Naval Weapons Station Earle is a United States Navy base in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Its distinguishing feature is a 2.9-mile (4.7 km) pier in Sandy Hook Bay where ammunition can be loaded and unloaded from warships at a safe distance from heavily populated areas.
World War II operations demanded an ammunition depot near the greater New York metropolitan area but away from high-population sectors. Planning was hastened in early 1943 after the ammunition ship SS El Estero caught fire while moored in Bayonne, New Jersey. If the stowed and dockside explosives had detonated at once, in the manner of the great Halifax Explosion, the blast could have damaged parts of Bayonne and even Lower Manhattan. A board was established to locate a suitable site, and chose Sandy Hook Bay, which featured a safe, sheltered, and nearby port where ships could take on ammunition. Rail lines could bring in the ammunition from the west, where the majority of ammunition shipments originated. The rural area meant few local residents would be affected.
On August 2, 1943, construction began on Naval Ammunition Depot Earle, named after Rear AdmiralRalph Earle, the chief of the Bureau of Ordnance during World War I. The depot was commissioned on December 13, 1943, though work continued on the military road and railway connecting the mainside complex, the waterfront complex and the pier, which stretches 2.9 miles (4.7 km) into the Sandy Hook Bay.
Earle continued to develop after World War II, keeping pace with the changing needs of the navy. In 1974, the depot's name was changed to Naval Weapons Station Earle.
Aviation Ordnancemen inventory ordnance aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima(LHD-7) at Naval Weapons Station Earle.
Mainside: The 10,000 acres (40 km2) in Colts Neck house most of Earle's departments and facilities. The Navy Munitions Command, Detachment Earle, performs the station's primary mission: storing and providing ammunition to the fleet. Military and civilian personnel operate the inland storage, renovation, transshipment and demilitarization facilities.
Waterfront: At the Waterfront Complex, the Navy Munitions Command provides ammunition for nearly every class of ship operated by the navy and United States Coast Guard as well as commercial vessels from other countries.
Pier Complex: The station's pier complex is one of the longest "finger piers" in the world. A two-mile (3 km) trestle connects to three finger piers. One mile from the shore the trestle branches off to Pier 1. At the junction of Piers 2, 3 and 4, a concrete platform supports a forklift/battery-recharging shop and the port operations building. This area is known as the "wye."
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Naval Weapons Station Earle is a United States Navy base in Monmouth County New Jersey United States Its distinguishing feature is a 2 9 mile 4 7 km pier in Sandy Hook Bay where ammunition can be loaded and unloaded from warships at a safe distance from heavily populated areas Naval Weapons Station EarleMonmouth County New JerseyNaval Weapons Station Earle InsigniaTypeMilitary baseSite informationControlled byUnited States NavySite historyIn useDecember 13 1943 PresentThe Leonardo Piers seen from the airThe station is divided into two sections Mainside located in parts of Colts Neck Township Howell Township Wall Township and Tinton Falls at 40 15 00 N 74 09 00 W 40 25000 N 74 15000 W 40 25000 74 15000 and the Waterfront Area which includes the pier complex on Sandy Hook Bay located in the Leonardo section of Middletown Township at 40 24 30 N 74 04 30 W 40 40833 N 74 07500 W 40 40833 74 07500 The areas are connected by Normandy Road a 15 mile 24 km military road and rail line 1 Contents 1 History 2 Facilities 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editWorld War II operations demanded an ammunition depot near the greater New York metropolitan area but away from high population sectors Planning was hastened in early 1943 after the ammunition ship SS El Estero caught fire while moored in Bayonne New Jersey If the stowed and dockside explosives had detonated at once in the manner of the great Halifax Explosion the blast could have damaged parts of Bayonne and even Lower Manhattan A board was established to locate a suitable site and chose Sandy Hook Bay which featured a safe sheltered and nearby port where ships could take on ammunition Rail lines could bring in the ammunition from the west where the majority of ammunition shipments originated The rural area meant few local residents would be affected On August 2 1943 construction began on Naval Ammunition Depot Earle named after Rear Admiral Ralph Earle the chief of the Bureau of Ordnance during World War I The depot was commissioned on December 13 1943 though work continued on the military road and railway connecting the mainside complex the waterfront complex and the pier which stretches 2 9 miles 4 7 km into the Sandy Hook Bay Earle continued to develop after World War II keeping pace with the changing needs of the navy In 1974 the depot s name was changed to Naval Weapons Station Earle School aged children of active military personnel at the station in grades K through 8 attend the schools of the Tinton Falls School District Students in grades 9 through 12 attend Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls part of the Monmouth Regional High School District NWS Earle is also the homeport to USNS Supply T AOE 6 USNS Arctic T AOE 8 and Combat Logistics Squadron 2 In 2015 the largest solar farm in New Jersey the Ben Moreell Solar Farm was completed at the station 2 Facilities edit nbsp Aviation Ordnancemen inventory ordnance aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima LHD 7 at Naval Weapons Station Earle Mainside The 10 000 acres 40 km2 in Colts Neck house most of Earle s departments and facilities The Navy Munitions Command Detachment Earle performs the station s primary mission storing and providing ammunition to the fleet Military and civilian personnel operate the inland storage renovation transshipment and demilitarization facilities Waterfront At the Waterfront Complex the Navy Munitions Command provides ammunition for nearly every class of ship operated by the navy and United States Coast Guard as well as commercial vessels from other countries Pier Complex The station s pier complex is one of the longest finger piers in the world A two mile 3 km trestle connects to three finger piers One mile from the shore the trestle branches off to Pier 1 At the junction of Piers 2 3 and 4 a concrete platform supports a forklift battery recharging shop and the port operations building This area is known as the wye See also editPS Alexander HamiltonReferences edit Weird NJ Don t go there Mystery road ends badly Asbury Park Press August 9 2014 Retrieved March 26 2019 Lewis Michelle 2020 05 18 New Jersey s largest solar farm has been completed Electrek Retrieved 2020 05 26 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naval Weapons Station Earle Naval Weapons Station Earle at the Commander Navy Region Mid Atlantic official website Historic American Engineering Record HAER documentation filed under Sandy Hook Bay Colts Neck Monmouth County NJ HAER No NJ 142 Naval Ammunition Depot Earle 26 photos 24 data pages 5 photo caption pages HAER No NJ 142 A Naval Ammunition Depot Earle Pier 2 6 photos 28 data pages 3 photo caption pages HAER No NJ 142 B Naval Ammunition Depot Earle Pier 3 9 photos 27 data pages 3 photo caption pages HAER No NJ 142 C Naval Ammunition Depot Earle Trestle 2 7 photos 22 data pages 3 photo caption pages HAER No NJ 142 D Naval Ammunition Depot Earle Trestle 3 4 photos 23 data pages 2 photo caption pages Retrieved from 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