USS WISCONSIN (BB-64): Halfway Through a Historic Comeback at Ingalls Shipbuilding

From her powerful 16-inch guns that shook enemy shorelines during World War II, to her proud return home decades later, the battleship USS WISCONSIN (BB-64) has been a symbol of American might and resilience. At this moment, while sunlight glints off the Mississippi, her silhouette is strikingly different: portions of her superstructure are wrapped in scaffolding, the air alive with the buzz and clang of the overhaul underway at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Now, at 50 percent completion, the WISCONSIN stands poised between eras—her storied past and her promising future.

A Queen of the Seas

Commissioned in April 1944, the WISCONSIN is one of only four Iowa-class battleships ever built. Measuring nearly 900 feet from stem to stern and displacing more than 57,000 tons fully loaded, she was designed for speed and power, built to hunt fast carriers and to project power in the farthest seas. During World War II, the Korean War, and later operations, she covered herself in glory—and, perhaps inevitably, wear and tear.

By the late 20th century, advances in naval warfare pushed these steel giants into semi-retirement, replaced on the front lines by missile-armed cruisers and underwater predators. Yet, the story of the WISCONSIN didn’t end with mothballs.

Rebirth in Pascagoula

In the early 1980s, geopolitical tensions and new strategic needs saw the Navy turning back to its trusted behemoths. Under President Reagan’s 600-ship navy initiative, Congress approved the reactivation and modernization of the Iowas, bringing WISCONSIN out of hibernation. The overhaul would take place at Ingalls Shipbuilding, the legendary naval shipyard based on the banks of the Pascagoula River in Mississippi.

When WISCONSIN arrived here, thousands of skilled workers greeted her—welders, electricians, engineers, and laborers—each eager to leave their mark on this historic ship. The scale of the project was immense: not just a facelift, but a profound transformation. The battleship’s original heart—her steam turbines, armor, and main battery—would remain, but much else would be fitted with the latest technology.

The Halfway Mark: Grit, Steel, and Innovation

Now, at the halfway point, excitement pulses through the shipyard. The scaffolding climbing along her superstructure is dotted with workers, every one focused on a different task. Some are high above, painstakingly removing decades of weathered steel before replacing it with new armor plate. Others are deep inside the labyrinthine guts of the ship, rewiring old circuits for today’s electronic demands.

Replacing rusted decks, re-plating bulkheads, and painting the hull in Navy gray is grueling, fastidious work. Yet a visitor can’t help but be awed by the expertise on display. Massive cranes hoist new radar arrays and missile launchers into place. Welding sparks fly day and night. Teams of riggers, pipefitters, and machinists have their schedule charted down to the socket wrench—each moment, another piece of the puzzle is fitted home.

The overhaul’s statistics are staggering: over 10,000 tons of steel, 80 miles of cabling, and 2,000 hull valves inspected, cleaned, or replaced. New Tomahawk cruise missile launchers are set to be installed, transforming the “old battleship” into a modern powerhouse. Each system, from the ancient steam propellers to cutting-edge fire control computers, must be tested and retested.

Bridging the Generations

The workers at Ingalls appreciate the gravity of their mission. For some, their fathers or grandfathers sailed on ships like the WISCONSIN; for others, simply working on so mighty a vessel is a lifelong dream. Shipyard veterans mentor eager apprentices in the ancient art of riveting and caulking steel. Navy representatives inspect each phase, ensuring the revitalized ship will meet the needs of future generations.

There’s also an unspoken sense of camaraderie—between shipyard workers, Navy officers, contractors, and the ship herself. Each day on the job is a reminder of the Navy’s storied traditions and the sacrifices made by WISCONSIN’s crews through the years.

Looking Ahead: The Next Half

With the overhaul 50 percent complete, the most visually dramatic changes are now visible, but many of the most important upgrades are hidden beneath the surface. Upon completion, the “Big Wisky” will not only look her best but will be able to participate in missions her designers could never have imagined, including launching missiles hundreds of miles with pinpoint accuracy and defending herself against airborne threats with automated close-in weapon systems (CIWS).

The coming months will see WISCONSIN slowly transformed. As scaffolding is dismantled and fresh paint gleams in the Gulf sun, her new radar masts, improved crew quarters, and updated weaponry will mark her as both a relic and a beacon of progress.

For the community, the return of USS WISCONSIN is more than just a shipyard story. It’s thousands of paychecks for Ingalls workers, pride for Navy veterans, and a living link to a heritage of service and sacrifice. School children on field trips peer through fences; local veterans reminisce about their shipboard days; ship lovers watch her transformation with awe and anticipation.

The Legacy Continues

In a future not far off, the scaffolding will come down, and USS WISCONSIN will leave Ingalls Shipbuilding, her engines rumbling with renewed vigor. But she will never leave the community that restored her, nor the generations that sailed within her steel embrace. Her second life will be a testament to American ingenuity and resolve, a weapon for peace and a floating tribute to all who serve.

The halfway milestone is celebrated, but the real excitement—and the test of the “Big Wisky’s” rebirth—is yet to come. As long as there are sailors, shipbuilders, and patriots, the story of USS WISCONSIN will continue to unfold, scaffolding by scaffolding, rivet by rivet, into history.