World War II Warships Getting Major Support From New York State

The Buffalo waterfront is home to three United States Navy Warships, and two of those ships are in serious need of repair. So much so that it wasn't that long ago that they were taking on water, putting them on the verge of sinking.

Over the last couple of years, millions have been spent to prevent Western New York landmarks from ending up at the bottom of the Buffalo River, but more work is needed, and officials have been hard at work trying to raise funds.

Local businesses surrounding Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park have banded together to raise funds for the repair projects that will improve the condition of the USS Croaker SSK-246 and USS The Sullivans DD-537. However, although those fundraising efforts are extremely helpful, they aren't enough to get the ships the repairs they need.

Ed Nice Jackson / Townsquare Media

With that in mind, it seems that New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, a Western New York Native, has stepped in with a major infusion of cash that should help the two ships remain on the Buffalo Waterfront for years to come.

At a press conference at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, the Governor announced that $10 million would be available to repair the ships. That infusion of funding, along with millions more coming from several other sources, gives the Military Park enough funds to complete the repairs for the two ships.

In total, Hochul is giving $10 million: $7.5 is coming from the federal government courtesy of Senator Chuck Schumer, $1 million from the City of Buffalo, $1 million from Erie County, $1 million from New York State Senator Sean Ryan, and $500,000 from New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes.

USS The Sullivans is a tribute to our heroes — to a family that lost all five of its sons in the Pacific, and to the 400,000 Americans who died fighting in World War II... As an iconic and recognizable symbol on Buffalo’s waterfront, my administration is committed to helping rebuild and restore this national treasure and symbol of perseverance.
-Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State

These ships are a significant part of Downtown Buffalo, bringing more than 250,000 visitors annually. Buffalo's military park is America's largest inland naval park, and it's great to see that its viability on the water will continue.