Docked along the shores of the Hudson River in Albany, New York, you’ll find one of the country’s most historic naval vessels: the USS Slater.
The USS Slater is the only World War 2 Destroyer Escort still afloat in the United States and the only one of the dozen left in the world still in its wartime configuration. That makes it a must-visit spot for anyone interested in military history.
Today, tours are offered throughout the year. Find out everything you need to know here.
History of the USS Slater
The USS Slater was commissioned in May 1944 and escorted convoys across both the Atlantic and the Pacific during the last year of the war, as well as serving as a training ship.
After the war, she was transferred to the Greek Navy and renamed Aetos. She patrolled the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas until 1993 when she was finally decommissioned as an active military vessel.
The USS Slater was brought back to the United States in 1993 and was docked next to the USS Intrepid in New York City while the ship was reworked back to its original World War 2 configuration.
In 1997, she reached her final destination when she was brought to Albany and docked along the Hudson River.
Touring the USS Slater
Tours of the USS Slater are offered throughout the year, and last between 30 minutes and two hours depending on the type of tour you select.
During my visit, I opted for the one-hour History Tour (which they say is their most popular) which covers approximately 80% of the ship. I also added on the 30-minute Engine Room Tour since it wasn’t that much extra money.
The History Tour starts with a video within the welcome center about the ship’s history. This offers a nice overview and means that the focus while on the ship is actually about it and the functions of the various spots you visit during the tour.
The tour covers the deck of the ship, as well as heading into its bowels showcasing areas such as the mess deck, pilot house, communication area, and more. There are also examples of each of the ship’s main weapons shown during the tour.
I especially liked how you could step into some of the larger guns and see what it felt like to move them around. Such a unique experience that I haven’t had at other historic ships like those in the Buffalo Naval Park.
It’s worth noting that the history tour requires traversing several narrow and steep ladders as you go down into the ship. If you are unsure of your ability to do these, it would be better to instead book the 30-minute Main Deck Tour, which avoids these areas.
Of all the spaces, I found the communications room, or the Radio Shack, to be my favorite. This space was well preserved and the information about how all of the machines were used was quite interesting to me.
Once the History Tour was done, my tour transitioned directly into the Engine Room Tour. Note that this tour requires heading down some ladders and walking on narrow walkways.
Seeing the massive machines and learning how the shipped worked was quite fascinating, even if some of it was a little bit over my head. Those that are gear heads will definitely love this, but it’s so inexpensive ($6.24 at the time of publication) that it’s really a worthwhile addition for just about anyone.
Overall, I really enjoyed my tour of the USS Slater. If you love military history or even just exploring interesting spaces, I definitely recommend taking the time to tour this ship on your next visit to Albany.
Looking for more things to do nearby? Check out the New York State Museum, the story of the real Uncle Sam in Troy, and the grave of President Chester Arthur.
