Climb aboard the historic USS Yorktown, explore the Medal of Honor Museum and walk in the steps of heroes at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. From the flight deck to the Vietnam Experience Exhibit, there’s something for everyone in the family to discover. Scroll on to see 10 historic photos of heroes from the Patriots Point archive and learn 10 facts you may not have known about the Naval & Maritime Museum!
1. The USS Yorktown was the recovery vessel for the Apollo 8, the first manned mission to orbit the Moon.
2. The big number 10 on the side of the USS Yorktown signifies that it is the tenth aircraft carrier ever built by the United States Navy.
3. There are 28 historic aircraft at Patriots Point, including an F-14 Tomcat, the plane made famous by the film “Top Gun.”
4. The USS Yorktown had a full service dentist office aboard the ship.
5. The USS Yorktown (888 feet) is five feet longer than the Titanic (883 feet).
6. The destroyer USS Laffey earned the nickname “The Ship that Would Not Die,” from a WWII battle where it was struck by four bombs and six kamikazes.
7. The USS Yorktown could hold almost 100 planes during its service during WWII.
8. In the 1960s, the USS Laffey, on display at Patriots Point, carried one of the very first drones ever used by the Navy to locate Russian submarines and drop torpedoes. One of only a few remaining QH-50 DASH drones is on display aboard the museum.
9. The USS Laffey is one of only three D-Day Allied warships still in existence.
10. Patriots Point is home to a three-acre Vietnam Experience where guests can see what it was like to live and work in a forward operating base during the Vietnam War.
Before you go, discover 9 more family-friendly attractions we love in Charleston!
