San Diego’s Maritime Museum unveiled the results of a two-year labor of love that took hundreds of volunteer hours to complete.
The Vietnam War-era swift boat PCF 816 is ready for museum guests to ride, officials said Thursday.
Vice Admiral Edward H. Martin, U.S. Navy (Ret.) was on hand for the ceremony marking the vessel’s first public appearance in San Diego.
Veterans from all over the U.S. took part in the restoration that lasted two years.
The swift boat was stripped to bare metal, primed and repainted to its original Navy colors.
All systems have been upgraded to present day standards.
The museum is excited to offer the vessel to guests as a way to explain the unique role the swift boat and its crews played in the Vietnam War.
