Tom Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum was the next venue we visited after the Old Exchange Provost Dungeon as the Old Slave Mart Museum. There are several cool things about Patriots Point Museum. Firstly, there’s USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier from WW2 located here on site. You’ll also be able to visit USS Laffey a destroyer from the same era. In addition, Patriots Point Museum houses the Cold War Memorial, the Medal of Honor Museum and is also home to the only Vietnam Experience Exhibit in the US.
About Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum and USS Yorktown CV-10
Established in the 1970s, the Patriots Point Development Authority was tasked to develop a naval and maritime museum with USS Yorktown, a WW2 aircraft carrier as its centerpiece at Charleston Harbour. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist attraction in South Carolina, with over 300,000 visitors each year. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to USS Yorktown, stepping on a WW2 aircraft carrier was so surreal…
Onboard USS Yorktown, there are 4 tours available including the Crew’s Living Spaces (Tour 1), Flight Deck and Bridge (Tour 2), Warrant Officer’s Mess/Print Shop, Ship’s Jail (Tour 3) and Ship’s Post Office/Battleship Room, Cruiser Room (Tour 4)…
Entering into the hangar of USS Yorktown, you’ll arrive at the Information Centre, Medal of Museum Museum as well as the historic aircrafts…
Here, we also found out the history of USS Yorktown…
After learning that USS Yorktown (CV-5) was sank during WW2 in 1942, we thought that there could be some salvage work done to restore that USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Museum today. Turns out, this was another aircraft carrier that was being built when USS Yorktown (CV-5) sank. When CV-5 sank, USS Yorktown (CV-10), originally named Bon Homme Richard was renamed to commemorate the loss.
On the way up to the flight deck, you’ll pass by the Pilot’s Prep Area where pilots would have been on standby for their next mission. On the way down, you’ll also find the escalator that brought pilots back to the prep area from the flight deck – built in the 1950s. At the flight deck, you’ll also be able to find more historic aircrafts…
USS Laffey Destroyer at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
Upon entry to USS Laffey, you’ll find the primary gun of the destroyer. Following the path demarcated, you’ll come across the Ship’s Store…
Here, ship crew were able to buy personal hygiene items, snacks, cigarettes and other products that are not provided by the service. Like USS Yorktown, USS Laffey (DD-724) is famed for its exploits during D-Day and Battle of Okinawa. USS Laffey (DD-459) on the other hand was sunk during the Battle at Guadalcanal.
Moving further, there’s a History Channel video that showed Kamikaze pilots that had little training but were put to the war front due to attrition of the more experienced pilots.
Continuing on the tour, you’ll past by the Officer’s Wardroom – a venue where officers gathered for meal but also during battle stations, the area where planning and strategising took place. There’s also the galley and gun deck where you’ll be able to take photos with the guns of the destroyer.
Vietnam Experience Exhibit at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum
Inside, you’ll be able to learn about the history of Vietnam war – how US became involved in the fight for democracy to prevent the spread of communism as well as the political situation back home during that era.
One of the things we learnt during this video was that when the political situation turned sour, veterans that returned after the war were told to change out of their uniforms when they arrived at the airport in US. During an interview, one of the veterans said that they were just following instructions to fight for democracy in Vietnam but returning home, they were labelled as “baby killers” – this, they were unable to accept.
The Vietnam Experience outdoors tries to replicate the camp that the US forces set up in Vietnam. There’s a hover craft nearby, watch towers, armoury and crew areas that have been replicated. Even the sound of crickets were simulated to mimic the environment then.
If you enjoyed our content, “Like” us on Facebook Today!
We must say that Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is a very informative and educational museum. Particularly for military history enthusiasts, it is a “wonderland” to see the WW2 era USS Yorktown aircraft carrier, USS Laffey destroyer and the military aircrafts. You’ll also be able to learn the history of the assets involved in WW2 as well as the history of Vietnam War. Definitely a great visit for tourists and military history buffs alike!
