If you love US Navy history, you’ve gotta sea this: The USS Recruit, a California Registered Historical Landmark at Liberty Station that now serves as a mini museum.
Located at Laning and Harbor drives, the landlocked ship — a two-thirds scale replica of a Dealey-class destroyer — was commissioned by the Navy in 1949 and used for promotion and training.
At the peak of the Naval Training Center’s history — 1949 to 1989 — 50,000+ annual recruits learned basic naval procedures aboard the vessel. Since it was the Navy’s only commissioned ship to never touch the water, recruits affectionately nicknamed it the “USS Neversail.”
The USS Recruit opened as a free exhibit in June 2023 during Liberty Station’s centennial celebration. Inside, you’ll find photos and artifacts detailing the ship’s important role in naval history. It’s open on weekends, 12-4 p.m.
