USS Orleck Naval Museum

Built in 1945 by Consolidated Steel Shipbuilding in Orange, Texas, the USS ORLECK DD886 was launched into the Sabine River on 12 May 1945, and entered duty on 15 September. She served proudly in Korea and Vietnam, earning many prestigious awards and citations for participation in battle and service to her country, including four battle stars earned during the Korean Conflict. She was decommissioned in 1982, transferred to the Turkish government, renamed the TCG YUCETEPE, and served the Turkish Navy in the Persian Gulf in 1991. Turkey donated the ship to the Southeast Texas War Memorial and Heritage Foundation (SETWMHF) in 1999 to serve as a museum ship. She returned to Orange by tow 11 August 2000 where she served as a museum ship until Hurricane Rita resulted in the loss of her berth. Mission Statement USS Orleck Naval Museum, Inc. To establish the Gearing-class destroyer USS Orleck DD886, docked in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as a lasting memorial to honor the men and women of our nation's Armed Forces; to preserve the history created by the crews who served on the USS Orleck and other U.S. Navy ships; to educate younger generations on the sacrifices made by these individuals to ensure the freedoms we enjoy today through educational, historical, and interpretive programs and experiences for adults and children of all ages; and to establish a first class tourist attraction, and educational and recreational resource for visitors from throughout the United States and other countries.