[50], In 2012 there was another nonprofit - the USS New Jersey Battleship Foundation, Inc. - which advocated that New Jersey should be moved to Liberty State Park. She guarded the carriers in their strikes on Formosa, Okinawa, and Luzon, on the coast of Indo-China, Hong Kong, Swatow and Amoy, and again on Formosa and Okinawa. Air spotters reported Yangyang abandoned at the end of this action, while railroad facilities and vehicles were smashed at Kansong. Its a Beautiful Day on the ship for the car show, student day and tours all day - come on out to the show cars are on the pier and in lot one!! An additional 50 rounds of main battery and 815 rounds of secondary battery were fired unobserved that night., This brought the total ordnance expended to nearly 12,000,000 pounds total rounds expended were 5,866 16-Inch, and 14,891 five inch. According to official reports, though, reasons of economy were to dictate otherwise: on 22 August 1969 the United States Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird released a list of names of ships to be inactivated; at the top of the list was New Jersey. Present were Governor Alfred E. Driscoll, former Governor Walter E. Edge and other dignitaries. The second Wisconsin was authorized on July 6, 1939 and laid down at the Philadelphia Navy Yard beginning in 1941. The next day New Jersey maneuvered into the waters of the Baie de Van Fong to fire at Viet Cong command posts, but poor visibility of the target area prevented any damage estimates. Every deadline was met and on 30 September, NEW JERSEY took station in a gray dawn off the coast of Vietnam's Demilitarized Zone. On 14 December, New Jersey fired 11 projectiles from her 16-inch (406mm) guns at hostile positions inland of Beirut. [8], New Jersey ranged far and wide from 30 December 1944 to 25 January 1945 on her last cruise as Admiral Halsey's flagship. [17], On 28 October New Jersey steamed south to engage Communist targets. [23] Five days later, Captain Snyder was relieved of command by Captain Robert C. Further training off Southern California followed. CREATIVE. In December 1945, four months after the official surrender of the Japanese, he was promoted to the rank of, Persistent rumors have suggested that the real reason that, Thompson, p. 140, 165. Here's What You Need to Remember: USS New Jersey was on the gun line in South Vietnam for 120 days.She participated in the U.S. Navy's Operation Sea Dragon, an effort to disrupt North Vietnam . Using both the 16in and 5in guns New Jersey engaged and destroyed 13structures and an artillery site, in the process halting an enemy platoon moving through the DMZ. As the Republic of Korea's First Division hurled itself on the enemy, shore fire control observers saw New Jersey's salvos hit directly on enemy mortar emplacements, supply and ammunition dumps, and personnel concentrations. Once she fired, it was obvious she couldn't hit anything. New Jersey responded by closing on the formation, and succeeded in sinking eleven of the craft before they could beach. 1968 - USS New Jersey (BB 62) is recommissioned for shore bombardment duty at Vietnam. The New Jersey 's history spanned over half the 20 th century, from her design in 1938 until 1991. New Jersey bombarding positions off South Vietnam during the latter part of her 1968-69 WESTPAC cruise. The helicopter crew was able to reach friendly territory and were later returned to their ship. Military: Vietnam War: View of USS New Jersey (BB-62) Iowa-class battleship firing shell from the Gulf of Tonkin. (rebellionresearch.com) . [16] In August 1967 the Secretary of Defense made the decision to recommission a battleship "for employment in the Pacific Fleet to augment the naval gunfire support force in Southeast Asia". On 24 July New Jersey received 16inch shells and powder tanks from Mount Katmai by conventional highline transfer and by helicopter lift, the first time heavy battleship ammunition had been transferred by helicopter at sea (now known as vertical replenishment). Bunkers damaged 250 Aerial view of a tomahawk launch. . During the Korean War, she was involved in raids up and down the North Korean coast, after which she was decommissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets, better known as the "mothball fleet". On 24 May, she lost one of her helicopters after the crew pushed their chopper to the limit of its fuel searching for a downed aviator. [8], With Admiral Arthur W. Radford, Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet, and Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy, Commander Naval Forces Far East aboard, New Jersey bombarded targets at Wonsan 4 June. She returned to action on 20 