Editing USS Constitution (section)

==Present day==
[[File:US Navy 050730-N-0335C-002 U.S. Navy Cmdr. Thomas C. Graves and Executive Officer Lt. Brad Coletti look on during USS Constitution change of command ceremony.jpg|thumb|Officers and crew of USS ''Constitution'', July 2005]]
The mission of ''Constitution'' is to promote understanding of the Navy's role in war and peace through active participation in public events and education through outreach programs, public access, and historic demonstration.<ref Name="MandV">{{cite web|title=USS ''Constitution'' Mission and Vision Statement |publisher=Naval History & Heritage Command |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817190453/http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/index.html |archive-date=17 August 2012 }}</ref> Her crew of approximately 75 US Navy sailors participate in ceremonies, educational programs, and special events while keeping the ship open to visitors year-round and providing free tours. The crewmen are all active-duty members of the US Navy, and the assignment is considered to be special duty. She entered dry dock in May 2015 for a scheduled restoration, before returning to sea.<ref name="NNS091021-35">{{cite web|last=Brown |first=Eric |title=Hundreds Join Old Ironsides' Return to Sea for 212th Birthday |publisher=Navy News Service |date=21 October 2009 |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=49131 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007005925/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=49131 |archive-date=7 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="bostonglobe.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/05/18/uss-constitution-dry-docked-tuesday-for-restorations/6hjUR0fhPAGf7deCWUEN1O/story.html | title= USS Constitution to begin restorations |website=Boston Globe |date=18 May 2015}}</ref>{{refn|name="Victory"|group="Note"}}

''Constitution'' is berthed at Pier One of the former Charlestown Navy Yard, at the terminus of Boston's [[Freedom Trail]]. She is open to the public year-round. The privately run [[USS Constitution Museum|USS ''Constitution'' Museum]] is nearby, located in a restored shipyard building at the foot of Pier Two.<ref Name="MuseumInfo">{{cite web|title=USS Constitution Museum Charlestown Massachusetts |website=USS Constitution Museum |url=https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/visit/plan/ |access-date=28 August 2012}}</ref> ''Constitution'' typically makes at least one "turnaround cruise" each year, during which she is towed into Boston Harbor to perform underway demonstrations, including a gun drill; she then returns to her dock in the opposite direction to ensure that she weathers evenly.<ref name="LAT03-14-75">{{Cite news|work=Los Angeles Times|date=14 March 1975|page=2|title=Old Ironsides Returns to Service Again}}</ref> The "turnaround cruise" is open to the general public based on a "lottery draw" of interested persons each year.<ref name="lottery">{{cite web |title=Restoration |publisher=Naval History & Heritage Command |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/restoration.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104085449/http://www.history.navy.mil/ussconstitution/restoration.html |archive-date=4 November 2012 }}</ref>

The Naval History and Heritage Command Detachment Boston is responsible for planning and performing her maintenance, repair, and restoration, keeping her as close as possible to her 1812 configuration. The detachment estimates that approximately 10–15 percent of the timber in ''Constitution'' contains original material installed during her initial construction period in the years 1795–1797.<ref name="FAQ - Original">{{cite web|url=http://www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/collections-history/faq/ |title=FAQ |website=USS Constitution Museum |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728120754/http://www.ussconstitutionmuseum.org/collections-history/faq/ |archive-date=28 July 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>  The Navy maintains ''Constitution'' Grove at [[Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division]] near Bloomington, Indiana to ensure a supply of mature white oak.<ref Name="MilCom1">{{cite web|url=https://www.military.com/history/why-us-navy-manages-its-own-private-forest.html|publisher=Military.com|last=Stilwell|first=Blake|title=Why the US Navy Manages Its Own Private Forest|date=18 April 2022 }}</ref>

