Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum
Seehafernews.com is looking back at the big stories around Manitowoc County in 2025, and another is the drydocking of the USS Cobia.
Submarine Curator Karen Duvalle explained in June 2024 that the museum was working to bring the historic WWII submarine out of the water in September this year to inspect the underside, or hull, because at the time it was fully covered with zebra and quagga mussels.
She also explained that the Wisconsin Maritime Museum created a campaign to raise $1.5 million for the drydocking process.
In July that year, seven submarine groups donated $28,000 to help drydock Cobia.
But that was just the beginning.
After other private donations, help from the City of Manitowoc, and funding from the 2025-2027 Wisconsin State Budget, the $1.5 million was raised for hull inspection and cleaning in July of this year.
On September 7th, Cobia was pulled out of the Manitowoc River by two tugboats, towed into Lake Michigan, and delivered to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, where it was taken out of the water and inspected.
Executive Director Kevin Cullen spoke with Seehafernews.com on the way up to Sturgeon Bay.
He praised, “the community that poured out this morning and all of the flotilla,” while noting, “We had at least 20, 30 boats out here leading her out.”
He called it a “uniquely Manitowoc maritime moment.”
The good news was that the underside of the historic submarine was in good condition; however, Fincantieri staff would find a crack in one of the ballast tanks after moving the sub on the keel blocks.
After a full inspection and refurbishment, including new paint, Cobia returned to Manitowoc on October 15th.
Communications Director Alexandria Bolle said staff were very excited to see the historic sub return because it felt like they were missing a piece of the museum.
The last time Cobia was drydocked was back in 1996.
It was brought to Manitowoc in 1970 as a symbol to recognize those who served in submarines during military conflicts.
