Historic Battleship New Jersey Returning Home After Half a Century of Service to U.S. Military
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Page 2 Thursday, July 1, 1999 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION Historic Battleship New Jersey Returning Home Police Officers Death After Half a Century of Service to U.S. Military Believed to be a Suicide , By SUSAN M. DYCKMAN The dock also offers adjacent park- bishment regardless of its location: and his wife, Carol, who got involved By KIM KINTER Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times ing for approximately 700 cars. $7.7 million from the state, plus a $2 in the foundations campaign about Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times Editors Note: The following is the In August 1998, Jersey Citys million Economic Improvement Au- three years ago. SCOTCH PLAINS A 40-year-old Scotch Plains Township patrolman first in a two-part series on the ef- Mayor Brett Schundler, a former thority loan. The Sheppards manage the was found dead in his home Monday of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot forts underway to bring the Battle- Westfield resident, presented a pro- Both sites start even with that, foundations merchandising effort wound to the head, Scotch Plains police said. ship New Jersey home to the Garden posal that called for the mooring of explained Senator Matheussen. from their Fanwood home. A Web A family member found Christopher ONeil in the basement of his State. the ship off Liberty State Park about The goal is to get the visitors site, www.battleshipnj.org, has ex- Monica Place home in Scotch Plains at about 9:30 a.m., stated Police Chief * * * * * 800 feet into the harbor between Ellis center up and running, safe environ- panded their reach around the globe. Thomas OBrien. The Battleship New Jersey the Island and New York City. mentally and aesthetically by 2001, They were drawn into the project His service revolver was found at the scene, he added. most decorated warship in naval his- Access to the ship would be pro- he added. by their daughter Laurens work with Officer ONeil was a three-year veteran of the Scotch Plains Police tory is coming home. vided by a walkway. It was estimated The Home Port Alliance for the the Flags Across America program. Department. He also had worked as a sheriffs officer for the Union County The Iowa-class battleship has been the mooring project would cost more USS New Jersey, co-founded by Sena- There are 24 American flags which Sheriffs Office from May, 1995 to October, 1996, the Sheriffs Office berthed in Bremerton, Washington than $10 million to construct, $1 tor Matheussen, uses the phrase were manufactured and donated by confirmed. since it was decommissioned for the million of which would be provided Birthplace to Berthplace to publi- the Annin Flag Company of Verona He was the husband of Carole Flinn ONeil and the father of two young fourth time after nearly 50 years of by Jersey City. cize its commitment to seeing on behalf of the Battleship New Jer- boys, Connor and Cooper (Please see related obituary on Page 9). service, which included tours of duty This year, Mayor Schundler joined Camden selected as the battleships sey. The entire department is saddened by the untimely death of this officer in World War II, the Korean Conflict forces with Bayonne Mayor Joseph home. These flags have traveled across who had made a lasting impression on those that had the privilege to work and Vietnam. Doria to announce their shared com- Among the reasons given by the the state and country, being flown at alongside him, Chief OBrien said in a prepared statement. He will be Beginning in September, the USS mitment to locate the battleship at alliance for choosing Camden are: special events to promote awareness deeply missed. New Jersey will be towed 7,000 miles Bayonnes Military Ocean Terminal. the citys need for an economic boost of the battleship effort. According to Officer ONeil was also the son of Westfield Zoning Officer Jeremiah P. from Bremerton through the Panama According to the Battleship Bulletin from the battleships presence; the Mr. Sheppard, they are traditionally ONeil. Canal up the east coast of the United BB-62, a publication of the Battle- areas long-standing maritime and flown with the New Jersey state flag Westfield Mayor Thomas C. Jardim made a brief statement at the start State into the Philadelphia Navy Yard ship New Jersey Foundation (founded shipbuilding tradition, and its ability and the POW/MIA flag. of Tuesdays Town Council meeting. on the Delaware River to await a in 1991), Assemblyman Azzolina to provide significant financial back- The flags have flown off the USS Our thoughts and prayers are with Jerry and his family, said Mayor decision