That's the day David Lewis of Moorestown and the Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club are planning a fund-raising run through parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Burlington City.

The 55-year-old entrepreneur and six other members of the club's local branch will meet at the Philadelphia Navy Yard with other clubs and thousands of other bikers.

They want to create a rolling army of bikers, and they hope to get $10 to $15 donations from each rider. The money will be contributed to the restoration of the Battleship New Jersey.

"The Battleship New Jersey is now owned by the Home Port Alliance, headquartered on the waterfront in Camden County," Dave said. "They're the caretakers of the battleship, and this is a fund-raising event for them.

"We'll be sponsoring a motorcycle run called 'From Birthplace to Birthplace,' from the Philadelphia Navy Yard where (the battleship) was built to the Camden waterfront where it will be permanently moored as a museum."

Riders will assemble from 7:30 to 9 a.m., and the ride will begin at 9:30 a.m. The riders will head south on Interstate 95, passing through a section of Delaware to get to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

"Then we'll come up 295 into Camden, to the waterfront," Dave said. "We expect to wind up with 5,000 to 10,000 motorcyclists for this event, each paying from $10 to $15 apiece to help support the ship."

Why the focus on the New Jersey?

"It's a Vietnam veteran, as well," Dave said. "And it's the most decorated U.S. ship in history."

Dave said the New Jersey was off Vietnam in 1968 and 1969 at the same time he served there as a combat artist with the Army Information Office.

"It left quite an impression on most people that served in the areas in which it operated, because it was such a massive presence," Dave said.

"It was a colossal gun platform, and I think it fired off 3,000 16-inch rounds during its time in Vietnam," he said.

That's the day David Lewis of Moorestown and the Nam Knights of America Motorcycle Club are planning a fund-raising run through parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Burlington City.

The 55-year-old entrepreneur and six other members of the club's local branch will meet at the Philadelphia Navy Yard with other clubs and thousands of other bikers.

They want to create a rolling army of bikers, and they hope to get $10 to $15 donations from each rider. The money will be contributed to the restoration of the Battleship New Jersey.

"The Battleship New Jersey is now owned by the Home Port Alliance, headquartered on the waterfront in Camden County,"

Dave said. "They're the caretakers of the battleship, and this is a fund-raising event for them.

"We'll be sponsoring a motorcycle run called 'From Birthplace to Berthplace,' from the Philadelphia Navy Yard where (the battleship) was built to the Camden waterfront where it will be permanently moored as a museum."

Riders will assemble from 7:30 to 9 a.m., and the ride will begin at 9:30 a.m. The riders will head south on Interstate 95, passing through a section of Delaware to get to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

"Then we'll come up 295 into Camden, to the waterfront," Dave said. "We expect to wind up with 5,000 to 10,000 motorcyclists for this event, each paying from $10 to $15 apiece to help support the ship."

Why the focus on the New Jersey?

"It's a Vietnam veteran, as well," Dave said. "And it's the most decorated U.S. ship in history."

Dave said the New Jersey was off Vietnam in 1968 and 1969 at the same time he served there as a combat artist with the Army Information Office.

"It left quite an impression on most people that served in the areas in which it operated, because it was such a massive presence," Dave said.

"It was a colossal gun platform, and I think it fired off 3,000 16-inch rounds during its time in
Vietnam," he said.

"And it was a pretty impressive thing, and consequently, I think that the veteran community feels a certain debt to the ship, because it was a very effective tool. Its presence was very well-regarded."

The Nam Knights were started 15 years ago by now-retired Bergen County Undersheriff Jack Quigley. Some 16 chapters now exist from New Hampshire to Florida.

"I first heard about them nine or 10 years ago, when I was down at the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam Memorial and ran across a bunch of guys who were in their Nam Knights livery," Dave said.

Recently, Dave started a Delaware Valley chapter. Veterans and people in the law-enforcement
community are eligible for membership. People who are interesting in joining may call him at (856) 802-6202 Ext. 223.

Army vet Bob McKee owns the Delran Coffee Shop on Bridgeboro Road where the club meets.

Other members include Larry Moss, sales manager of Mills Harley-Davidson in Burlington City; former Marine Lt. Allen Ferg of Moorestown, just hired as a state deputy attorney general; disabled Vietnam vet George Wetzell; and Philly police officers Norm Thomas and Vince Pacitti.

For more details on the run, call the Home Port Alliance at (856) 966-1652.

Jack Knarr's human-interest column appears in the Burlington County Times three days a week.

Friday, August 10, 2001--Burlington County Times, Burlington, New Jersey