About 100 antiques on loan from the Navy are being demanded back from the New Jersey Naval Museum in Hackensack N.J. to prevent further decay to them.
This follows reports of the museum receiving an eviction notice from the former proprietors of The Record Newspaper.
They share the anxiety of veterans whose story is contained in these historic relics, said the assistant director of collection management for the Naval History and Heritage Command, Jay Thomas.
This step is difficult because sharing their Navy’s history is an important portion of their mission. But so is safeguarding the collection.
Some of the artifacts include German and Japanese submarines as well as the Regulus 1 SSM-N-8A, the Navy’s first operational cruise missile.
The location on the Hackensack River next to The Record’s long-time home is scheduled to be transformed into a retail development and mixed housing, NJ.com reported.
This summer after a visit, The Naval History and Heritage Command found that artifacts were decaying due to poor environmental circumstances.
A number of relics that were displayed outdoors had suffered acute degradation, officials said.
The Navy resolved to take back the artifacts following the museum’s failure to furnish a thorough plan to move and conserve the relics.
They will be returned to the Washington Navy Yard where they will be checked and receive needed repair.