USS Intrepid Update

The Fighting I, the USS Intrepid, a retired US aircraft carrier that has been the centerpiece of a sea, air and space museum and a fixture on the West Side at Pier 86, has been undergoing a much needed restoration since last year in Bayonne New Jersey and in Staten Island.

The ship is expected to reopen at the refurbished Pier 86 in time for Veterans' Day 2008. At that time, it will also be available in case of a major emergency in the City

The aircraft carrier Intrepid, in the midst of an 18-month makeover, returns to its mission as a floating military museum in fall 2008. But the legendary World War II ship is also available as an emergency operations center in the event of another terrorist attack.

``If there is another terrorist attack and Intrepid is called to duty, she will be ready to go back into service of her country,'' Bill White, president of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, said Thursday.

Intrepid is considered ideal for a law enforcement because it could be immediately and easily converted into a full-fledged, secure auxiliary emergency operations post with air, sea and land capability, according to White.

The FBI and other law enforcement agencies used the Intrepid for more than a month after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack.

``Within 20 minutes of the second plane hitting the World Trade Center towers, officials requested that Intrepid be used,'' said White. A temporary command post was set up with hundreds federal agents and members of the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force fielding thousands of phone calls over the weeks. Many of them slept in sleeping bags in the ship's hangar bay.

It was the first time since the storied Intrepid was mothballed by the Navy in 1976 that the ship was called to serve.

You can view updates of the work on the ship and the pier at the Intrepid's website.