BETWEEN 1943 AND 1974, the USS Intrepid housed nearly 55,000 members of the American armed forces, survived five kamikaze attacks, and dodged one torpedo. Today she stands as a monument to fallen soldiers and a welcoming sight to New York City visitors and returning sons. “The Intrepid really has some emotional heartstrings attached to it,” says Bill White, president of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. “We call her ‘the mother ship’ because she’s the mama.”

Last October more than 400 former crew members returned (at their own expense—yet another testament to their loyalty) to man the rails of the Intrepid as she returned from a two-year, $115 million “extreme makeover.” And just days before the rededication ceremony, held on Veterans Day 2008 and led by President George W. Bush, the newly updated Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum officially opened to the public.

“It’s a completely new museum,” says White. “Before the renovation, people used to come on and just get lost. Now we have a structure, which we call the “spine,” that runs down the length of the ship, taking you through the hardware aspects and telling the human stories.” Areas that were once off-limits, like soldiers’ sleeping quarters and dining halls, are now part of an “exploreum” where kids can roll around on bunks, claw their way up cargo nets, and rattle around in flight simulators making stomach-dropping loop-de-loops.

Up on deck, the aircraft collection also received a face-lift and got a few new additions. Among visitors’ favorites are the famous F-14 Tomcat, the same model that Top Gun-ner Tom Cruise flew into the danger zone; the sinister-looking A-12 Blackbird, built for CIA surveillance missions; and a pug-nosed Sikorsky S-55 helicopter that the museum bought on eBay.

Unfortunately, one of White’s favorite spots on the ship is often missed by tourists. “A lot of visitors never make it up to the captain’s bridge,” he says. There, many former crew members stand ready to share their stories and help youngsters grasp the massive wheel that guided the ship through so many stormy seas and intense battles.

Next month, as the Navy and Marine Corps pour into NYC for Fleet Week, the Intrepid will welcome them as their official hostess, with open arms and a shiny new coat of paint— all 7,000 gallons’ worth. Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, West 46th Street and 12th Avenue, 212-245-0072.

FUN FACTS

During the Intrepid’s active-duty days, the 3,000 crewmen aboard consumed approximately 30,000 eggs every morning for breakfast.

The Intrepid is almost as long as the Chrysler Building is tall.

To date, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund has raised more than $167 million for the families of military personnel lost in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as rehabilitation and care for injured soldiers.

The Intrepid recently spent $600,000 to replace all its incandescent lights with energy-saving fluorescent and compact fluorescent bulbs.