The "Big J" is coming home. From birthplace to berthplace. Let the celebration begin, South Jersey.
Just where the USS New Jersey was to be berthed was a point of contention for years. In the end, the Navy made the right choice. Camden simply is a better site for the ship than Bayonne.
What tipped the scale in favor of Camden? Freshwater as opposed to saltwater? A vibrant two-city waterfront? Support from politicians - including those in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware? Concern that a Bayonne berth would compete with the USS Intrepid in New York Harbor for tourist dollars? The detailed, 1,700-page application submitted by the Home Port Alliance that not only recognized the ship's place in history but also described the educational and economic benefits of putting the ship in Camden? The strong showing - 25,000 or more - of South Jerseyans who showed up on Veterans Day? The financial support package lined up by local government? Gov. Whitman's decision to be neutral in site selection? The fact that the entire region of South Jersey stood shoulder-to-shoulder in support of bringing the ship back to its true home?
All of these probably carried some level of influence.
Clearly, from a technical aspect, Camden is the far superior site.
But it would be comforting to think that maybe a simple sense of right and wrong also played into the Navy's decision.
The Delaware Valley is the USS New Jersey's true home. The ship was built here almost 60 years ago in only two years, far less than the estimated four-year period. On Dec. 7, 1942, Carolyn Edison, wife of N.J. Gov. Charles Edison, christened the ship.
The men and women who built the "Big J" and their relatives still live here. They remember working the long hours and their commitment to building ships and winning wars. The "Big J" was their baby, and one of the family is coming back where it belongs.
The fight for the battleship was momentous.
Credit goes to all of the volunteers with the Home Port Alliance, including retired Navy Capt. David McGuigan and retired Navy Rear Adm. Thomas Seigenthaler, who put together the voluminous report that persuaded the Navy to bring the battleship home.
Political boundaries were crossed. Republican state Sen. John Matheussen worked with Democratic Camden County Freeholder Pat Jones. In Congress, Democrat Rob Andrews partnered with Republican Jim Saxton to build a coalition among their colleagues in support of Camden.
That same spirit of cooperation and determination spread throughout South Jersey. You may have been one of those who, on an August day in 1998, shouted, "Bring our battleship home!" to Battleship Commission members touring Camden. Remember how that rainy day turned bright and sunny in time to welcome our visitors? A good omen, indeed.
You may have been one of those on a Gibbstown rooftop this past Veterans Day when the magnificent ship was towed up the Delaware River. You may have been one of those who signed a petition, wrote a letter to the editor or composed a missive to the Navy.
Today, you're a winner.
Everyone in South Jersey is a winner. The USS New Jersey is a winner.
To all of those who fought the good and just fight, thank you and congratulations. Thanks to you, the "Big J" is coming home to stay.
