Commander Steven Halle, the commanding officer of the USS New Jersey (SSN 796) and five Sailors serving on the submarine addressed students at MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology today, thanking them for their support of the new Virginia class boat, the USS New Jersey.
Commander Halle presented Commander 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 Naval 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.
Commander Halle said MAST deserved the honor since he believes the NJROTC unit adopted the vessel long before its commissioning ceremony and has always been staunch supporters of the vessel and its crew.
MAST students participated in the christening ceremony for the New Jersey when it was under construction in Newport News, Va. three years ago and have hosted members of the crew for visits with the cadets several times since.
Commander Halle also noted while the current crew on the new vessel are plank owners, because of the commission set for Saturday, September 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 anticipated the ship would be commissioned last April.
The ship changed command last December, when Commander Halle assumed command from Commander Jared Smith.
The MAST NJROTC unit formally greeted Commander Halle with a welcoming ceremony in which he made the presentation to Commander 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 Commander Halle with a check for $3000 that the cadets raised, with hopes that the crew would be able to have a party or purchase morale items that would help them relax during their downtime.
Commander Halle, who shouted out a loud “WOW!” when Drill Commander Vivian Moore of Holmdel and Assistant Drill Commander Andrew Viggiano of Ocean performed exhibition drill at the morning ceremony, presented each with a commemorative coin of the submarine New Jersey.
He praised their outstanding precision and perfection in performing the trick maneuvers, which included spinning and simultaneously tossing their rifles to each other.
Commander Halle also presented Cadet Russell Karshmer with a ship’s coin, as well as the commemorative coin struck from Karshmer’s winning artwork in a statewide contest held last year.
Cadet Karshmer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary 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, 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.
Following the ceremony, crew members and Commander 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 at NWS Earle pier in Leonardo.