In 2003, the special effects crew from the production of ''[[Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World]]'' spent several days using ''Constitution'' as a computer model for the fictional French frigate ''Acheron'', using stem-to-stern digital image scans.<ref Name="Wpost1">{{cite news|last=Hendrix |first=Steve |title=Now Playing at a Theater Near You: Old Ironsides |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=16 November 2003 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/11/16/AR2005041501687.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220130457/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/11/16/AR2005041501687_pf.html |archive-date=20 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Lieutenant Commander John Scivier of the Royal Navy, commanding officer of {{HMS|Victory}}, paid a visit to ''Constitution'' in November 2007, touring the local facilities with Commander William A. Bullard III. They discussed arranging an exchange program between the two ships.<ref Name="RoyalNavyVisit">{{cite web|last=Weis |first=Clay |title=HMS Victory Commanding Officer Visits USS Constitution |publisher=United States Navy |date=21 November 2007 |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=33462 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003160324/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=33462 |archive-date=3 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Commander Billie J. Farrell (January 2021) (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Commander (United States)|Commander]] [[Billie J. Farrell]], first female [[Captain (naval)#Etiquette|captain]] of ''Constitution'', seen here in January 2022]]
''Constitution'' emerged from a three-year repair period in November 2010. During this time, the entire spar deck was stripped down to the support beams, and the decking overhead was replaced to restore its original curvature, allowing water to drain overboard and not remain standing on the deck.<ref name="NNS101108-09" /> In addition to decking repairs, 50 hull planks and the main hatch were repaired or replaced. The restoration continued the focus toward keeping her appearance of 1812 by replacing her upper sides so that she now resembles what she looked like after her triumph over ''Guerriere'', when she gained her nickname "Old Ironsides".<ref name="NNS101108-09">{{cite news|first=Kathryn E. |last=Macdonald |title=USS Constitution Completes Latest Restoration |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=57058 |publisher=Navy News Service |location=Boston |date=8 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012215525/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=57058 |archive-date=12 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The crew of ''Constitution'' under Commander Matt Bonner sailed ''Constitution'' under her own power on 19 August 2012, the anniversary of her victory over ''Guerriere''.<ref Name="Bicentennial sail">{{cite news|author=CBS Boston|title=USS Constitution Sails Under Own Power For First Time in 15 Years|url=http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/08/19/uss-constitution-sails-under-own-power-for-first-time-in-15-years/|date=19 August 2012|access-date=19 August 2012}}</ref> Bonner was ''Constitution''{{'}}s 72nd commanding officer.<ref name="NNS110722-16">{{cite news|author=USS Constitution Public Affairs |title=USS Constitution Begins New Chapter with 72nd Commanding Officer |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=61702 |publisher=Navy News Service |date=22 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026062644/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=61702 |archive-date=26 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 18 May 2015, the ship entered Dry Dock 1 in [[Boston Navy Yard|Charlestown Navy Yard]] to begin a two-year restoration program. The restoration planned to restore the copper sheets on the ship's hull and replace deck boards. The Department of the Navy provided the $12–15&nbsp;million expected cost.<ref name="bostonglobe.com" /> After the restoration was complete, she was returned to the water on 23 July 2017.<ref name="Return to Water">{{cite web|title=USS Constitution Newly Restored Is Returning To Water|date=23 July 2017|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/uss-constitution-newly-restored-is-returning-to-the-water|publisher=[[Fox News]] |access-date=24 July 2017}}</ref> In November 2017, Commander Nathaniel R. Shick relieved Commander Robert S. Gerosa Jr., who had spent most of his command while the ship was dry docked, in a ceremony held on board ''Constitution'', to become the ship's 75th commanding officer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=103196|title=USS Constitution Holds Change of Command|author=USS Constitution Official Site|publisher=US Navy Local Group|access-date=20 March 2018|archive-date=20 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320230547/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=103196}}</ref>

On 29 February 2020, Shick was succeeded as commanding officer by Commander John Benda.<ref name=flag>{{cite AV media |people=Amy O'Brien, Brian Keaney, John Benda |date=June 14, 2019 |title=The 52nd Annual Dedham Flag Day Parade with your Hosts Amy O'Brien and Brian Keaney |url=http://50.77.30.238/CablecastPublicSite/show/1199?channel=1 |access-date= November 12, 2019 |format=Video |time=23:50 |location=Oakdale Square, [[Dedham, Massachusetts]] |publisher=Dedham TV }}</ref><ref name=ChangeOfCommand2020/>

On 17 January 2022, [[Billie J. Farrell]] became the first woman to command ''Constitution''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uss-constitution-first-woman-commander-billie-j-farrell/|title = Billie J. Farrell, first woman to command the 224-year-old warship USS Constitution, takes over|website = [[CBS News]]| date=24 January 2022 }}</ref>
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===Image gallery===
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px">
File:USS Constitution underway, August 19, 2012 by Castle Island cropped.jpg|USS ''Constitution'' underway
File:US Navy 110704-N-AU127-185 USS Constitution fires a 21-gun salute toward Fort Independence on Castle Island.jpg|alt=A photo of a ship without sails. There is white cannon smoke emitting from the left and right sides of the ship. A tugboat is alongside|''Constitution'' fires a 21-gun salute toward Fort Independence.
File:Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - USS Constitution sails into Boston Harbor.jpg|''Constitution'' sails into [[Boston Harbor]].
File:USS Constitution in drydock in Boston, 2016.JPG|USS ''Constitution'' in dry dock for restoration work in 2016
File:USS Constitution in dock.jpg|USS ''Constitution'' in dock, 2018
File:USS Constitution 2022.jpg|USS ''Constitution'' docked in April 2022 with the [[Boston]] skyline in the background
File:USS Constitution Cannon.JPG|One of the cannons aboard ''Constitution''
File:Inside the USS Constitution.jpg|Inside USS ''Constitution'' in 2015
File:Historic_American_Buildings_Survey_Arthur_C._Haskell,_Photographer._Sept._1934._(b)_Int-_Detail_Commodores_forward_cabin-_fore_gun,_port_side._-_U.S._Frigate_Constitution,_HABS_MASS,13-CHAR,3-3.tif|Commodore's forward cabin (historical)
</gallery>