BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The USS KIDD, a Navy World War II Destroyer ship, holds a lot of history since it was brought to Baton Rouge in 1982. “Destroyers were the workhorses of the Navy. There were 175 of this class of destroyers made. Only four remain in the world today, one's in Greece, three are here in the United States and only one, the USS Kidd, has been restored to a World War II configuration,” said Parks Stephenson, executive director of the USS KIDD Veterans Museum. The USS KIDD has been a staple to the community, especially in downtown Baton Rouge. Stephenson said it attracts many people to the capital city. “We just celebrated our 2,000,000th visitor to the ship this year,” said Stephenson.   He emphasized that the ship has been helping tell stories for decades. All of that is paused as the USS KIDD is currently at the Thomas Sea Marine Constructors Shipyard in Houma getting much-needed restoration and repairs. Louisiana lawmakers advance bill to cut individual income taxes “It’s been 60 years since the ship has had any serious maintenance. The last time was when the Navy had her back in 1962,” Stephenson said.  The USS KIDD has been in Houma since May and it’s receiving $11 million worth of work that was approved by the state legislature in 2023. Stephenson considers it an overdue trip but also a fix-up at a perfect time.  “Possibility, it is conceivable that Kidd might have sunk in her cradle if she had waited just one more year,” Stephenson emphasizes.  The restoration will consist of fixing leaks, repairing the ship hull, a new paint job and modifications that will help the ship to the 1945 configuration, leading to more stories to be told. “During the war, African American sailors were forced to be messman, to serve white officers, and they lived in segregated spaces aboard various ships. After the war, an executive order by President Truman went out to integrate the armed forces and those segregated rooms were repurposed into something else. On board KIDD, it was a radar room, we've ripped all that out and we're opening that space again and we are going to restore those quarters,” Stephenson said.  Veterans Day 2024: Check out these celebrations, events in, near Baton Rouge A space that will not only be inside the ship but will be brought to life with help from the Baton Rouge African American Museum.  “In the instance of the African sailors aboard the Navy, not too many people know that history,” Stephenson said. “I believe that it's vitally important to maintain the true history of anything, whether it's good or bad.” When will the ship return to Baton Rouge? Stephenson said the ship will come back to the capital city in 2025. The month will be based on the levels of the Mississippi River, but he anticipates it will be before summer.  As that time comes, Stephenson is excited for the new changes but says the USS KIDD still needs more money. “We have found a few more problems since we got here and we're in discussions to determine how we're going to deal with that, because we have no more money. So, we are trying to fundraise,” Stephenson said.  Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now BRProud Daily News SIGN UP NOW A fundraiser that will not only allow the ship to last longer but will help the economic impact for Baton Rouge, Stephenson enforces.  “On average, we return over $3 million every year to the local community. After the ship comes back and she's all fixed up, they're anticipating that number to go even higher to like an average of like $5 million a year,” Stephenson said. Stephenson pleads with the community for donations and emphasizes that every dollar counts. To donate, click here. Latest News Elwood Edwards, man who voiced iconic 'You've got mail' alert, has died Independence man arrested, faces 20 child porn charges Restoration, repairs continue at dry dock in Houma on historic Navy ship USS KIDD Trump picks Susie Wiles for White House chief of staff 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid: A minivan with a twist