NATCHEZ &045;&045; River watchers may see more than the occasional barge headed up the Mississippi this weekend.

The USS Razorback, a World War II submarine, is scheduled to pass by Natchez sometime Sunday or Monday. The sub, the longest serving submarine in global naval history, is on its way by barge to North Little Rock, Ark., where it will become part of a permanent maritime museum.

The submarine has traveled across the Atlantic from Turkey, where it has been since the Navy decommissioned it in 1970. Turkey recently agreed to sell the sub to North Little Rock for $1.

The 312-foot vessel began the final leg of the 7,000-mile trip on Tuesday when she left New Orleans. The submarine spent Thursday and Friday in Baton Rouge, La., due to steering problems and was expected to start moving again sometime today.

Plans are to have the submarine in the Delta town of Rosedale, four hours north of Natchez by car, by Tuesday.

The submarine and its crew have a July 16 dedication date at the Montgomery Point Lock and Dam in Arkansas on Friday and an official homecoming celebration in North Little Rock next Sunday.

The final 119 miles of the vessel’s voyage are expected to be the hardest due to projected water levels on the Arkansas River. Arkansas representatives are preparing to delay scheduled celebrations if the submarine does not make it on time.

&uot;Current water conditions are such that it would be risky to bring the submarine or any tow that is drafting more than nine feet up the Arkansas River,&uot; said Lee E. Bass of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in a press release. &uot;There are several shallow areas between North Little Rock and the Mississippi River.&uot;

The submarine is currently drafting at 13 feet in the bow and 16 feet in the stern. The delay in Baton Rouge was to find ways to reduce the draft level of the sub.

The vessel is being towed by Smith Maritime. The trip began on May 5 in Istanbul, Turkey. The submarine made stops in Key West, Fla. and New Orleans.

The submarine, also known as the SS-394, took part in the surrender of Japan on Sept. 2, 1945 in Tokyo Bay. It received five battle stars during WWII and four during the Vietnam War.