New Jersey Naval Museum
Encyclopedia
The New Jersey Naval Museum (NJNM), located along the Hackensack River
in Hackensack
, New Jersey
, is dedicated to New Jersey
's Navy
heritage and naval history
in general. The prominent element in the collection is the USS Ling (SS-297)
, a 312 feet (95.1 m) long Balao-class
submarine
of World War II
. The museum is located along River Street and is operated by the Submarine Memorial Association.
Guided tours of the Ling are available to take visitors from bow to stern, exploring equipment, quarters, and weaponry. The weaponry on the Ling includes twenty-four torpedoes and one 4" deck gun (it originally had two 5" deck guns) for handling military targets too small to warrant the expenditure of a torpedo
.
Along with Ling, volunteers maintain Japanese Kaiten
IIs, a WWII Japanese suicide torpedo; a German Seehund
, a WWII German two-man coastal defense submarine; and A Vietnam War
-era Patrol Boat, River
(PBR). The onshore museum building contains a number of different and unique items ranging from a United States Navy SEALs
delivery vehicle to personal photographs and effects.
Since 1972, the Museum had paid one dollar per year to rent its riverside site. In January 2007, the North Jersey Media Group
, owner of the site, informed the museum that the site was going to be sold for redevelopment within the year and that the museum and submarine would need to be relocated. Efforts are being made to find an alternate site.
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...
in Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, is dedicated to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
's Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
heritage and naval history
Naval history
Naval history is the area of military history concerning war at sea and the subject is also a sub-discipline of the broad field of maritime history....
in general. The prominent element in the collection is the USS Ling (SS-297)
USS Ling (SS-297)
USS Ling is a Balao-class submarine of the United States Navy, named for the ling fish, also known as the cobia.-History:...
, a 312 feet (95.1 m) long Balao-class
Balao class submarine
The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The museum is located along River Street and is operated by the Submarine Memorial Association.
Guided tours of the Ling are available to take visitors from bow to stern, exploring equipment, quarters, and weaponry. The weaponry on the Ling includes twenty-four torpedoes and one 4" deck gun (it originally had two 5" deck guns) for handling military targets too small to warrant the expenditure of a torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
.
Along with Ling, volunteers maintain Japanese Kaiten
Kaiten
The Kaiten were manned torpedos and suicide craft, they were used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final stages of World War II.-History:...
IIs, a WWII Japanese suicide torpedo; a German Seehund
Seehund
The Seehund , also known as Type XXVII, was a successful series of German midget submarines created during World War II...
, a WWII German two-man coastal defense submarine; and A Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
-era Patrol Boat, River
Patrol Boat, River
Patrol Boat, River , or PBR, is the United States Navy designation for a small rigid-hulled patrol boat used in the Vietnam War from March 1966 until the end of 1971...
(PBR). The onshore museum building contains a number of different and unique items ranging from a United States Navy SEALs
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
delivery vehicle to personal photographs and effects.
Since 1972, the Museum had paid one dollar per year to rent its riverside site. In January 2007, the North Jersey Media Group
North Jersey Media Group
North Jersey Media Group is a newspaper publishing and media firm serving northern New Jersey and headquartered in Hackensack, with a second office in Woodland Park . The firm, owned by the Borg family, publishes The Herald News, which covers Passaic County, out of West Paterson and the state's...
, owner of the site, informed the museum that the site was going to be sold for redevelopment within the year and that the museum and submarine would need to be relocated. Efforts are being made to find an alternate site.