NEWSLETTER
Spring Has Sprung, and USS NEW JERSEY Is Moving Ahead
A quarterly message to strengthen the connection between the boat, the crew, their families, and the people of New Jersey who stand behind them.
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A quarterly morale and connection update for the crew of USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) and the Garden State community that supports them.
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The USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) is a Virginia-class submarine homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Commissioned on September 14, 2024 at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey, she is the third U.S. Navy ship named for the Garden State and the first fully integrated fast-attack submarine designed for mixed-gender crews. The nonprofit USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) Support Organization operates out of New Jersey to help bridge the distance between the crew and their home state. This quarterly update covers industry partnerships, crew morale initiatives, and the submarine heritage that connects past and present.
Built for the Silent Service.
In Florence, New Jersey, sparks fly. Not for spectacle. For submarines.
At DC Fabricators, skilled welders, machinists, and engineers manufacture critical components that become part of U.S. Navy submarines. These are high-tolerance, mission-critical systems built to perform quietly and reliably in one of the most demanding environments on Earth.
Earlier this year, members of the USS NEW JERSEY crew toured the facility. They walked the shop floor and met the team behind the work. For DC Fabricators, it was a powerful reminder that every weld has a purpose, supporting sailors who take the watch far from home.
"Meeting the sailors reminds us why we hold ourselves to such a high standard. You are the reason we take pride in every component."
DC Fabricators Team Member
Why this matters
- It highlights a direct connection between New Jersey industry and undersea readiness.
- It shows the crew that people in their namesake state are invested in the mission.
- It gives the broader community a concrete example of New Jersey's role in the Silent Service.
Every submarine has a crew on board, but every boat also has a wider community standing behind it, spouses, children, parents, and loved ones who carry their own part of the journey. For USS New Jersey, SSN 796, one of the people helping strengthen that connection is the boat's ombudsman, Madison Adams.
The ombudsman role is an important one. It helps provide families with a trusted point of contact and helps keep the connection between the command and families clear, steady, and personal. For a submarine community, that kind of support matters. It helps families feel informed, connected, and supported as they navigate the unique rhythm of life tied to the boat.
Madison brings that spirit to the role with both warmth and firsthand understanding. She knows what it means to be part of a Navy family, and she is stepping into this role with a clear desire to serve others well.
In her own words:
"Hi, my name is Madison Adams and I am the ombudsman for the USS New Jersey! I'm a wife, a mom to 2 kiddos and I'm originally from eastern Pennsylvania. My husband, Lucas, has been a part of the command since June 2022, so I'm excited to spend our last year here being able to serve the New Jersey families in the best way that I can! If you have any questions or need to contact me please email newjerseyombudsman@gmail.com."
Madison Adams, Ombudsman
That introduction says a great deal. Madison is not simply filling a role. She is serving from lived experience, as a wife, a mother, and someone whose family has been part of the command since June 2022. That gives her service both credibility and heart.
For families connected to USS New Jersey, that matters. The ombudsman helps provide a familiar and approachable connection, someone who understands that behind every duty day, schedule change, and milestone at sea, there are families at home doing their part too. In that way, the ombudsman helps support not only the families themselves, but also the overall strength of the community that stands behind the crew.
Madison's willingness to serve in this role reflects the kind of care and commitment that helps make a command community stronger. As USS New Jersey continues her journey, it is people like Madison who help ensure that families remain an important and supported part of that story.
This past fall, the Battleship New Jersey had the distinct honor of welcoming the crew of our namesake submarine, USS NEW JERSEY (SSN-796), back aboard BB-62—continuing a proud and growing tradition between our two ships.
This visit marked the first to the Battleship for the submarine's new Commanding Officer, CDR Ron Simmons, who assumed command last December. It was a pleasure to host CDR Simmons and his crew as they begin this next chapter in the life of New Jersey's newest warship.
The evening included dinner in the historic Officers' Wardroom, followed by a guided tour of the ship led by Battleship New Jersey veterans—creating a powerful connection between generations of sailors who have served under the same proud name.
In partnership with the SSN-796 Support Organization, the Battleship New Jersey remains deeply committed to supporting the boat and the extraordinary men and women who serve aboard her. The bond between BB-62 and SSN-796 is more than symbolic—it is a living continuation of the legacy, service, and spirit of New Jersey at sea.
Elizabeth Students Celebrate NJ's Submarine Legacy
In June 2025, more than 800 students from Elizabeth Public Schools made history. They set a Guinness World Record for the largest human image of a submarine.
