USS New Jersey (BB-62; also known as “Big J”), an Iowa-class battleship, was the most decorated U.S. Battleship in Naval history and the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the US state of New Jersey (the first being BB16). She was launched on 7 December 1942 by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, commissioned at Philadelphia on May 23, 1943 and decommissioned on February 8, 1991 in Long Beach, California. In her active career she participated in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Lebanese Civil War and in the Gulf War. In 2001, she began her career as a Museum.
Most of the photographs were taken by Keith Nitka, here on the right, next to an USS New Jersey Veteran who was a Sailor on Admiral Halsey’s staff during World War II. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Looking forward from the bridge on the deck of the USS New Jersey and her 16-inch guns in Camden, New Jersey. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
View on the guns of the midships of the USS New Jersey. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Powder Scuttle of USS New Jersey’s Turret Two. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Powder Cart of the Right Gun from Turret Two. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Fire control system of the USS New Jersey. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Lower Projectile handling room from Turret Two. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Wax figure of Fleet Admiral William Halsey in the Flag country stateroom. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Broadway of the USS New Jersey. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
Capt. Snyder (CO 1968-1969) in one of the two SWIMMING POOLS he had installed on the ship in old BOFURS gun mounts. This one was outside his in-port cabin 02 level Starboard side. (Credits: Keith Nitka)
The USS New Jersey fires a salvo from its 16″/50 guns during a deployment off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon. (Credits: Ron Garrison / U.S. Navy)
Aerial bow view of the Iowa-Class Battleship USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) firing its nine 16-inch/50 caliber guns simultaneously. (Credits: U.S. Navy via Wikimedia)
