Why a Navy Submarine Sits Abandoned, Decaying in New Jersey’s Hackensack River

HACKENSACK, NJ – The USS Ling, a World War II submarine, remains a stranded relic in the Hackensack River, its future uncertain as it continues to rust away from public view. The vessel, initially stationed in New London, Connecticut, was moved to Hackensack in 1973 to serve as a museum ship at the New Jersey Naval Museum.

A series of dredging efforts facilitated the submarine’s journey to Hackensack, creating a temporary channel to accommodate its draft. However, these efforts ceased, effectively stranding the vessel in increasingly silted waters.

The Navy’s refusal to remove the USS Ling stems from its decommissioned status and transfer of ownership. Once a vessel is decommissioned and ownership is transferred, the Navy typically has no further responsibilities regarding its fate. In the case of the USS Ling, ownership complexities and legal disputes further complicate any potential relocation or restoration efforts.

As for its future, the USS Ling faces a murky path. Financial and logistical challenges hamper efforts to restore or move the submarine. The vessel’s deteriorating condition and the environmental concerns of disturbing the riverbed add to the obstacles. Advocacy groups and local historians have expressed interest in preserving the USS Ling, but concrete plans or sufficient funding have yet to materialize.

This leaves the submarine in limbo, a forgotten piece of naval history slowly succumbing to the elements, its story a testament to the complexities of preserving military heritage.

Now, a group of residents are hoping to recover and restore the sunken and flooded submarine.