NORFOLK, Va. — Visitors to Norfolk's Battleship Wisconsin on Saturday and Sunday can meet veterans of the ship and take guided tours of its steel halls.
It's all part of Nauticus' celebration honoring the 80th anniversary of the ship's commissioning this Tuesday.
The USS Wisconsin was commissioned in 1944 during World War II as one of the final battleships built by the U.S. Navy. It would go on to find wartime use through Operations Desert Storm and Shield in the early 1990s.
That's when Keith Nitka, the battleship's operations manager, served aboard.
“This is where we lived, this is where we worked. We went to sea, we saw the world, we fought a war. Three generations of sailors fought wars from the decks of this ship and were willing to give the ultimate sacrifice for this nation from aboard this ship," Nitka told News 3 on Saturday.
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Photos: Arboria luminarium at Nauticus
Nitka would go on to lead VIP guided tours of the ship throughout the day; part of special programming to mark the anniversary.
Funds raised during the Battleship Wisconsin's annual Winterfest event helped Nauticus restore additional spaces on the ship for visitors to explore, including a Helo Control room, television studio and Officer's Country.
"This is awesome. I’m just so excited about the weekend," said Nitka.
According to Nauticus, the weekend of events kicks off a year-long celebration of the Wisconsin's 80th year.
Through the month of April, active duty and veteran service members can visit the ship for free and receive $3 off admission for dependents.
