Wet Dock #2. Two barges were seriously damaged and a third went to the bottom. The deck of the only barge not torn away from Batfish by the breakup was buckled by the strain, though Batfish herself escaped serious damage.
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trench_3-957x1024.jpg)
Moving the BATFISH into place
On April 4, a hole in the riverbank was started to allow the Batfish access to its donated land. On April 21, dredging between the slip and the river was begun. Batfish was aligned with the slip, secured broadside to the strong current by cables. Then four bulldozers began to tug at her with 300-foot cables as a Port of Muskogee tug pushed from behind. By 4 pm on April 4th, Batfish was in her slip. Over the next week, the hole in the riverbank was replaced and the slip was flooded to float the Batfish to her final elevation. My May 1st, Batfish had been realigned to overlook the Arkansas River, thirty-six feet below her deck.
Approximately 50 people turned out in the crisp, windy weather for the Memorial Day re-opening. By the end of August, Batfish was steadily attracting a thousand visitors a week. Over the seven-week period, income from paid attendance had doubled. Except for the conning tower, she has been restored very well. More or less intact, she draws the awe and respect of her thousand or so visitors a week from late March to November.
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/50031886_10155923294662109_3263691218109857792_n.jpg)
The initial reports claimed it was impossible to get a submarine as far upriver as Tulsa because the Arkansas River Channel above Muskogee was not deep enough. It was later determined that a direct tow upriver to Muskogee was not possible, therefore another method of transport other than direct towing would have to be devised. In the meantime, on October 2, 1970, the Muskogee City-County Trust Port Authority agreed to donate five acres of prime waterfront real estate – worth about $90,000 an acre – for the submarine berth and memorial park.
The submarine procurement committee met with the Navy for preliminary arrangements for the transfer of the Piranha. However, the Navy would not hold the Piranha unless the committee made a formal application for her and possession would be immediate once the donation contract was approved. Since the Arkansas River Navigable Waterway system would not be open for at least a year, interim docking charges would be prohibitive. The committee decided to wait and take their chances.
In September, 1970, the committee inspected Batfish, an alternative to the Piranha. Although both submarines had suffered considerable neglect, Piranha had been almost completely cannibalized whereas Batfish was much cleaner and better outfitted. Nearly a year had passed before the committee made a formal application for the Batfish, now mothballed beside Piranha at the Naval Inactive Ship Facility at Orange, Texas. Batfish had a far better war record. Piranha was commissioned in February 1943 and had made five war patrols, claiming seven sinkings for 19,300 tons. JANAC, however, credited her with only one sinking – on her first patrol. The committee was very pleased with Batfish and the Navy made no objection to the last-minute swap.
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trench_1.jpg)
After the flotilla was re-assembled, Batfish was slowly moved up-river by two tugs at four knots. On May 3 she passed with ease through Lock-and-Dam Number 6, but her superstructure would not clear a bridge on the way into Little Rock. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lowered the river level by three feet allowing Batfish to “squeak” under the bridge. The tugs refueled at Little Rock and one tug returned downriver. Under single tow, Batfish proceeded cautiously and even more slowly toward Fort Smith. Batfish crept alongside her temporary berth at the Will Brothers Port of Muskogee Terminal on Sunday, May 7, 1972. The next order of business was the trenching of a 120-foot wide, 1/4-mile long trench from the main channel to the foot of Batfish’s park site. On July 4, 1972, the Batfish, still in her temporary mooring, was unofficially opened to the public.
David D. Terry Lock and Dam – Muskogee, Oklahoma
May 3, 1972
Nearly a year passed as the financial situation between the Batfish and subcontractors and banks making the initial loans were settled. On Monday, March 12, 1973, heavy spring rains flooded the Arkansas River. Batfish gave the appearance of tugging so violently at her mooring cables that the Army Corps of Engineers feared she would rip loose and crush the Muskogee port docks or the new U.S. Route 62 bridge downriver, blocking the channel. Batfish listed precariously to port and shifting sand and mud increased her tilt even more to nearly forty degrees. Batfish held fast, but the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission wanted the Navy to take back the submarine, whereas the Navy expected Oklahoma to honor its contract. Batfish was clearly an Oklahoma problem.
![](https://ussbatfisharc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trench_4-979x1024.jpg)