The USS New Jersey Battleship Commission will vote around mid-September as to where the most decorated warship in naval history will be berthed on New Jersey's waterfront.

The commission will make the final decision.

Three waterfront cities, each with its own unique qualities, have asked to be the home port for this majestic dreadnought. They are Bayonne, Camden and Jersey City.

Each city has a historic marine setting befitting a national museum and memorial of the size and scope of the battleship New Jersey.

Bayonne was the "home" of the New Jersey after both World War II and the Korean War. The ship was berthed at the 450-acre old naval terminal for maintenance and as part of the Navy's reserve fleet. The Bayonne site is the largest undeveloped tract of public land on the Hudson waterfront "gold coast."

Camden, on the lower Delaware River, wants the "Big J" because she was built in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard across the river at the outset of World War II.

Jersey City is vying to be the destination for the New Jersey because local officials believe Liberty State Park would be an "ideal site" at the gateway to America.

The overriding consideration for the 13-member battleship commission is safety. The U.S. Navy, which owns the battleship, will not release the 45,000-ton vessel until it can be demonstrated, in detailed engineering plans, that the ship can withstand a 100-year storm surge.


SAFETY is our primary concern. Securing the ships safety and then the public's safety when it opens is the commissions first priority.

The New Jersey has been moored since 1990 at the naval yard in Puget Sound, Bremerton, Wash. The trip home, via the Panama Canal, is expected to begin next year.

The New Jersey's journey really began in 1974 with the formation of the Battleship New Jersey Historical Society. The state Legislature recognized the society's efforts in a resolution adopted in 1976.

In 1980, the Legislature established the battleship commission. Gov. Brendan Byrne, a Democrat, appointed me, a Republican and retired Navy captain, as its founding chairman. Bringing the "Big J" home has been a bipartisan commitment in New Jersey since day one.

Without the states continuing commitment and the day-to-day support by some 48,000 N.J. Elks and tens of thousands of veterans, citizens and businesses, we would not be ready for "D- Day" (Decision Day) next month.


OUR GOAL is to raise some $20-plus million in three stages and bring this grand old battleship back to life as the states premier electronic-interactive education museum and historic center. The battleship will need to attract more than 400,000 visitors a year to cover its annual operating costs of about $3 million.

The first phase, costing about $8 million, includes bringing the ship home, setting it up for visitors and meeting the first years expenses.

The second phase will cost around $3-plus million for the onboard "live experience" of a world-class battleship engaged in combat and its role during peacetime.

The third phase is the complete replacement of the teakwood deck at a cost of $8 million.

The three phases will take several years.

When fully restored as a museum/historic center, the legendary New Jersey will be a lasting tribute to veterans of all Armed Forces.

The writer is the founding chairman of the USS New Jersey Battleship Commission, based in Middletown, and a GOP state assemblyman for the 13th District, comprising portions of Monmouth and Middlesex counties.