BATON ROUGE - If you heard the sound of gunshots in downtown Baton Rouge Wednesday, it was all for the upcoming Tom Hanks movie. Filmmakers were on board the USS Kidd testing out machinery before cameras roll.

The production fired Springfield service rifles that were pointed toward Port Allen on the ship’s port side. No live ammo was used. Crews were firing off blank full loads.

It’s all for the movie ‘Greyhound’, a WWII naval drama. The commotion drew dozens to the Mississippi River levee.

“It’s a beautiful ship, you always come by and it’s just sitting there so we like to see some action,” said Jerry Watts. “When the movie comes out and we see it, we can say we were there.”

Even though the gunfire is being tested for the film, the ship superintendent says back in her heyday, the USS Kidd had a locker-full of 1903 Springfield rifles.

“Our ships doctor from Shreveport, Dr. Brooks Garret, used rifles to detonate floating mines that would danger the ship,” said Tim Nessmith.

The protection helped. Decades later, the ship is still being used. This time bringing a bang to the big screen.

“Anytime we can get people excited about the USS Kidd and about history and honoring our nation's military, that's exciting to see,” said Nessmith. “It can't be beat."

The production crew says it's still up in the air when filming will begin on the ship.