USS Slater

The USS Slater is a 306-foot destroyer escort moored on the Hudson River in Albany, with torpedo tubes, depth charge racks, and multiple anti-aircraft guns mounted on its steel decks. The bridge, command areas, and engine rooms are open to visitors and show the technical layout of a 1940s warship.

This Cannon-class escort defended Atlantic convoys against German submarines during World War II and later sailed under the Greek name Aetos starting in 1951. After returning to the United States in 1993, the ship was restored and permanently moored at its current berth in Albany.

The ship honors Frank O. Slater, a sailor killed at Guadalcanal in 1942, while volunteers today preserve the equipment and weapons in working order. Visitors walk through narrow crew quarters and see how the men lived and worked in tight spaces during long patrols at sea.

The museum opens Wednesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM, with guided tours offered several times each day through the main sections of the ship. Parking is available next to the pier, and the steep stairs and low passageways require sturdy shoes and reasonable mobility.

This vessel is the only floating destroyer escort in the United States that still carries its complete World War II combat setup. The crew bunks, radio equipment, and navigation instruments remain exactly where they were used during Atlantic crossings.