The battleship New Jersey is a United States Navy battleship and museum berthed in Camden, New Jersey and is open to the public for tours, tickets can be purchased online or at the Visitors Center.
The battleship New Jersey is a United States Navy battleship and museum berthed in Camden, She is open to the public for tours, tickets can be purchased online or at the Visitors Center.
The visitor center is located in Camden, NJ and offers self-guided audio tours that allow you to explore different areas of this historic ship on your own. Tours are available for different times of day and are also available for groups as well as individuals ages 10+ (children must be accompanied by an adult).
My son and I have also stayed overnight on the New Jersey, sleeping in the less than spacious triple bunks. While not the same as living on it, even an overnight stay gives you some tight feel of the tight quarters our brave men and women of the armed services endure to protect the U.S. and other allied nations during wartime and peacetime. It is quite interesting to be allowed to roam the ship and explore a different world.
Weapons Battery
The battleship’s main battery consisted of nine 16″/50 caliber Mark 7 guns, which could fire 16 inch, 2,700 pound armor-piercing shells over 23 nautical miles (43 km). Each gun had a barrel length of almost 30 feet and weighed about 154 tons. The battleship also carried two 5″ 54 caliber rifles (for anti-aircraft defense) and ten 3″ 50 caliber anti-aircraft guns.
Military Service
The USS New Jersey was the lead ship of her class and was commissioned in 1942. She saw action during World War II and is still considered one of the most powerful warships ever built. In fact, she’s the only battleship to have been upgraded to modern standards after being decommissioned in 1991.
In World War II she took part in shore bombardments at Saipan, Guam and Leyte Gulf (one of the biggest naval battles of all time). In 1945 she was mothballed for several years before returning to active service from 1951-1955 as part of Korea’s efforts against Communist aggression from China/North Korea.
In 1999 she was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
The New Jersey was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1999. A National Historic Landmark is a structure or object that is officially recognized by the US government as having historical significance.
Conclusion
The New Jersey is a great place to visit and learn about our history. I hope you enjoyed learning about this battleship and its role in World War II. A visit to this amazing piece of history is well worth your time. When you visit this amazing ship maybe pay a visit to the nearby Camden Aquarium.
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