PT-305 launched in New Orleans

After a decade of restoration, the world's only WWII combat PT boat, PT-305 crawled through the streets of New Orleans to the Mississippi River and was hoisted to a barge on the final leg to the journey to becoming a floating exhibit for the WWII Mueseum in New Orleans in April of 2017. By the end of the WWII over ninety percent of the U.S. Navy fleet was designed or built by Andrew Higgins in his New Orleans factory and he is credited by General Dwight Eisenhower as "the man who won the war for us." 

Workers prepare to move PT-305 from the restoration center at the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River in New Orleans. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Workers prepare to move PT-305 from the restoration center at the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River in New Orleans. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
The sun rises on the Crescent City Connection Bridge and Andrew Higgins Blvd. in New Orleans as workers prepare to move PT-305, the world’s only operational World War II combat PT boat, to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
The sun rises on the Crescent City Connection Bridge and Andrew Higgins Blvd. in New Orleans as workers prepare to move PT-305, the world’s only operational World War II combat PT boat, to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
An WWII-era photo served as a guide to repainting the lettering on PT-305, originally built by Higgins Industries in New Orleans and later named the USS Sudden Jerk. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
An WWII-era photo served as a guide to repainting the lettering on PT-305, originally built by Higgins Industries in New Orleans and later named the USS Sudden Jerk. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Workers move PT-305 along the streets of New Orleans on the seven-block journey from the restoration center at the National World War II Museum to a barge on the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Workers move PT-305 along the streets of New Orleans on the seven-block journey from the restoration center at the National World War II Museum to a barge on the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Brock Daigle with Berard Transportation hands out beads like a Mardi Gras parade as a crawler moves PT-305 along the streets of New Orleans from the restoration center at the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Brock Daigle with Berard Transportation hands out beads like a Mardi Gras parade as a crawler moves PT-305 along the streets of New Orleans from the restoration center at the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
People watch as workers move PT-305 along the streets of New Orleans from the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
People watch as workers move PT-305 along the streets of New Orleans from the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Workers move PT-305 on a computer-controlled heavy load transporter through the streets of New Orleans from the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Workers move PT-305 on a computer-controlled heavy load transporter through the streets of New Orleans from the National World War II Museum to the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
PT-305 arrives at the Mississippi River where she will be lifted onto a barge in the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
PT-305 arrives at the Mississippi River where she will be lifted onto a barge in the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
PT-305 arrives at the Mississippi River and is lifted onto a barge in the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
PT-305 arrives at the Mississippi River and is lifted onto a barge in the Mississippi River. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
From left, Ed Daroca, Harold Buchler, Jr., Jim Letten, and restoration manager George Benedetto, hug and celebrate the successful move of PT-305 onto a barge in the Mississippi at the Port of New Orleans. The four were part of a group who spent 110,000 volunteer hours over the past decade working on the vessel at the restoration center at the National World War II Museum. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
From left, Ed Daroca, Harold Buchler, Jr., Jim Letten, and restoration manager George Benedetto, hug and celebrate the successful move of PT-305 onto a barge in the Mississippi at the Port of New Orleans. The four were part of a group who spent 110,000 volunteer hours over the past decade working on the vessel at the restoration center at the National World War II Museum. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Volunteer captain George Van Zandt lights up a cigar after helping put PT-305 onto the Mississippi River at the Port of New Orleans. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
Volunteer captain George Van Zandt lights up a cigar after helping put PT-305 onto the Mississippi River at the Port of New Orleans. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
The PT-305 moves atop a barge along the Mississippi River past St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter in New Orleans. The USS Sudden Jerk will make her way through the locks toward a special boathouse on Lake Pontchartrain, near her 1943 birthplace. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion
The PT-305 moves atop a barge along the Mississippi River past St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter in New Orleans. The USS Sudden Jerk will make her way through the locks toward a special boathouse on Lake Pontchartrain, near her 1943 birthplace. Photo by Matthew Hinton/The American Legion