March, operating near Cam Ranh Bay in support of the Korean 9th Infantry Division. Several near misses splashed to port, but New Jersey's precision fire silenced the enemy and destroyed several gun emplacements. [8], Between 17 March and 10 April, New Jersey first sailed with Rear Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's flagship Lexington for an air and surface bombardment of Mille, then rejoined Task Group 58.2 for a strike against shipping in the Palaus, and bombarded Woleai. Laid down in 1940 the USS New Jersey BB-62 was launched on December 7 1942 just a year after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. On 13 March the battleship departed the gunline bound for Subic Bay. Section 1012 also required the transferee to locate the battleship in the State of New Jersey. The Kojo area was her target 16 October as she sailed in company with HMSBelfast, pilots from HMASSydney spotting. The last observed mission was fired on the evening of 31 March against an enemy bunker complex three-and-one-half miles northeast of Con Thien. On 17 December 1969 New Jersey's colors were hauled down and she entered the inactive fleet, following the words of her last commanding officer: "Rest well, yet sleep lightly; and hear the call, if again sounded, to provide fire power for freedom. On 28 March New Jersey took up station south of the DMZ to aid the 3rd Marine Division, remaining there until 1 April, whereupon New Jersey departed for Japan. Four hundred Marines stationed in Beirut attended the show. USS New Jersey (BB-62) is an Iowa-class battleship, and was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after the US state of New Jersey. The next day New Jersey fired on an enemy rocket site northeast of Con Thien, destroying the facility, then trained her guns on known Communist positions to harass PAVN forces. Note the diverse group of aircraft on her deckA-7s, A-3s, A-5s, S-2s, and F-4s. According to the New Jersey museum website, the battlewagon destroyed more than 1,000 targets . On the 22nd she arrived once more at Yokosuka, and immediately put to sea in readiness for what might befall. Follow up assaults on 30 October destroyed a Communist resupply area and an anti-aircraft site. Roads interdicted 26 2 gun turret, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, List of broadsides of major World War II ships, "An Act providing for the issuance of Battleship U.S.S. [28][32] In addition to saving time, this also made New Jersey cheaper to reactivate since the cost needed to modernize the battleship only included the addition of missile and gun system mounts, electronic warfare suites, and improved radar and gun spotter technology. Brief stays at Manila and Okinawa preceded her arrival in Tokyo Bay 17 September, where she served as flagship for the successive commanders of Naval Forces in Japanese waters until relieved 28 January 1946 by Iowa (BB-61). [51] Due to Iowa's damaged Turret 2 the Navy selected New Jersey for placement into the mothball fleet, even though it was claimed that the training mechanisms on New Jersey's 16-in guns had been welded down (when in fact it was only the turret locking pins). On 6 Apr 1968, New Jersey was recommissioned during the Vietnam War, becoming the world's only active battleship. On 14 October New Jersey shifted her gunfire to the coastal artillery sites on Hon Matt Island, destroying one battery on the island. New Jersey and its sister ship, USS Virginia, were both sunk in 1923 during aerial bombing tests . She was the scene of official receptions at Oslo, where King Haakon VII of Norway inspected the crew 2 July, and at Portsmouth, England. As U.S. carriers destroyed what remained of Japanese airpower and seapower in spring 1945, Missouri bombarded . Vice Admiral Harold M. Martin, commanding the United States Seventh Fleet, placed his flag in New Jersey for the next six months. Her homecoming, however, was to be delayed. On 2 November New Jersey commenced firing operations against nine positions, but the heavy foliage in the area prevented spotters from seeing the results of the shelling. During a similar action 25 November three Japanese planes were shot down by the combined fire of the force, part of one flaming onto the flight deck of Hancock. [5] [6] [7] New Jersey ' s construction reached pressure hull completion in February 2021. The anti-aircraft fire of New Jersey and the other screening ships proved virtually impenetrable; two American ships were slightly damaged during the battle. For the next six hours New Jersey fired her guns, ultimately repelling the attacking force. New Jersey was decommissioned for the last time in 1991 (after serving a total of 