Future Of Historic U.S.S. Batfish Submarine Worries Community In Muskogee

The future of the U.S.S. Batfish submarine in Muskogee has people concerned it could be scrapped.

The Muskogee War Memorial Park says its lease expires this month, and the museum, including the 2-thousand-ton World War II submarine, has to find a new home. The Park says it doesn't know how or when the move is going to take place, but moving the Batfish is going to take a lot of coordination.

Curator James Erb says the museum often receives calls from concerned tourists about the fate of its main attraction, the U.S.S. Batfish. He says rumors of it being destroyed need to be laid to rest.

“The submarine is not going to be scrapped. We have a move in place that we are studying for and preparing for,” Erb said.

Erb says the plan is to move the museum about a mile down the road to Three Forks Harbor, but moving a 2-thousand-ton submarine is not going to be easy.

“We're going to need heavy lifting vehicles to move it, and we're going to destroy whatever roads and stuff we go across,” Erb said. “Any power lines are going to have to come down and be re-routed. Things like that. It's going to take a little bit of effort to move this thing.”

The other option is floating it down the Arkansas River with help from the Army Corps of Engineers. That is, if the ship is capable and water levels are raised by 3 feet. City Manager Mike Miller says the city has been working with FEMA to help.

“There's some hiccups in the FEMA process because they're not used to dealing with subs in Oklahoma,” Miller said.

Erb says it may look like just a hunk of steel to some, but preserving its history helps future generations learn from past mistakes.

“The Batfish is the only submarine in history that has sank 3 enemy submarines in a 76-hour period, and that's enough to keep it alive there,” Erb said.

The Muskogee Port Authority Board says no matter what happens, the Batfish will eventually be moved to Three Forks Harbor.

The City Council will meet to decide the Batfish's relocation next Wednesday morning.