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06:23 PM EST on Friday, December 23, 2005

Reported by: Mike Gooding

It will soon be easier for you to check out a piece of military history. USS Wisconsin is headed for official retirement.

It was five years ago when the historic battleship pulled up to the pier at Nauticus, but there’s always been the possibility that Wisconsin could be reactivated.

Now, all the Navy needs is the president's signature and USS Wisconsin will be retired.

Jason Walsh, 13News

USS Wisconsin is berthed at Nauticus in downtown Norfolk

This also means some cool new sights for tourists.

Although it’s not a completely done deal, once the president does sign the Defense Authorization Bill, Wisconsin will go from being a U.S. Navy "mobilization asset" to a new status known as "donation-hold."

There will be a long, involved application process, and ultimately the Secretary of the Navy will decide where USS Wisconsin winds up. But Norfolk certainly seems to have the inside track.

USS Wisconsin has been a sight to behold since the day she arrived on the downtown Norfolk waterfront on December 7th, 2000. Since then, the legendary battleship has averaged nearly 400,000 visitors a year.

But tourists have been limited on what they could actually see, essentially only that part of the warship visible from the deck.

However, they could not get down below, and see the ship's innards, where her 1600 sailors worked and slept.

"That's what everybody wants to see, Main Street Alley down there, where the engines are. They want to get down into one of those turrets to see what goes on five decks below. So it's going to be exciting when they're able to do that," said retired Rear Adm. Jack Kavanaugh.

Now, they may get their chance; with Virginia Senator John Warner crafting language in the Congressional Defense Authorization Bill, which formally retires the 62-year-old Wisconsin from the Navy's rolls, and requiring that the vessel remain in Virginia.

Once the ship is out of the Navy's control, it could be opened up.

Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim intends to make sure the ship remains right where it is.

“There is no other location for the Wisconsin than Norfolk. She has spent most of her life here and we provided an excellent berth for here the last couple of years so we are confident that she's going to stay right here," said Fraim.

The Naval Sea Systems Command currently oversees Wisconsin. Spokeswoman Pat Dolan said there's no formal timetable on how long the decision-making and multi-faceted turnover process takes, other than, "as quickly as we can."

Dolan says that so far, the Navy has donated 47 other warships to various communities around the country for use as public museums.