USS Ling

Slipping beneath the waves, silent and unseen, the USS Ling once prowled the depths. Here at the former site of the New Jersey Naval Museum in Hackensack, the USS Ling rests. This Balao-class submarine, named after the cobia, or ling fish, has a story to tell. The USS Ling was built during World War II by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company in Philadelphia. She was launched in 1943 and commissioned in 1945. Although the war ended before the USS Ling could see action, her journey was just beginning. Her maiden voyage was a shakedown cruise to test her equipment. She sailed to the Panama Canal Zone and later returned to New London, Connecticut for decommissioning in 1946. The USS Ling’s life wasn’t over. In 1960, she was brought to Brooklyn, New York and converted into a training vessel at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She simulated all aspects of submarine operations. Imagine the countless sailors who walked her narrow decks and learned the intricacies of underwater warfare within her cramped quarters. Did you know there was even a laundry room on board with a washing machine and wringer? Life on a submarine wasn’t always glamorous. In 1972, the USS Ling found her final resting place here in Hackensack. The Submarine Memorial Association saved her from the scrapyard. She became the centerpiece of the New Jersey Naval Museum. Visitors could explore her interior, from the torpedo tubes to the cramped bunks where sailors slept. They could marvel at the “Christmas Tree,” a panel of lights indicating the status of each hatch. A crucial piece of equipment to ensure no hatch was open before submerging. Sadly, the museum closed in 2015 after Hurricane Sandy damaged the access walkway. The USS Ling remains here, a silent sentinel of a bygone era.