Manitowoc’s WWII submarine USS Cobia
is home, with a new look and hull numbers restored

   MANITOWOC, WI – Manitowoc’s WWII submarine USS Cobia is home with a new look and hull numbers restored
   USS Cobia returned from dry dock in Sturgeon Bay last month sporting something new — 245! It’s the first time she’s worn her hull numbers since the last dry docking in 1996. Back then, the project manager and museum staff decided not to repaint them. This year, we chose to bring them back.
   Every museum ship selects a specific period in its service life to guide restoration work. Since Cobia saw few modifications after World War II, our goal has always been to preserve her WWII appearance. When she was last dry docked in 1996, the team chose to represent mid-1945, just prior to the end of the war. During wartime, submarines removed their hull numbers so they couldn’t be identified at sea, so the decision was made to paint them over.
   Cobia’s missing numbers have been debated ever since. While historically accurate, many submarine veterans and historic ship enthusiasts weren’t fans of a boat without her numbers. To them, a hull number wasn’t just paint — it was their home address, their identity. As sub veteran Mark Becker put it: “In the eyes of an old sailor, her hull numbers identify her to the world. Every ship or submarine that I’ve had the honor of knowing wore her hull numbers proudly … and besides, they look really COOL!”
   They also served a practical purpose for her crew. Hull numbers often helped drunken sailors find their way home! One night in Subic Bay, Philippines, the Cobia crew was enjoying a much-earned liberty when Lt. John Marshall had a few too many after receiving bad news from his family. His shipmates carried him back to the dock and dropped him through a hatch. Unfortunately, they’d dropped him into the wrong submarine! They climbed down, hauled him out, and delivered him (this time correctly) to Cobia.
   When the U.S. Navy was founded in 1775, ships were known only by name. But as names were reused, confusion set in. (USS Ranger has been used 10 times, making it the most frequently used name in the US Navy!) In the 1890s, the Navy introduced “naval registry identification numbers” to keep things straight.
   Hull classification symbols combine letters for ship type and a number identifying the specific vessel. For example: BB = battleship, DD = destroyer, SS = submarine, CV = aircraft carrier.
   Ships keep their numbers for life, but their classification can change with modifications. In 1951, Cobia’s designation shifted from SS to AGSS when she became an auxiliary general submarine, a non-combat research and training vessel. New designations were added as technology evolved, such as SSN or CVN for nuclear-powered submarines and carriers, and so on.
   Restoring Cobia’s hull numbers brings her story full circle — honoring both her wartime service and the submariners who called her home. “245” isn’t just paint on steel; it’s a symbol of identity, pride and tradition. It connects today’s visitors with the generations who served beneath the waves and reminds us why this boat still matters.
   Now, with her numbers gleaming once again, Cobia stands proud — part museum, part memory and all heart. The veterans are smiling, the sailors can find their way home again, and the old girl finally has her “address” back.

[Herald Times Reporter]

Big Blue 70 in Manitowoc ready to go, but holding for weather

Update:  She is loaded on the barge and ready to go. They were supposed to leave Saturday morning but are now waiting on weather.
     Next departure time is said to be at first light Tuesday November 18
[Photos in Gallery Below]