21 years in the active fleet), having earned a Navy Unit Commendation for service in Vietnam and 19 battle and campaign stars for combat operations during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Lebanese Civil War, and service in the Persian Gulf. Shadowing American submarines tracked the Japanese fleet into the Philippine Sea as Admiral Spruance joined his task force with Admiral Mitscher's to meet the enemy. This was first time that New Jersey had operational control of her own group of escorts since the Korean War, and she cruised from Hawaii to Thailand in 1986, freeing up U.S. aircraft carriers for other missions and in the process becoming the only major U.S. naval presence in the region from May to October. New Jersey got underway on the voyage 6 September, departing Long Beach for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Long Beach, CA 8/30/1968 CREDIT: Neil Leifer Vietnam War: View of Ann Morell, Shipmate of the Month, aboard the USS New Jersey Iowa-class battleship at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Structures damaged 92 Over two thousand United States Naval Academy and NROTC midshipmen received seagoing experience under the command of Admiral Richard L. Connolly, Commander Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, who broke his flag in New Jersey at Rosyth, Scotland 23 June. [8], New Jersey's mission at Wonsan, the next day, was her last. [35] After this attack the Marines began returning fire. With the advent of air power and the need to gain and maintain air superiority came a need to protect the growing fleet of allied aircraft carriers, so New Jersey was fitted with an array of Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns. [17], Throughout January and into February New Jersey operated in support of the Marines. On 14 February the battleship steamed south of the DMZ to provide support for the 3rd Marine Division, in the process destroying an anti-aircraft site with her big guns. [28][29][30] New Jersey also received eight RQ-2 Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, which are remotely controlled drones that replaced the helicopters previously used to spot for her nine 16"/50 Mark 7 guns. Supplemental artillery support was provided through some twenty 5" Mark 12 series cannons and air-defense accomplished through 80 x 40mm guns and an additional 49 x 20mm guns. They are linked to their heritage yet not chained to the past. Bunkers destroyed 59 She was briefly reactivated in 1968 and sent to Vietnam to support US troops before returning to the mothball fleet in 1969. Self-guided tours, guided group tours, and overnight encampments are offered on the floating museum. 2 gun turret; fallout from the incident led U.S. During his time in the Navy department, Edison pushed to build the Iowas, and to build one at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, which secured votes for Roosevelt in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the 1940 presidential election. During this time the Navy developed several proposals to update their battleships to carry cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles, as well as point defense system mounts. Naval officials to freeze live fire exercises with the guns until the investigation into the explosion was concluded. [51], New Jersey remained in mothball fleet until the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 passed through the United States Congress 18 October 1998. The results were excellent, with eight direct hits on three caves, one cave demolished, and four others closed. She departed Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States on 16 . The pattern again was harassing fire by night, destruction of known targets by day. [8], Departing Long Beach 2 September, New Jersey touched at Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay before sailing 25 September for her first tour on the gun line[19] along the Vietnamese coast. In a melee of anti-aircraft fire from the ships and combat air patrol, New Jersey shot down a plane whose pilot maneuvered it into the port gun galleries of Intrepid, while machine gun fire from Intrepid wounded three of New Jersey's men. [8], New Jersey sailed to the aid of troops of the Republic of Korea once more 17 August, returning to the Kansong area where for four days she provided harassing fire by night, and broke up counterattacks by day, inflicting a heavy toll on enemy troops. [17] The official PAVN history claims that on 28 October their 25th Battery, 21st Artillery Battalion using 130mm guns hit the New Jersey setting it ablaze. Each of the carriers in the Third Fleet had a weatherman aboard, and as