©1969 to Neil Leifer
Photographs Courtesy of Life Magazine
Art Director: Ronald. L. Shender
New Jersey Representative: Ltjg Jeffrey T. Vernallis, USN
Copy: Thomas Flaherty
Photographic Printing: Carmine Ercolano
Editorial Assistants: James and Jean Drake
Printed by Baum Printing House, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.
A WORLD OF THANKS
A book of this sort is certainly the dream of every photographer, but my dream
could never have even begin to come true were it not for so many friends helping
and encouraging me every step of the way. It's a long way from my home in
New York to such places as Panama, San Diego and the Gulf of Tonkin and without
the full backing and support of LIFE Magazine, and Assistant Managing Editor Roy
Rowan in particular, this project could never have started. The Life Photo
Lab and Peggy Sargent especially can never adequately be thanked for the many
hours (Peggy would swear it was months) spent processing and editing my
film. Another LIFER who was in my corner right from round one (and
remained there through this book) is Associate Editor Tom Flaherty. Tom
was always there for help and advice, his office quickly became a library and
filling room for my ever-increasing volume of pictures.
It goes without saying that nothing could have been accomplished without the cooperation of the U.S. Navy and the men of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where both NEW JERSEY and my picture essay came to life.
As for NEW JERSEY herself no words can properly express my gratitude for the
support and assistance required to make these pictures possible. A special
thanks to Captain Snyder (for putting up with me), to Commander James Elfelt and
Ensign Scott Cheyne (for direct assistance while I was aboard), and to Commander
Peter Roane for cooperation in photographing the firing sequences. While
it is impossible to mention each crewmember here I do want to thank them all for
the wonderful way in which they received and treated me. I hope we'll
always be shipmates.
Once I returned from Viet Nam with the final pictures, the task fell to Baum Printing to put the book together. I could not have worked with better or more helpful people than Rube Kaye and Seymour Baum and I think you can see the results for yourself.
Last but most important I owe a very special thanks to my wife Renae and daughter Jodi who so unselfishly shared me with NEW JERSEY during the many months that this assignment kept me away from home.
Neil Leifer