The formation brought submarine pride to life on the very ground where the U.S. submarine story began. Students stood shoulder to shoulder on what was once the site of the original Crescent Shipyard, where the first submarine commissioned by the U.S. Navy was built.
As USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) sails under the name of this great state, crews can picture this scene, a sea of students forming the shape of a submarine, just as sailors stand watch below the waves. That is New Jersey pride in action.
Record Details
- Date: June 2025
- Location: Elizabeth, NJ, former Crescent Shipyard site
- Participants: 800+ students from Juan Pablo Duarte School 28 and others
- Verification: Guinness World Records officials on site
Looking for a submarine-themed outing this spring? These public events give families, friends, and supporters a chance to connect with the wider submarine community, whether that means hands-on learning, museum time, remembrance, or simply sharing a day built around undersea heritage. Most are easy to frame as a family day out, and each offers a meaningful way to stay connected to the story of the Silent Service.
One of the meaningful moments from fall 2025 was the presentation of Firepower for Freedom at the New Jersey State House. Created by maritime artist and Battleship NEW JERSEY veteran James A. Flood, the painting brings together the three Navy ships to bear the name New Jersey and honors the legacy now carried forward by USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796).
The event also reflected something bigger than the painting itself. With state leaders present, including Senator Paul A. Sarlo and Brigadier General Yvonne L. Mays, it became another visible sign of the bond between the boat and the State of New Jersey.
Along with recent crew visits and other community support efforts, it was one more example of how the story of USS NEW JERSEY continues to be shared not only at sea, but across the state she represents.
Special thanks to:
- Senator Paul A. Sarlo
- Assemblywoman & USMC Gold Star Mom Melinda Kane
- Brigadier General Yvonne L. Mays, The Adjutant General of New Jersey
- Captain Kent D. Smith, Commanding Officer of NWS Earle
- Former Assemblyman Julio Marenco
- CAPT Steven Halle (USN, Ret.)
- Tony Perry, Mayor of Middletown
- James A. Flood, Artist, Firepower for Freedom
- With a special thanks to the State Capitol Joint Managament Commission and the Office of Legislative Services.
USS Growler is permanently moored across the Hudson River from New Jersey at the Intrepid Museum in New York City.
When visitors step aboard Growler at the Intrepid Museum-visible across the Hudson from New Jersey-they usually have the same reaction: surprise.
"She carried nuclear missiles?"
"Wait. She had to surface to launch them?"
USS Growler is more than a preserved Cold War artifact. She represents a pivotal moment in naval history. A transitional technology that reshaped nuclear deterrence strategy and paved the way for today's submarine force-including the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines that carry on Growler's strategic mission, and fast-attack boats like USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) that evolved from the same design lineage.
What Made Growler Unique
Commissioned in 1958, Growler was one of only five operational U.S. Navy submarines to carry the Regulus I nuclear cruise missile. Unlike modern submarines that launch from underwater, Growler had to surface to fire.
In a potential Cold War scenario, the submarine would rise to the ocean surface. It would open missile hangars, roll out a 33-foot missile, and launch. All while exposed. By today's standards, that sounds risky. At the time, it was revolutionary.
The whole process from hangar open to ignition took 12 to 15 minutes. An eternity in combat. But before submarine-launched ballistic missiles existed, the Regulus system offered the United States a credible sea-based nuclear deterrent. It extended strategic reach beyond land-based bombers and fixed silos.
Even though the missile required radio guidance and surfacing, it introduced a crucial idea. Nuclear deterrence could be mobile, hidden, and deployed from the sea. That concept would transform global strategy.
From Growler to the Modern Fleet
The leap from Growler's Regulus system to modern submarine-launched missiles was dramatic. But the lineage is direct.
Today, the U.S. submarine force operates two distinct types of nuclear-powered boats. Fast-attack submarines like USS NEW JERSEY (the 23rd Virginia-class submarine) conduct intelligence missions, anti-submarine warfare, and precision strike operations. Ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs)-14 Ohio-class boats-are the direct descendants of Growler's strategic deterrence mission. They carry Trident II D5 nuclear missiles and can launch while fully submerged, hidden deep in the ocean.
USS NEW JERSEY carries on the tradition with her Virginia Payload Tubes-four large-diameter tubes forward of the sail that can each launch six Tomahawk cruise missiles with conventional warheads. Unlike Growler's nuclear Regulus missiles, today's Tomahawks carry precision conventional payloads. And unlike Growler, SSN 796 never needs to surface to fire.
Why Public Education on Submarines Matters
Submarines are inherently invisible. Their missions are often classified. Their operations unseen.
That invisibility makes public education even more important.