the fleet flagship New Jersey had a highly experienced weatherman: Commander G. F. Kosco, a graduate of the aerology course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology who had also studied hurricanes in the West Indies; despite this, none of these individuals or staffs were able to give Third Fleet due warning of the impending typhoon. Immediate Past Chairman Marshall Spevak Trustees Joseph Azzolina, Jr. Food Circus Supermarkets, Inc. Brian Bauerle Cooper's Ferry Partnership Captain Joseph Benton III Get personalized pricing by telling us when, where, and how you want to . Congratulations to you and hope you enjoy this gorgeous piece of history from the @battleshipnj . [60] This cleared New Jersey for placement on the National Register of Historic Places, a list to which New Jersey was officially added in 2004. Briggs. She accounted for six bunkers, a supply truck and an anti-aircraft site that day; additionally, she helped rescue the crew of a Marine spotting plane forced down at sea by anti-aircraft fire. 1776. A bridge, a dam, several gun emplacements, mortar positions, pillboxes, bunkers, and two ammunition dumps were demolished. 3 gun turret during her 1980s career. Its a Beautiful Day on the ship for the car show, student day and tours all day - come on out to the show cars are on the pier and in lot one!. Over the next several months the ship was upgraded with the most advanced weaponry available; among the new weapons systems installed were four MK 141 quad cell launchers for 16 RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, eight Armored Box Launcher (ABL) mounts for 32 BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles, and a quartet of the United States Navy's Phalanx Close in Weapon System (CIWS) Gatling guns for defense against enemy anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft. On 7 January 1944 she passed through the Panama Canal war-bound for Funafuti, Ellice Islands. For her current role as a museum ship, see, Shakedown and service with the 5th Fleet, Admiral Spruance, Service with the 3rd Fleet, Admiral Halsey, Service with Battleship Division Seven, Admiral Badger, Reserve fleet and museum ship (1991present), William F. Halsey held the rank of a four star Admiral throughout the Second World War. [8], At Wonsan 1112 July, New Jersey fired one of the most concentrated bombardments of her Korean duty. Following an overhaul at Long Beach which lasted in to 1988 New Jersey returned to the Pacific Ocean, this time operating as part of a surface action group. The task force returned to the Marshalls 19 February. New Jersey would remain in the waters of the DMZ until after New Years, shelling Communist bunkers for ground troops until leaving to support the 1st Marine Division 3 January 1969. The recommissioning of New Jersey marked a return of the world's last battleships after a 13-year absence from the world's oceans. Carrying on a tradition he had begun in World War II of spending Christmas with U.S. forces overseas, Bob Hope and his troupe of entertainers gave a show on board the New Jersey on 24 December 1983. Near the 17th parallel on 30 September, the battleship fired her first shots in battle in over sixteen years, expending a total of 29 sixteen inch rounds against People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) targets in and near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the 17th parallel. The NEW JERSEY crew is undoubtedly the finest and most professional group of men with which I have ever had the privilege of serving. [10] Unlike the other Iowa-class battleships, New Jersey was named by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to repay a political debt, to then-New Jersey Governor Charles Edison. Although New Jersey performed her job expertly during the intervention in Lebanon some have criticized the decision to have New Jersey shell Druze and Syrian forces. It was on this first such mission at Wonsan that she received her only combat casualties of the Korean War. VIETNAM - 40 Years ago " NEW JERSEY remained on station until 0600 1 April (1969) , finishing the deployment where she had begun it more than six months earlier. New Jersey duty was probably the least hazardous duty in Vietnam. She accounted for six bunkers, a supply truck and an anti-aircraft site that day; additionally, she helped rescue the crew of a Marine spotting plane forced down at sea by anti-aircraft fire. Learn how steam , Thank you sponsors and ticket buyers! Between 19 July 1952 and 5 September, she sailed as flagship for Rear Admiral H. R. Thurber, who commanded the NROTC midshipman training cruise to Cherbourg, Lisbon, and the Caribbean. [8], In