on its new home Bayonne applauded the two Hudson water- ing for the New Jersey. Intrepid on Veterans Day, and at Jardim. or Camden. front mayors for putting the battle- According to the alliance, Liberty State Park on the anniver- Chief OBrien added that department staff had no indication that the According to Joseph Azzolina, ship first over their own local inter- Camden also has an environmen- sary of the ships launch. The flags officer was experiencing any difficulties. New Jersey State Assemblyman and ests. tally sound site (the Delaware River have flown from the State Capitol in The Union County Prosecutors Office is conducting an investigation. Chairman of the USS New Jersey The Bulletin indicated the Assem- at Camden is fresh water, not salt); Trenton on the anniversary of the Battleship Commission, the size of blyman was 100 percent behind offers extensive, convenient public ships christening, and off the USS the battleship allows for just one foot the Bayonne-Jersey City agreement. access to the waterfront that in- Olympia, which brought home the to spare on either side as it is moved Mr. Schundler left the door open cludes ferry linkage to Philadel- remains of the Unknown Soldier through the canal. for moving the battleship to a berth phia plus a planned light rail and from World War I. They have flown This is the first time a ship of this at Liberty State Park if, in the fu- jitney service and aerial tram; and off the USS North Carolina, the size will be allowed to be towed ture, that proved to be the location has a dual waterfront with Phila- captain of which is a former crew through the Panama Canal, the re- that would enable the battleship to delphia, which, in 1997, boasted member of the USS New Jersey. At tired Navy captain said. thrive. 40 million visitors to the area. each occasion, the exact time and The ship, scheduled to leave The people of New Jersey have The alliance maintains it has sig- date are recorded. Bremerton in September, would travel spoken since 1996. They want it (the nificant support from across New When we fly the flags, everybody through the canal on or about Mon- battleship) on the Hudson water- Jersey, as well as Pennsylvania, New stops, said Mrs. Sheppard. Theres day, October 18 and reach the Dela- front, affirmed Gordon Bishop, York, Maryland and Delaware. a tremendous amount of pride that ware River sometime in mid to late Media Director for the Battleship Camden is pursuing its bid for the accompanies the hoisting of the November. New Jersey Foundation, historian, battleship with the United States Navy American flag. Last summer, the cities of journalist and former Star-Ledger despite the commissions September By flying the flags, the Sheppards Bayonne, Camden and Jersey City columnist. The Hudson waterfront 1998 vote in favor of Bayonne as the and volunteers like them (some vet- vied for selection as the New is the most visible, honorable display preferred site. The final vote among erans, some not), offer an educa- Jerseys ultimate destination. Each you could give it. the commissioners and one liaison tional opportunity to raise aware- city hosted visits from the In Camden, docking facilities from the Department of Environ- ness that the battleship is coming commissions 13 members in the would be constructed at a proposed mental Protection was eight for home, she added. hopes of winning the bid for the site directly across from Philadel- Bayonne, four for Jersey City, one for Their effort to involve all kinds of battleships new home as a mu- phia, where the ships keel was laid Camden and one abstention. people in the movement has led the seum and veterans memorial. in 1940, and from where the hull was The ultimate decision rests with couple across New Jersey to events Bayonnes two-mile long Military launched in 1942. Last summer, the Secretary of the Navy. like a county fair in Colts Neck, WE HAVE A WINNER Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Daniel P. Ocean Terminal is the only site pres- Camden officials pledged to provide We feel that putting it in the Navys where they were asked to hold a Sullivan judges the pie-eating contest at the first Kids Kingdom Traveling ently able to accommodate a ship the $1 million from the citys Empower- hands is a good move. It takes the patriotic opening ceremony, some- Jubilee held at Warinanco Park last month. size and weight of the Battleship ment Zone and $3.2 million from the politics out of it, stated Senator thing which had never been done New Jersey. The ship was berthed Camden County Board of Chosen Matheussen. He anticipates a deci- before. there following World War II and the Freeholders to build docking facili- sion by January, 2000. They called on members of the Kids Jubilee Kicks Off Korean Conflict.