Commanding Officer of USS New Jersey SSN-796, Receives a Proclamation as Trenton Navy Week Kicks Off May 2 to 8

May 2, 2022

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–This morning at the historic Eagle Tavern on Broad Street, Commanding Officer of the Virginia Class nuclear submarine, USS New Jersey, SSN-796, Jared Smith received a proclamation for Trenton Navy Week from Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora and Trenton North Ward Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson.

The Navy be sending roughly 100 sailors into the greater Trenton area for the week, who will be meeting with area students to talk about the importance of STEM education, volunteering at local non-profits, and holding community events to get sailors out into the community. All told, there will be upwards of 75 events held during Trenton Navy Week with sailors coming from commands based all over the country.

Trenton was chosen as one of 14 cities to host Navy Week across the country this year and takes place May 2-8, 2022. This year is set to be the first time a Navy Week has been held in the state of New Jersey in the history of the program. A planned Trenton Navy Week of 2020 which had to be scrapped due to COVID.

PCU New Jersey (SSN 796) is a Virginia-class attack submarine.

The Virginia-class, also known as the VA-class or 774-class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the U.S. Navy. The submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions. They were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class attack submarines, designed during the Cold War era, and are replacing older Los Angeles-class submarines, 29 of which have already been decommissioned.

According to Wikipedia SSN 796, New Jersey was christened on November 13, 2021 and launched on April 14, 2022. The New Jersey is the first US Navy submarine designed for a mixed-gender crew.

(Left) Jared Smith, the Commanding Officer of the soon-to-be commissioned Virginia Class nuclear submarine, USS New Jersey receives a Proclamation for Trenton Navy Week from (Right) Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora and (Center) Trenton North Ward Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson. Photo by: Brian McCarthy, OnScene News