September the targets were in the Visayas and the southern Philippines, then Manila and Cavite, Panay, Negros, Leyte, and Cebu. This alteration helped reduce the time it took to get New Jersey recommissioned: since she was not in her World War II format, the only major physical alteration to New Jersey involved the removal of four of her ten 5inch gun mounts to make room for the Armored Box Launchers. [28], Section 1011 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 required the United States Navy to reinstate to the Naval Vessel Register two of the Iowa-class battleships that had been struck by the Navy in 1995; these ships were to be maintained in the United States Navy reserve fleets (or "mothball fleet"). Here president Rhee came aboard on 16 September to present the Korean Presidential Unit Citation to the 7th Fleet. Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, a van carrying a 2,000 pound load of explosives, slammed into the U.S. embassy in West Beirut, killing 63, a catastrophic explosion in her No. She knocked out eleven Communist shore guns that day, and four days later destroyed the key observation post on the island of Hodo Pando, commanding the harbor. Who would want to fire on a ship with that type of fire power? Truman also sent U.S. based troops, tanks, fighter and bomber aircraft, and a strong naval force to Korea to support the Republic of Korea. In addition to these losses, Allied forces succeeded in damaging two Japanese carriers and a battleship. We were off the coast in December on patrol between the coast and tiger island. As part of the naval mobilization New Jersey was recalled from the mothball fleet to provide seaborne artillery support for U.N. and South Korean troops. Armed with this information New Jersey fired five 16inch shells at the site, but in the darkness spotters were unable to confirm any hits. [34], On 18 April 1983 a van carrying a 2,000 pound load of explosives, slammed into the U.S. embassy in West Beirut, killing 63. [56], This article is about the battleship commissioned in 1943. The next day she answered eight call for fire support missions from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, in the process destroying eight Viet Cong bunkers and five structures. Artillery sites neutralized 19 [8], New Jersey's guns opened the first shore bombardment of her Korean career at Wonsan 20 May. The next day she started a three-day saturation of the Changjon area, with one of her own helicopters spotting the results: four buildings destroyed, road junctions smashed, railroad marshaling yards afire, tracks cut and uprooted, coal stocks scattered, and many buildings and warehouses set blazing. The original, BB-9, was decommissioned in 1920 after more than two decades of service. Her secondary battery consisted of twenty 5"/38 caliber guns mounted in twin-gun dual purpose (DP) turrets, which could hit targets up to 9 miles (16.7km) away. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE HOME PORT ALLIANCE FOR THE USS NEW JERSEY, INC. Chairman Dennis Levitt Vice-Chairman Lisa Conti Treasurer Tom Reilly Secretary Robert DelSordo, Esq. On 11 November New Jersey departed Vietnamese waters to replenish; she returned to the gunline 23 November and relieved USSGalveston, taking up position in support of the U.S. Army's Americal Division. For the next two days the battleship concentrated her fire at Viet Cong storage areas near Qung Ngi, destroying 182structures and 54bunkers, inflicting heavy damage to 93structures, and demolishing several tunnel complexes before departing for Point Betsy near Hue 27 November to support the 101st Airborne Division. Forces stationed in Japan into South Korea. Enemy killed in action (confirmed) 10 New Jersey and her formation shot down two enemy torpedo bombers at Truk. New Jersey screened the aircraft carriers from Japanese attack as planes from Task Group 58.2 flew strikes against Kwajalein and Eniwetok 29 January 2 February, softening up the latter for its invasion and supporting the troops who landed on 31 January. When reactivated in 1968, New Jersey had her 20mm and 40mm AA guns removed and was tailored for use as a heavy bombardment ship. On This Day. Archive photo of a tomahawk missile launch. Bunkers destroyed 596 In conclusion, the story of the USS New Jersey sinking an island in 1969 is likely a myth or urban legend with no basis in fact. 10 to 2 pm EVENING ENGINE ROOM GUIDED TOUR Descend into the armored citadel of the ship for a 90-minute, family friendly, guided, walking tour of the most powerful engineering plant ever installed on a battleship. [17] On 4 November New Jersey received orders to reinforce southern II Corps