On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the New Jersey State Library will present a free lunchtime program, Oral Histories of the Battleship N.J., with Ron Gottardi.
The program will commemorate the 24th anniversary of the decommissioning of the Battleship New Jersey (BB-62).
Gottardi, the executive director of the oral histories project,will discuss how the project got started 14 years ago and how history of the Battleship New Jersey has been enhanced through the personal memories of U.S. Navy crewmembers, U.S. Marine corps personnel and other military veterans and civilians who helped construct or maintain the battleship.
The Battleship New Jersey was commissioned during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Middle East conflict up through 1991. During these periods, the battleship earned 19 battle stars to become the most decorated battleship in United States history.
The ship is now a museum and memorial permanently berthed on the Camden Waterfront.
The program will take place from noon to 1 p.m. in the second floor Reading Room.The State Library is located at 185 West State Street in Trenton.
To register email Cindy Warrick at cwarrick@njstatelib.org.
More information is online at njstatelib.org.