U.S.S. Halyburton: Perry-class frigate naval commanders support Presque Isle Bay project

All 18 officers who've commanded the U.S.S. Halyburton, a now-decommissioned U.S. Navy frigate, have endorsed a local effort to bring the vessel to Presque Isle Bay as a floating navy museum.

One of those officers, retired Navy Rear Admiral Robert Reilly, who commanded the Halyburton from December 1993 to September 1995, appeared at the Hagen History Center in Erie on Saturday to meet with members of the Oliver Hazard Perry Shipyard, the Erie nonprofit applying for the ship project.

Reilly, who's been involved with the nonprofit for over a year as a technical advisor, said the 18 commanding officers were "enthusiastic" about the idea and have signed a letter of support.

The letter will be included in the Perry Shipyard's ongoing application to the Navy.

"These ships were our homes," Reilly said. "They're where we slept. Where we ate. Where we served the Navy. Now imagine if you went back to your childhood home and you had to watch it be demolished. How would that make you feel? So, if we can 'not give up on this ship,' that would be great."

Reilly said the endorsement letter may not be able to expedite the rigorous application process involved in a ship donation but it will show the Navy a strong level of support for the project, which can enhance its chances of approval.

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Ship's arrival in Erie is still hard to predict

Joe Pfadt, CEO of the Perry Shipyard, said the nonprofit has just wrapped up Phase 2 of the Navy's three-phase application process.

Pfadt said documentation for Phase 2, which involved a slew of environmental, engineering, and economic impact studies, will be submitted to the Navy at the beginning of September.

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At that point, the Navy will undertake a thorough review of the documentation before advancing to Phase 3, which involves a new round of planning for the towing and mooring of the vessel. That, in turn, will require another review by the Navy.

"Hopefully within a few months, they'll give us another thumbs up (on Phase 2) and we'll proceed to Phase 3," Pfadt said. "We'll have six months to get that documentation done and submit that and wait on a response. We're hopeful."

Pfadt said an expected arrival date for the frigate in Erie is hard to predict because it is solely dependent on the Navy's review process.

Halyburton could benefit local economy, maritime heritage

If approved, the Perry Shipyard would bring the 450-foot-long Perry-class frigate from the Philadelphia Navy Yard to the less developed eastern basin of Presque Isle Bay, about a half mile northeast of the Bicentennial Tower.

There the vessel would become a museum and a hands-on gathering place for families, students and veterans alike, said Pfadt, who estimated an $18 million economic impact to the region.

"By having the only (Perry-class frigate) — and it would be the only one — out for display, there would be people from all over the country who would want to come and spend time here," Pfadt said in an earlier interview with the Erie Times-News.

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The Perry Shipyard began the application process in early 2020.

During the first phase of the application, the nonprofit pitched Erie's connections with Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry — who won the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 — and the educational and tourism potential of a Perry-class frigate at Presque Isle Bay.

"To the Navy, Erie is a maritime community," Pfadt said. "Erie doesn't always recognize that all the time, but we really are We have very strong bonds with the Navy and the naval community."

The Halyburton, an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate, was decommissioned in 2014. The Navy decommissioned the last of its 51 Perry-class frigates in 2015.

Reilly said decommissioned ships are typically scrapped, used as targets or sold to foreign militaries. As such, bringing the Halyburton to Erie and converting it to a museum will ensure its legacy endures.

"It can be everything from a teaching platform to a place where veterans can come to just add to the heritage of Erie," he said. "The waterfront area appears to be enjoying a wonderful renaissance. And this would be a special addition to that."

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: USS Halyburton: Commanders endorse warship project for Erie bayfront