Atlantic Coast Industrial Marine Construction, a Wilmington company, cut and replaced steel on the bow as well as repainted affected areas of the hull, according to a release on the battleship's website.
The USS North Carolina arrived at Wilmington in 1961 after serving in World War II. I was ten at the time and very proud to have done my little part in saving the ship. Many pennies, nickels, dimes and some quarters were donated by school children across the state to pay for part of the expense of acquiring the ship.
It then suffered over fifty years of corrosion from the Cape Fear River and plans for repairs to the hull had been in the making since at least 2010. At first, it was planned to have the ship towed to Norfolk, Virginia, but then the idea of leaving it where it was and building the cofferdam was adopted. At least, the ship remained so people could tour it. Of course, then came the you-know-what in 2020.
The Battleship North Carolina is not tax-supported and relies primarily on admissions for operating expenses.
--GreGen
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