NEW ORLEANS (April 9, 2026) — The National WWII Museum will debut its newest original special exhibition, Come Back Fighting: USS New Orleans at War, which chronicles the powerful story of the USS New Orleans (CA-32) and her veteran crew whose courage and resilience mirrored the spirit of the decorated heavy cruiser’s namesake city. A public opening reception is set for Thursday evening, April 9, and Come Back Fighting will be open to Museum visitors starting Friday, April 10.
The exhibit traces the New Orleans’ journey from her prewar commissioning to her prolific service throughout the Pacific theater, including at Pearl Harbor, Midway, the Solomon Islands and the Philippines. A central focus of Come Back Fighting is the devastating damage the ship sustained during the Battle of Tassafaronga, when a torpedo blast tore away her bow and killed more than 180 crewmembers. Despite the catastrophic loss, the surviving sailors stabilized the vessel using improvised repairs and navigated it to safety — an extraordinary feat of ingenuity and determination.
“Bringing the story of the USS New Orleans to life in her namesake city is such a meaningful full-circle moment,” said Museum Curator and Restoration Manager Cory Graff. “Like New Orleans itself, this ship endured tremendous adversity yet refused to be defeated. Come Back Fighting celebrates that shared resilience — the grit, faith and fierce pride that define both the Crescent City and the sailors who carried her name into some of the fiercest battles of the Pacific.”
The exhibit also highlights what life was like aboard the ship, which was home to nearly 1,000 crewmembers for months at a time, as well as her voyages around the globe before the United States entered World War II. Stories of individual crewmembers, such as the ship’s chaplain, Lieutenant Howell M. Forgy, whose cheer of “praise the Lord and pass the ammunition” during the attack on Pearl Harbor became a national rallying cry, offer a glimpse into the camaraderie that carried the New Orleans’ sailors through moments of both triumph and tragedy.
Come Back Fighting features artifacts from the Museum’s collection, including uniforms, photographs and souvenirs, as well as archival newsreels, oral histories from former New Orleans crewmembers and music recorded by the Victory Belles. An interactive installation traces the ship’s evolution over the course of World War II, and a six-foot-long scale model offers a look at the cruiser’s structural details.
Come Back Fighting: USS New Orleans at War will be on display in the Joe W. and Dorothy D. Brown Foundation Special Exhibit Gallery through February 14, 2027. The exhibit is supported by The Toler Foundation.
The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as America’s National WWII Museum, the institution celebrates the American spirit, teamwork, optimism, courage and sacrifices of the men and women who fought on the battlefront and served on the Home Front. For more information on Tripadvisor’s #1 New Orleans attraction, call 877-813-3329 or 504-528-1944 or visit nationalww2museum.org.