MUSKOGEE, Okla. — An Oklahoma landmark is at risk of being lost forever if it’s not moved to a new site. There’s a call for lawmakers to get involved and new renderings of what could be at Three Forks Harbor. It comes as the War Park Memorial Authority is championing the new effort to move and restore the Batfish.
Submarines are a passion for James Erb who is the curator of the Muskogee War Memorial Park Museum.
His knowledge of the USS Batfish, one of only 14 American World War II submarines still around, is extensive.
WATCH drone footage over the USS Batfish:
During a tour of the vessel, he explained the daily jobs of the sailors and each part of the submarine. He also explained the sacrifices the sailors made. They were on-board 90 days at a time with no guarantee of coming home. He says on average 1 in 5 didn’t make it home.
“They were the guys that signed a blank check and meant it,” said James Erb. “They knew they might not come home, and they were willing to give their lives for their country.”
Erb says this history is important to remember and he wants people to once again be able to see it for themselves onboard the Batfish.
It’s been closed since Memorial Day Weekend in 2019 when historic devastating flooding damaged the submarine.
“We need to maintain this vessel as a monument to the bravery and courage of the first-generation World War II that actually did the work that kept us alive and kept us free,” said Erb.
He’s a part of the group working to move it from its current home to Three Forks Harbor just up the road.
The group is calling on people to reach out to lawmakers for support preserving this history.
"The USS Batfish is an important piece of Oklahoma's rich military heritage and history. Preserving this WWII treasure honors the brave servicemen and women who paid the price for our freedom while telling their stories to future generations. I fully support the efforts to restore and relocate this iconic Oklahoma landmark," said Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell
Wren Stratton is the chair of the City of Muskogee Foundation. The group is a part of the effort to save the Batfish.
They shared renderings with 2 News of what its new home will look like once its finished.
“We believe that moving it down there is going to make it so much more accessible to the public and we can build around it and really give it that wonderful spot that it deserves,” said Wren Stratton.
It’ll be a multimillion-dollar project to move the boat. Erb says there are 2 options they’re looking at right now.
“Using a container system to lift the submarine up and put it on a computer-controlled flatbed truck system to move it by land to the marina docks and then put it on a big barge and shove it across the water,” said Erb.
“Or flood the space again and put a barge on each side of it to lift it up and stabilize it while they move it to Three Forks Harbor.”
Either way, the team says they don’t want this Oklahoma landmark and piece of American history to be lost forever.
“Saving the Batfish is worthy and worth the money and worth our time and a source of pride,” said Stratton.
They are hoping to have it moved by Memorial Day Weekend in 2026. Before it closed, they say 50,000 people a year toured the Batfish. They expect to see even higher numbers when it opens back up.
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