USS NEW JERSEY

America's Most
Decorated Battleship

BB 62

Museum and Memorial
in Camden, New Jersey

America's Most Decorated Battleship
The USS New Jersey's 19 battle and campaign stars, combined with all awards earned during her four major periods of service, make New Jersey a legend among naval ships. During nearly five decades of service, New Jersey saw action in World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.  Awards and decorations include:

Combat Action Ribbon
with Gold Star

Navy Unit Commendation
with Bronze Star

Navy "E" Ribbon

Navy Expeditionary Medal

China Service Medal

American Campaign
Medal

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
with 1 Silver and 4 Bronze Stars

World War Two
Victory Medal

Navy Occupation
Service Medal

National Defense Service Medal
with 1 Bronze Star

Korean Service Medal
with 4 Bronze Stars

Armed Forces
Expeditionary Medal

Vietnam Service Medal
with 3 Bronze Stars

Sea Service
Deployment Ribbon

Philippine Presidential
Unit Citation

Korean Presidential
Unit Citation

Republic of Vietnam Meritorious
Unit Commendation

Philippine Liberation Medal
with 2 Bronze Stars

United Nations
Service Medal

Republic of Vietnam
Campaign Medal

 
Brief summary of service
7 December 1942 - Launched for service in WWII
30 June 1948 - Decommissioned
21 November 1950 - Recommissioned for service in Korea
21 August 1957 - Decommissioned
6 April 1968 - Recommissioned for service in Vietnam
17 December 1969 - Decommissioned
28 December 1982 - Recommissioned for 600 ship Navy
8 February 1991 - Decommissioned
11 November 1999 - Arrives at former Philadelphia Shipyard
October 2001 - Opened as a museum and memorial

  
  
Click to enlarge thumbnail images below
  

16" Main Battery Guns

16" Gun Turret Armor

16" Gun Turret Crew Positions

16" Gun Turrets

Firing Cycle for Single 16" Gun

16" Projectile or 'Project' weighed up to 2700 lbs.
Six 110-pound powder bags (like the one seen on the top of the gray stand on the right) were needed to fire one projectile. Range: 23 miles

 

Click to enlarge thumbnail images below

Looking inside the dual 5" gun turret which was manned by Marines during most of the ship's campaigns

The gun crew painted this image of the 'Grim Reaper' on the ceiling of the 5-inch gun turret manned by Marines

Cruise missiles were retrofitted to the battleship as the new technology became available

Inside one of the ship's fire direction centers

View up the Delaware River from the Admiral's Bridge

PHALANX CIWS Missile Defense with 20mm Gatling Gun fires 3,000 rounds per minute.