September 10, 2024 |
by Muriel J. Smith
SANDY HOOK — Commander Steven Halle, the commanding officer of the USS New Jersey (SSN 796) and five sailors serving on the submarine yesterday addressed students at MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology located on Sandy Hook, thanking them for their support of the new Virginia class vessel.
Cdr. Halle presented Cdr. Tracie M. Smith-Yeoman, USN (Ret.), the Senior Naval Science Instructor at MAST, with a plaque recognizing the NJROTC cadets at MAST as honorary plank owners of the submarine.
A plank owner is someone who is a member of the crew of a Navy ship when the ship is first placed into commission. The term comes from the tradition of a crew member taking a plank from the ship's deck as a keepsake when it was decommissioned, and implies that the plank owner becomes part owner of the ship.
Cdr. Halle said MAST deserved the honor since he believes the NJROTC unit adopted the vessel long before its commissioning ceremony and have always been staunch supporters of the vessel and its crew. MAST students participated in the christening ceremony for the USS New Jersey submarine when it was under construction at the shipbuilder's yard in Newport News, Va. three years ago and have hosted members of the crew for visits with the cadets several times since.
Cdr. Halle also noted while the current crew on the new vessel are plank owners, because of the commission set for Saturday, Sept. 14, he also designated the original crew as honorary plank owners since that earlier crew served on the ship during much of its construction and it was originally anticipated the ship would be commissioned last April.
The ship changed command last December, when Cdr. Halle assumed command from Cdr. Jared Smith.
The MAST NJROTC unit formally greeted Cdr. Halle with a welcoming ceremony in which he made the presentation to Cdr. Smith-Yeoman, thanked the cadets for their enthusiastic welcome and support, and presented several awards.
MAST NJROTC Battalion Commander Thomas Clark, of Little Silver, presented Cdr. Halle with a check for $3,000 that the cadets raised, with hopes that the crew of the submarine would be able to have a party or purchase morale items that would help them relax during their downtime.
Cdr. Halle was also visibly impressed when MAST Drill Commander Vivian Moore, of Holmdel and Assistant Drill Commander Andrew Viggiano of Ocean Township performed an exhibition drill with their rifles at the morning ceremony, loudly exclaiming, "wow" as he watched their performance. He presented each with a commemorative coin of the submarine New Jersey and praised their outstanding precision and perfection in performing the trick maneuvers, which included spinning and simultaneously tossing their rifles to each other.
Cdr. Halle also presented Cadet Russell Karshmer with a ship’s coin, as well as the commemorative coin struck from Karshmer’s winning artwork which was chosen in a statewide contest held last year. Cadet Karshmer, son of Gary and Jill Karshmer, of Highlands, designed the coin to include a view of the sub from Mount Mitchill, and included representations of the state’s colors, bird, tree, flower, the trident-shaped pier at NWS Earle where the submarine will be commissioned this Saturday, as well as historic Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Lighthouse. The coin also recognizes the new submarine as the third Naval vessel honoring the state of New Jersey — two battleships carried the name New Jersey, and both have since been decommissioned. The second is berthed in Camden and open to tours.
Following the ceremony, crew members and Cdr. Halle met with upperclassmen at MAST to speak with them about their experiences and duties as members of the crew. Students were also invited for a tour of the submarine, docked at the Naval Weapons Station Earle pier in Leonardo.