Muskogee's War Memorial Park to relocate, first step in moving USS Batfish to permanent site

MUSKOGEE’S WAR MEMORIAL PARK RELOCATES AFTER 52 YEARS, MARKS FIRST STEP TOWARD MOVING USS BATFISH TO PERMANENT SITE

Muskogee, OK (July 1, 2025) - After 52 years at its original location, Muskogee's War Memorial Park and Museum will relocate to a temporary location at Port Muskogee's Three Forks Harbor on July 1, 2025. 

This move marks the first phase of the long-anticipated relocation of the USS Batfish to its permanent home at the Oklahoma War Memorial and Museum. In the meantime, the museum exhibits will be temporarily housed inside the Robinson Gallery and Event Center—located directly adjacent to the Batfish’s future site at Three Forks Harbor.

Folds of Honor lends support in effort to save USS Batfish

Almost six years later, the USS Batfish submarine at Muskogee's War Memorial Park continues to languish in limbo, with desperately needed repairs and a monumental move needed due to Corps of Engineers efforts to stem future river flooding at the Port of Muskogee. 

Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell and local legislators have been helping lead an effort to secure much-needed funding for the Batfish. Recently, the CEO and founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation lent his support to the campaign. You can sent an email of your own to legislators by going to this link. OklahomaWarMemorial.com has more details and renderings of the proposed new location and museum for the USS Batfish and associated military history artifacts, including a 45-foot section of the mast from the USS Oklahoma (sunk at Pearl Harbor with a loss of life second only to the USS Arizona).

Efforts underway to save USS Batfish with proposed Oklahoma War Memorial & Museum

Count me in. The USS Batfish is a hero of WWII, and an Oklahoma treasure, and deserves saving. A big thanks to Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell for his years of support for securing the Batfish for generations to come.

EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO SAVE THE USS BATFISH WITH PROPOSED OKLAHOMA WAR MEMORIAL & MUSEUM

Muskogee, OK (March 10, 2025) - The USS Batfish, a legendary World War II submarine and beloved Oklahoma landmark is at risk of being lost forever if not relocated to a new site. After devastating floodwaters in 2019 displaced the vessel from its foundation, the submarine suffered damage and was forced to permanently close to the public. With critical flood mitigation efforts underway and necessary controlled access measures required at the entrance to the current site, relocating the Batfish to a permanent home at Port Muskogee’s Three Forks Harbor is essential to its preservation.

USS Batfish submarine in Muskogee moving downstream to Three Forks Harbor

One of Muskogee's overlooked treasures is the USS Batfish (SS-310) submarine, a vessel which operated with great success in the Pacific Theater of WWII, at one point sinking three Japanese submarines in a 76-hour period.

During the historic flooding of May 2019, the Batfish came loose and began to float for the first time since she was moved to Muskogee in 1973. Her ballast tanks were filled in order to ground her and stabilize her position during the flooding. As a result, the venerable warship was moved significantly out of position, and the entire grounds were severely damaged and undermined by the floodwaters.

Top: April 2019
Middle: May 2019
Bottom: June 2019

Victor Lezama, the director of the War Memorial Park which houses the Batfish, posted this update the other day, confirming rumors that plans are in the beginning stages to move the Batfish downstream a mile or so to the Three Forks Harbor: