Louisville Naval Museum bails out the USS Ling in the Hackensack river

photo by ArtChick

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ, Louisville Naval Museum bails out the USS Ling in the Hackensack river. According to the Louisville Naval Museum the Louisville Naval Museum Fundraiser effort is in Phase 1 of our capital campaign with the goal to raise $100,000. “Phase 1: Ready the USS Ling” will finance the preparation of the USS Ling for transport to the Louisville area. This includes necessary mechanical, legal and logistical expenses. We will focus on raising $10K from Facebook donations through the months of December and January. This initial infusion of much-needed funds will allow us to do critical work to launch this campaign. Any donation is greatly appreciated, and sharing is encouraged. Thank you for your commitment and support in this effort!

The Louisville Naval Museum, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Louisville, Kentucky. The museum was founded with the intention of saving the USS Ling, SS-297, a World War II Balao class submarine, which is currently located at a defunct museum in Hackensack, New Jersey. The Ling has suffered much damage due to neglect, vandalism, and the impact of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. We have been able to assemble a dedicated group of civilians, active duty military, and veterans that are focused on the museum’s mission statement.

Our Mission Statement “To establish and maintain a Naval Museum that will be an evolving legacy of our country’s maritime history, and a lasting tribute to the United States Navy, the anchor to this museum being the Balao Class submarine, USS Ling. The Ling will be rescued and restored and set up as an interactive museum that will preserve and celebrate the rich history of submarines in the US Navy, adding a unique experience and visually striking addition to Louisville’s waterfront.“

Louisville Naval Museum, Inc. (LNM) is dedicated to the preservation, restoration, display and education of the public on United States military history and as a memorial to the Silent Service.

USS Ling (SS/AGSS/IXSS-297) is a Balao-class submarine, named for the ling fish, also known as the cobia.

The ship has been docked since 1972 at the now defunct New Jersey Naval Museum in Hackensack, New Jersey and is currently inaccessible to the public. With a length of 11 ft 8 in and a beam of 27 ft 3 in, the Ling weighs close to 1600 tons. She has received one battle star for her service in World War II as part of the United States Navy. Close to 80 years old, the Ling is still with us today but is sorely in need of assistance.

The Louisville Naval Museum has aspirations to restore the Ling to her former glory and have on public display in Louisville as the museum’s primary exhibit. The museum is currently involved in discussions with the US Navy and a request has been made to approve her relocation from Hackensack, New Jersey to Louisville, Kentucky.

If approved, the museum intends to transport the Ling to a private facility for restoration. Once completed, the Ling will be docked in the Ohio river, along the Louisville waterfront, and in close proximity to the Louisville Naval Museum’s future permanent home. The docking location and museum location plans are still under development. Once we have more information to share, we will provide an update with details.