On Growler, visitors encounter more than hardware. They encounter a moment when nuclear deterrence was still being invented. They see the scale of early missile systems and feel the tight spaces that shaped daily life aboard. Younger visitors are often struck by how "non-digital" everything feels. A reminder that Cold War stability rested on sailors interpreting gauges and making real-time decisions.
Preserving and interpreting submarines ensures that strategic history remains accessible and human. It fosters informed conversations about deterrence, innovation, and the responsibilities that come with powerful technology.
Growler's operational career was relatively brief (1958 to 1964). The Regulus system was soon surpassed. But transitional technologies often matter most. They test ideas, reveal limitations, and accelerate breakthroughs.
Walking through Growler, visitors see the courage, ingenuity, and teamwork that built the Silent Service. A legacy that continues beneath the waves and lives on in the submarines and families of today's fleet-including the crew of USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796), proudly carrying the Garden State's name into the 21st century.
Visit Growler
USS Growler is on permanent display at the Intrepid Museum in New York City-directly across the Hudson River from New Jersey. The museum offers guided tours and educational programs about Cold War submarine operations. intrepidmuseum.org
This quarter, we received a message through our website from Middletown, New Jersey. Myra Kryscnski wrote to share the story of her son, Jon David Kryscnski, a materials engineer whose work supported generations of U.S. Navy submarines.
That caught our attention right away. Middletown is not only Jon David Kryscnski's hometown and final resting place. It is also where USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) was commissioned. For us, that makes this story more than a remembrance. It is another reminder of the bond between this boat, her crew, and the people of New Jersey.
Jon was born in Red Bank and grew up in Middletown, where he lived through his college years. He earned a bachelor's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master's degree in Metallurgy from MIT. He did not serve in uniform, but he served the Navy in another important way, through the engineering and materials work that helped make submarines stronger, safer, and more capable.
His career included work as a project engineer at General Dynamics Electric Boat. He later served as a U.S. Navy acquisition program manager supporting the Seawolf class, and then as a senior program manager with NAVSEA Team Submarine, contributing to the Virginia class and Columbia class programs.
Jon passed away in 2016. He is buried in Middletown, only minutes from Naval Weapons Station Earle, where USS NEW JERSEY was commissioned in September 2024.
When Myra shared Jon's story, it reminded us that the submarine force is sustained by more than the sailors who take a boat to sea. It also depends on the people who design, build, strengthen, and support these submarines long before they ever get underway.
That is one reason this story matters to us. Jon's life connects Middletown to the wider submarine community, and it reflects the same connection we work to strengthen every day between New Jersey and the crew of USS NEW JERSEY.
Myra wrote with deep pride about her son's dedication, patriotism, and commitment to the Navy's mission. She also shared her hope of carrying that spirit forward in any way she can. We are honored by that, and grateful that she entrusted us with his story.
Jon's work helped support the undersea force. His family's pride and continued support remind us that behind every submarine are people on shore who make the mission possible.
We thank Myra for sharing Jon with us. His story is now part of the larger story of USS NEW JERSEY, a story rooted in service, in sacrifice, and in the enduring connection between the crew and the state they represent.
Looking for submarine and naval-themed family activities this spring and summer? New Jersey offers unique opportunities to connect with maritime history and support the naval community.
America's most decorated battleship sits proudly on the Camden Waterfront, welcoming visitors to walk the same decks where sailors served through World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War. This floating museum brings naval history to life for families, school groups, and corporate outings alike.
From overnight encampments and educational youth programs to Memorial Day ceremonies and private event rentals, the Battleship offers something for everyone. Explore the massive 16-inch gun turrets, tour the Admiral's quarters, and experience what life was like aboard one of the most powerful warships ever built.
Whether you're planning a family day out, a team-building event, or simply want to stand where history was made, BB-62 delivers an unforgettable experience that connects past and present in the spirit of naval service.
Show your support for USS NEW JERSEY and the submarine community with official merchandise. Your purchases help fund crew support initiatives and community programs.
Wear the pride of the Silent Service. The official USS NEW JERSEY (SSN 796) store offers quality apparel, challenge coins, patches, and commemorative gear that lets you represent the newest submarine to carry the Garden State's name.
Every item you purchase directly supports the crew. Proceeds fund morale initiatives, family connection programs, and quality-of-life improvements for the sailors who serve aboard SSN 796. When you wear the gear, you become part of the extended crew community that stands behind these submariners.
Available items include:
- T-shirts, hoodies, and hats
- Challenge coins and patches
- Mugs and drinkware
- Commemorative items
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