“It will take nearly $17 million to prolong the life of the historic World War II battleship that has been a floating veterans memorial, living classroom and economic driver for the state for more than 50 years.

Docked across the Cape Fear River from downtown Wilmington, the Battleship North Carolina has been a self-sustaining attraction for veterans, students, tourists and the film industry for decades.

But now, with portions of its steel hull deteriorating – officials say it’s paper-thin in some places – ship supporters across the state are conducting fundraising campaigns to keep the ship from becoming scrap.”

via Statewide fundraiser underway to keep Battleship North Carolina afloat | CharlotteObserver.com.