Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum Review: Visit the USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier!

Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum was the next venue we visited after the Old Exchange Provost Dungeon as the Old Slave Mart Museum. There are several cool things about Patriots Point Museum. Firstly, there’s USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier from WW2 located here on site. You’ll also be able to visit USS Laffey a destroyer from the same era. In addition, Patriots Point Museum houses the Cold War Memorial, the Medal of Honor Museum and is also home to the only Vietnam Experience Exhibit in the US.

Entrance of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum Tickets

What to Expect at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

About Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum and USS Yorktown CV-10

Established in the 1970s, the Patriots Point Development Authority was tasked to develop a naval and maritime museum with USS Yorktown, a WW2 aircraft carrier as its centerpiece at Charleston Harbour. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist attraction in South Carolina, with over 300,000 visitors each year. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to USS Yorktown, stepping on a WW2 aircraft carrier was so surreal…

USS Yorktown CV-10 at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Boarding USS Yorktown CV-10 at Patriots Point Museum

Onboard USS Yorktown, there are 4 tours available including the Crew’s Living Spaces (Tour 1), Flight Deck and Bridge (Tour 2), Warrant Officer’s Mess/Print Shop, Ship’s Jail (Tour 3) and Ship’s Post Office/Battleship Room, Cruiser Room (Tour 4)…

USS Yorktown Patriots Point Museum Tour 1 - Crew Living Spaces — USS Yorktown Patriots Point Museum Tour 1 – Crew Living Spaces

USS Yorktown Patriots Point Museum Tour 2 - Flight Deck and Bridge — USS Yorktown Patriots Point Museum Tour 2 – Flight Deck and Bridge

USS Yorktown Patriots Point Museum Tour 3/4 - Battleship Room, Cruiser Room, Warrant Officer's Mess and Ship's Jail — USS Yorktown Patriots Point Museum Tour 3/4 – Battleship Room, Cruiser Room, Warrant Officer’s Mess and Ship’s Jail

Entering into the hangar of USS Yorktown, you’ll arrive at the Information Centre, Medal of Museum Museum as well as the historic aircrafts…

Historic aircrafts in hangar of USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Museum

Historic aircrafts and info on space programme in hangar of USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Museum

Here, we also found out the history of USS Yorktown…

History of USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

After learning that USS Yorktown (CV-5) was sank during WW2 in 1942, we thought that there could be some salvage work done to restore that USS Yorktown at Patriots Point Museum today. Turns out, this was another aircraft carrier that was being built when USS Yorktown (CV-5) sank. When CV-5 sank, USS Yorktown (CV-10), originally named Bon Homme Richard was renamed to commemorate the loss.

Pilot's Prep Area on USS Yorktown Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum — Pilot’s Prep Area on USS Yorktown Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

On the way up to the flight deck, you’ll pass by the Pilot’s Prep Area where pilots would have been on standby for their next mission. On the way down, you’ll also find the escalator that brought pilots back to the prep area from the flight deck – built in the 1950s. At the flight deck, you’ll also be able to find more historic aircrafts…

Historic aircrafts at flight deck of USS Yorktown CV-10 at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

USS Laffey Destroyer at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Upon entry to USS Laffey, you’ll find the primary gun of the destroyer. Following the path demarcated, you’ll come across the Ship’s Store…

Ship's Store of USS Laffey at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum — Ship’s Store of USS Laffey at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Here, ship crew were able to buy personal hygiene items, snacks, cigarettes and other products that are not provided by the service. Like USS Yorktown, USS Laffey (DD-724) is famed for its exploits during D-Day and Battle of Okinawa. USS Laffey (DD-459) on the other hand was sunk during the Battle at Guadalcanal.

History of USS Laffey (DD-459) at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum

Moving further, there’s a History Channel video that showed Kamikaze pilots that had little training but were put to the war front due to attrition of the more experienced pilots.

History Channel video on Kamikaze pilots during WW2 on USS Laffey Patriots Point Museum

Continuing on the tour, you’ll past by the Officer’s Wardroom – a venue where officers gathered for meal but also during battle stations, the area where planning and strategising took place. There’s also the galley and gun deck where you’ll be able to take photos with the guns of the destroyer.

Wardroom of USS Laffey at Patriots Point Museum

Galley of USS Laffey at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Vietnam Experience Exhibit at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Entrance of Vietnam Experience Exhibit at Patriots Point Museum

Inside, you’ll be able to learn about the history of Vietnam war – how US became involved in the fight for democracy to prevent the spread of communism as well as the political situation back home during that era.

Exhibits within Vietnam Experience Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Vietnam War video at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

One of the things we learnt during this video was that when the political situation turned sour, veterans that returned after the war were told to change out of their uniforms when they arrived at the airport in US. During an interview, one of the veterans said that they were just following instructions to fight for democracy in Vietnam but returning home, they were labelled as “baby killers” – this, they were unable to accept.

Vietnam Experience Outdoors at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

The Vietnam Experience outdoors tries to replicate the camp that the US forces set up in Vietnam. There’s a hover craft nearby, watch towers, armoury and crew areas that have been replicated. Even the sound of crickets were simulated to mimic the environment then.

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We must say that Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is a very informative and educational museum. Particularly for military history enthusiasts, it is a “wonderland” to see the WW2 era USS Yorktown aircraft carrier, USS Laffey destroyer and the military aircrafts. You’ll also be able to learn the history of the assets involved in WW2 as well as the history of Vietnam War. Definitely a great visit for tourists and military history buffs alike!

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