Big J: Inside America’s Most Decorated Battleship

Resting quietly in the Delaware River along the Camden waterfront sits a floating city of steel. She is 887 feet long, 11 stories tall, and carries enough firepower to level a mountain.

This is the USS New Jersey (BB-62), affectionately known as “Big J.”

Built right across the river in Philadelphia over 75 years ago, she is the most decorated battleship in U.S. Naval history. After serving in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Middle East, she has found her final home as a museum, welcoming veterans and new recruits alike to walk her teak decks.

Built for Speed and Firepower

The USS New Jersey is an Iowa-class battleship. Ordered by the Navy in 1939, this class of four ships (Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin) was designed to be faster and deadlier than anything that came before them.

While all four sisters were massive, the New Jersey holds a special secret.

• The “Longer” Sister: Thousands of New Jersey residents worked at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during WWII to build her. Proud of their home state, the workers deliberately made the hull roughly four inches longer than the design specifications, ensuring BB-62 would technically be the longest of the sisters!
• The Launch: She was launched on December 7, 1942—exactly one year after Pearl Harbor. As she slid into the Delaware River, her stern buried itself into the soft mud of the Jersey shoreline, literally “kissing” her namesake state.

Life on the Floating City

The ship wasn’t just a weapon; it was a home to thousands of sailors (up to 2,700 men at peak WWII capacity).

The ship contained everything a small town needed:

• A dentist’s office and full medical suite.
• A barber shop, laundry, and dry cleaner.
• A bakery, print shop, library, and chapel.
• A brig (jail) for those who misbehaved.

The Teak Decks: The main deck is covered in teak wood, not steel. This wasn’t for luxury; teak absorbed heat, sound, and shrapnel, and it provided a non-slip surface for sailors. However, maintaining it was a nightmare. Sailors had to “holystone” the deck—scrubbing it on their hands and knees with soft sandstone bricks and saltwater to keep it clean.

Four Wars, Nineteen Stars

The New Jersey saw action in more conflicts than any other battleship.

1. World War II (1943–1945): She escorted carriers across the Pacific, earning 9 battle stars.
2. Korea (1951–1953): She pounded coastal targets, earning 4 battle stars.
3. Vietnam (1968–1969): As the only battleship reactivated for Vietnam, her massive 16-inch guns provided critical fire support, saving countless American lives. She earned 3 battle stars.
4. The Middle East (1982–1991): Reactivated by President Reagan, she was retrofitted with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Phalanx defense systems. She served off the coast of Beirut and in the Persian Gulf, earning 2 campaign stars.

Total: 19 Battle and Campaign Stars. No other battleship comes close.

The Guns

The ship’s main battery consists of nine 16-inch guns.

• Power: Each gun could fire a projectile weighing as much as a Volkswagen Beetle (up to 2,700 lbs).
• Range: They could hit a target over 23 miles away with pinpoint accuracy.
• Redundancy: The ship was designed so that even if the bridge or communications were destroyed, the guns could be aimed and fired from multiple backup locations deep within the ship.

The Hidden Art

One of the most unique features of the New Jersey is something not found in the official blueprints: Sailor Art.

Throughout the ship, in bunks, machinery spaces, and lockers, sailors painted murals to boost morale. While the Navy didn’t officially sanction it, commanders often looked the other way.

• Themes: Most art is patriotic, humorous, or longing for home.
• The “Adult” Tour: Some art was a bit more… risqué. The museum now offers special “Adults Only” tours to view the vintage pin-up style art hidden in the ship’s nooks and crannies.

If You Visit

Since opening as a museum in 2001, volunteers have restored huge sections of the ship. You can sit in the Captain’s chair, climb inside the massive gun turrets, and walk the same decks as Admiral Halsey.

• Location: 100 Clinton St, Camden, NJ 08103 (Camden Waterfront).
• Tours: Self-guided and guided tours are available.
• Accessibility: While the main deck is accessible, exploring the lower decks involves steep ladders (“knee-knockers”) and tight spaces. Wear comfortable shoes!

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For More Information

• Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial (www.battleshipnewjersey.org)