USS Ling (SS-297)

USS "Ling" (SS/AGSS/IXSS-297) is a "Balao"-class submarine of the United States Navy, named for the ling fish, also known as the cobia. "Ling" is the last of the fleet boats that patrolled American shores during World War II in response to U-boat attacks off the coast of the United States.

"Ling" was laid down 2 November 1942 by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company in Philadelphia, Penn. She was launched 15 August 1943, sponsored by Mrs. E. J. Foy; and was moved to the Boston Navy Yard for completion and testing. "Ling" was commissioned on 8 June 1945, with Commander George Garvie Molumphy in command.

After shakedown and further installations, "Ling" headed out to sea to test her equipment 15 September 1945. The submarine based at Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut until she sailed 11 February 1946 for the Panama Canal Zone, arriving eight days later. She operated out of Panama until 9 March when she sailed north. She completed inactivation 23 October at New London, decommissioned 26 October 1946, and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

In March 1960, "Ling" was towed to Brooklyn, New York, where she was converted into a training ship at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, simulating all aspects of submarine operations. She was reclassified an Auxiliary Submarine (AGSS-297) in 1962.

"Ling" was reclassified a Miscellaneous Unclassified Submarine (IXSS-297), and struck from the Naval Register, 1 December 1971, and six months later the old "297" was donated to the Submarine Memorial Association, a non-profit organization formed in 1972 with the purpose of saving "Ling" from the scrap yard. They petitioned the Navy to bring the boat to Hackensack, New Jersey to serve as a memorial "...to perpetuate the memory of our shipmates who gave their lives in the pursuit of their duties while serving their country". Many citizens and corporations contributed time, professional services, and funds toward the restoration of "Ling". She arrived at her present home in New Jersey in January 1973, where she has been restored to near-mint condition—scrubbed, painted, and polished for public tours—through the efforts of the association. The compartments have been refurbished and outfitted with authentic gear that recreates the bygone era of the World War II battle submarine. She is now the centerpiece of the New Jersey Naval Museum at 78 River St, Hackensack, New Jersey.

X-rays showed that the submarine's five safes contain documents and metallic objects, but the combinations had long been lost. On 27 January 2006, Jeff Sitar, the seven-time world champion locksmith, opened the safes using only his fingers and an electronic sound amplifier, rather than drills or explosives. In the safes, he found a wide variety of objects, including a dozen pennies, two .45-caliber bullets, a ring of keys, many training and maintenance manuals and parts catalogs from the 1940s and 1950s, and two one-quart cans of 190-proof ethanol. (Despite the inevitable jokes that it was the private stash of the yeoman, the alcohol would have been used for cleaning electrical contacts.) [ [http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100007221&docId=l:349436634&start=21 Jeff Sitar and Basil Kio speak about opening five safes on a World War II submarine] , LexisNexis transcript of "The Today Show", January 28, 2006]

"Ling" received one battle star for World War II service.

Since 1972, the New Jersey Naval Museum had paid one dollar per year to rent its riverside site for the Ling. In January 2007, the North Jersey Media Group, owner of the site, informed the museum that the site was going to be sold for redevelopment within the year and that the museum and submarine would need to be relocated. Efforts are being made to find an alternate site to host the Ling. [Holl, John. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/11njtopic.html "Retired Submarine, 63, Seeks Loving New Home"] , "The New York Times", February 11, 2007. Accessed October 21, 2007.]

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/l6/ling.htm|http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/submar/ss297.txt

External links

*navsource|08/08297|Ling
* [http://www.njnm.com/ New Jersey Naval Museum website]
* [http://www.hnsa.org/ships/ling.htm HNSA Web Page: USS Ling]