[june181901]

The ships that are assigned there are USNS ships and the vast majority of the crews are civilian employees of the US Navy. The Shamrock buses you recall were transporting Navy sailors from the ships to shore and back to the ships. That was when the ships were designated as USS ships and had all military crews. Because of the high cost of living here in northeast Monmouth County the sailors were hard pressed to find affordable housing, by redesignating the ships as USNS ships they relieved most of the sailors, hired civilian crews and ameliorated a morale problem.
FWIW the Navy Exchange and barber shop that was on the pier have closed much to my chagrin. I now have to go to the Colts Neck main side facility for my adult beverages.