Preserve Laffey
Keep Her Afloat for Generations to Come
USS Laffey has survived kamikaze attacks, decades of sea service, and the passage of time. Now she needs us.
A Living Memorial at Risk
USS Laffey (DD-724) has stood at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina since 1981 — open to the public, free to board, a tangible connection to the men who served and the battles they fought. But preserving a 376-foot steel warship is a constant, costly battle against corrosion, weather, and time.
The USS Laffey Foundation was established to ensure that this ship — the most decorated destroyer in U.S. Navy history — remains a place where veterans can return, where families can honor their loved ones, and where future generations can stand on the same decks and understand what sacrifice looks like.
Why It Matters Now
Steel Doesn't Last Forever Without Care
Salt air, humidity, and the relentless South Carolina climate accelerate corrosion on every surface of the ship. Hull plating, deck fittings, gun mounts, and below-deck compartments all require ongoing inspection, treatment, and repair. Without sustained investment, the deterioration that threatens Laffey is irreversible. Once lost, she cannot be replaced.
Preservation Priorities
Where Your Support Goes
Hull & Structural Integrity
The hull is the ship's foundation. Regular inspection, rust treatment, and plating repairs ensure Laffey remains structurally sound and watertight at her berth.
Topside Restoration
Deck surfaces, gun mounts, torpedo tubes, and superstructure fittings are restored to their 1945 configuration — preserving the authentic appearance of a WWII destroyer.
Below-Deck Spaces
Crew quarters, the Combat Information Center, engine rooms, and mess decks are maintained and interpreted so visitors can experience life aboard a wartime destroyer.
Educational Exhibits
Interpretive displays, artifact preservation, and digital resources bring the crew's story to life for school groups, veterans, and the general public.
Hull Stewardship Program
20 Years of Protection — Starting Now
Following Laffey's planned drydock visit, the USS Laffey Foundation is launching the Laffey Hull Stewardship Program — a long-range initiative designed to extend the ship's hull life by 20 years before her next required drydocking.
Drydocking a vessel of Laffey's size is an extraordinary undertaking — logistically complex, operationally disruptive, and enormously expensive. The goal of the Hull Stewardship Program is to make the most of every drydock opportunity by applying the best available coatings, treatments, and monitoring systems so that the hull remains sound for two full decades of continued public service.
Hull service life extension between drydockings
This is not routine maintenance. It is a deliberate, engineered commitment to Laffey's long-term survival — and it requires sustained funding from supporters who understand what is at stake.
Drydock Preparation
Comprehensive hull survey, structural assessment, and engineering review to document every area of concern before the ship leaves the water.
Hull Treatment & Coating
Full removal of existing coatings, treatment of corroded plating, application of modern marine-grade anti-corrosion systems rated for extended service life.
Structural Repairs
Replacement or reinforcement of hull plating, frames, and fittings identified during survey — restoring structural integrity to original design standards.
Ongoing Monitoring
Post-drydock inspection schedule, cathodic protection systems, and annual condition assessments to track hull health and catch problems before they become critical.
Patriots Point
Visit Her in Mount Pleasant, SC
USS Laffey is permanently berthed at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, just across the harbor from historic Charleston, South Carolina. She is open to the public year-round. Come aboard, walk her decks, and see firsthand why she is worth preserving.
40 Patriots Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Plan Your Visit
Help Us Preserve Her Story
Every contribution supports the Foundation's mission to preserve USS Laffey, honor her crew, and carry her story forward.