The famous battleship was floating down the Delaware River Thursday as the USS New Jersey left a dock in Camden, New Jersey, on its way to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for extensive maintenance work.
The ship, guided by tugboats, will head first to Paulsboro Marine Terminal, where it will be balanced for dry docking before heading to the Navy Yard within six days.
According to officials, the maintenance work is expected to take about two months to complete. Three major repair projects are planned, including repainting the hull, fixing the bottom corrosion protection system and inspecting openings through the hull.
USS New Jersey departs port for first time in 24 years; large ship salutes: “We love this ship.”
The battleship was built in Philadelphia in the 1940s and served for nearly 50 years before being decommissioned in February 1991. Since 2011 she has been open to the public as a floating museum. The battleship was built at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, from which she was launched in December. The 7th of 1942 marked the first anniversary of the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor.
A person walks across the Delaware River from the USS New Jersey to Philadelphia on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Camden, New Jersey. The battleship was moved from its dock in Camden on March 21 and is scheduled to head to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for extensive maintenance work. The USS New Jersey is scheduled to move from its Camden dock on Thursday, March 21, 2024, and head to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for extensive maintenance work. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The ship is the most decorated battleship in Navy history, having served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and conflicts in the Middle East, according to its website. This ship sailed more miles, fought more battles, and fired more shells than any of her other battleships.
Thursday’s ceremony was attended by several veterans who served on the ship, including Capt. Walter M. Urban Jr., who served as public affairs officer in the Army and Navy Reserves from 1970 to 2000. He served on the battleship in February 1985 and February 1991 and remembers those days fondly.
“You always felt the presence of people who had walked the deck before you,” Urban said. “She was born in a time of war and was a symbol of our great nation at the time. It’s very interesting to be part of her history and to meet her today, some 81 years later.”
Battleship curator Ryan Szymanski said the battleship’s move could be a “once-in-a-generation event.” He described the ship as “one of the most impressive man-made objects of all time”, saying it is the size of a 90-story office building, displaces 57,500 tons, and can travel underwater at speeds of about 38 miles per hour. It pointed out.
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Szymanski said there are some concerns about the move, primarily due to the ship’s age, but he believes things will go smoothly.
