Veteran duo, inspired by Muskogee memorial, aim to restore WWII submarine

Muskogee War Memorial Park, home of the USS Batfish.

(Information from: Courier Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A pair of veterans is trying to bring a World War II submarine to Louisville.

The Courier Journal reports, Mark Gatton got the idea when he learned that the USS Ling was going to be scrapped in New Jersey.

The Air Force veteran, with his friend Army veteran Lewis Palmer are raising funds to restore the submarine, with the ultimate goal of docking it on the Ohio River. They hope it will be the centerpiece of a World War II-focused Louisville Naval Museum.

The decidedly non-coastal city might seem like a strange choice for a naval museum, but Gatton says he takes inspiration from the Muskogee War Memorial Park in Oklahoma. That’s home to another World War II submarine, the USS Batfish.