near Phan Thit; she arrived on station later that night. [17], On 11 October New Jersey engaged a coastal installation with her guns; however, she shifted her fire when a recon plane spotting for the battleship reported an enemy truck concentration north of Nha Ky. New Jersey gunners quickly retrained the battleship's big guns and managed to inflict heavy damage on six of the vehicles. [8] Another highly satisfactory day was 16 October, when the spotter over the Kansong area reported "beautiful shooting every shot on target-most beautiful shooting I have seen in five years." She sailed from Norfolk, Virginia 16 April 1951 and arrived from Japan off the east coast of Korea 17 May. [13] Approximately 790 officers and men were lost or killed, with another 80 injured. She also engaged an enemy gun emplacement with her five-inch (127mm) gun mounts, which New Jersey successfully destroyed. Like her sister ships, the USS New Jersey was an awe-inspiring site in 1943 with her 9 x 16 inch Mark 7 series main guns. military flags - battleship new jersey stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. [47] New Jersey's final cruise began in 1989 as part of Pacific Exercise '89. She screened the carrier striking force which gave air support to the invasion of Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay and Humboldt Bay, New Guinea, 22 April, then shelled shipping and shore installations at Truk 2930 April. [8], As the crisis eased, New Jersey was released to continue her interrupted voyage. Next day she returned to troop support at Kosong, her assignment until 10 July, aside from necessary withdrawal for replenishment. 1984 Book of General Plans for the U.S.S. She returned to this general area yet again 29 August, when she fired in an amphibious demonstration staged behind enemy lines to ease pressure on the Republic of Korea's troops. New Jersey also fired on an enemy aircraft that attacked her formation. The journey, ordered by President Theodore Roosevelt, was to showcase American goodwill and to demonstrate both at home and on the world stage that the United States had become a major sea power. [8] In support of the assault on Iwo Jima, New Jersey screened the Essex group in air attacks on the island 1921 February, and gave the same crucial service for the first major carrier raid on Tokyo 25 February, a raid aimed specifically at aircraft production. At Kansong two days later she fired her main battery at an artillery regiment and truck encampment, with 7th Fleet aircraft spotting targets and reporting successes. Overview of the USS New Jersey (BB-62) Nation: United States Type: Battleship Shipyard: Philadelphia Naval Shipyard Laid Down: September 16, 1940 Launched: December 7, 1942 . Battleship USS New Jersey BB-62 Index Page. [47], With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and the lack of a perceived threat against the United States came drastic cuts to the defense budget, and the high cost of maintaining battleships as part of the active fleet became uneconomical; as a result, New Jersey was decommissioned for the final time at Naval Station Long Beach, California, on 8 February 1991, with the ship serving a total of 21 years (the most of the four Iowas) in active service. [52] The cost to fix New Jersey was considered less than the cost to fix Iowa;[28] as a result, New Jersey and Wisconsin were reinstated to the Naval Vessel Register and placed back in the reserve fleet. A Kara-class cruiser and two Grisha III frigates also shadowed the U.S. ships. The task force rendezvoused with Captain Jasper T. Acuff and his fueling group 17 December with the intention of refueling all ships in the task force and replacing lost aircraft. [8], On 18 December 1944 the ships of Task Force 38 unexpectedly found themselves in a fight for their lives when Typhoon Cobra overtook the forceseven fleet and six light carriers, eight battleships, 15 cruisers, and about 50 destroyersduring their attempt to refuel at sea. [8] Between 7 June and 26 August, New Jersey formed part of the first training squadron to cruise Northern European waters since the beginning of World War II. SECONDARY BATTERY All proceeds go to the on-going , Big Guns Cornhole Tournament on the Battleship! That afternoon New Jersey's 5inch guns shelled enemy buildings, destroying 15structures and inflicted heavy damage on 29others. In 1997, while the ship was still in the mothball fleet, the New Jersey State Review Board for Historic Sites recommended that it "be listed in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, contingent upon the transfer of the battleship to New Jersey waters.
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