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Workers began removing the huge glass wall of the National World War II Museum's Restoration Pavilion, the first step to take PT 305 back to the water.
Project Manager Bruce Harris said there were no words to explain his excitement.
Volunteers have been working on the boat, saying they wanted to give back to veterans.
"Just to repay the veterans who of World War II," explained volunteer Tim Divincenti.
PT 305 was built in New Orleans at Higgins Industries and launched in Lake Pontchartrain in 1943. The boat was deployed to the Mediterranean and sailors painted two small Swastikas after they sank two enemy craft.
"She conducted 77 offensive patrols on occupied coastline," said National World War II Museum Historian Josh Schick. "She participated in two major invasions. She inserted and picked up OSS Operatives, she escorted convoys, she attacked German shipping."
Much of the original vessel remains.
"These panels are original, the bulkheads are original, we'll be able to restore all this," said Project Manager George Benedetto in 2009 as he looked through the nearly ruined boat.
After World War II, PT 305 became a tour boat, an oyster boat, and was rotting away when museum volunteers began a $3 million restoration in 2009.
Over the last seven years, a series of Action Reports aired on the boat, and Eyewitness News viewers from across the area have made donations that have made this restoration possible. Now that the boat is about to launch, that's expensive, and she's expensive to run.
"The cranes, and everything else," explained Harris. "Even gas."
Friday PT 305 will be moved out of the pavilion during a big party, and Saturday moved to the river, to be towed by barge to the lake. In April, they plan to carry passengers on high speed rides.
"It gets me giddy even thinking about it," Josh Schick said with a delighted laugh.
UPDATED: Today this happened.
PT-305 Move Video 1
PT-305 Move Video 2
PT-305 Move Video 3
PT-305 Move Video 4
PT-305 Lift Onto Barge on the Mississippi River
Workers began removing the huge glass wall of the National World War II Museum's Restoration Pavilion, the first step to take PT 305 back to the water.
Project Manager Bruce Harris said there were no words to explain his excitement.
Volunteers have been working on the boat, saying they wanted to give back to veterans.
"Just to repay the veterans who of World War II," explained volunteer Tim Divincenti.
PT 305 was built in New Orleans at Higgins Industries and launched in Lake Pontchartrain in 1943. The boat was deployed to the Mediterranean and sailors painted two small Swastikas after they sank two enemy craft.
"She conducted 77 offensive patrols on occupied coastline," said National World War II Museum Historian Josh Schick. "She participated in two major invasions. She inserted and picked up OSS Operatives, she escorted convoys, she attacked German shipping."
Much of the original vessel remains.
"These panels are original, the bulkheads are original, we'll be able to restore all this," said Project Manager George Benedetto in 2009 as he looked through the nearly ruined boat.
After World War II, PT 305 became a tour boat, an oyster boat, and was rotting away when museum volunteers began a $3 million restoration in 2009.
Over the last seven years, a series of Action Reports aired on the boat, and Eyewitness News viewers from across the area have made donations that have made this restoration possible. Now that the boat is about to launch, that's expensive, and she's expensive to run.
"The cranes, and everything else," explained Harris. "Even gas."
Friday PT 305 will be moved out of the pavilion during a big party, and Saturday moved to the river, to be towed by barge to the lake. In April, they plan to carry passengers on high speed rides.
"It gets me giddy even thinking about it," Josh Schick said with a delighted laugh.
![15095612_10154362042087535_484520399123717529_n_zpsjnfwhiwu.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1057.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft395%2Fparallelparallel%2F15095612_10154362042087535_484520399123717529_n_zpsjnfwhiwu.jpg&hash=33c0dc833f2e441ac5f7c2cec2de3434)
UPDATED: Today this happened.
![pt-305%20on%20the%20move_zpszaqcnvkg.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1057.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft395%2Fparallelparallel%2Fpt-305%2520on%2520the%2520move_zpszaqcnvkg.jpg&hash=7048708fdf2a90607af84e341bfc5b43)
![pt-305%20on%20the%20move%203_zps1da022ev.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1057.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft395%2Fparallelparallel%2Fpt-305%2520on%2520the%2520move%25203_zps1da022ev.jpg&hash=b8dd5a1d38fa6ecc069dc05993cb60b4)
![pt-305%20on%20the%20move%202_zpsrym58ew6.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1057.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft395%2Fparallelparallel%2Fpt-305%2520on%2520the%2520move%25202_zpsrym58ew6.jpg&hash=331712f3c2dea1186976fb98be5421cd)
PT-305 Move Video 1
PT-305 Move Video 2
PT-305 Move Video 3
PT-305 Move Video 4
PT-305 Lift Onto Barge on the Mississippi River