"Photos of the USS New Jersey (BB-62)" Topic

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Enjoy !

Nice pictures. When the USS Missouri came down from Bremerton Washington it tied up for a week here in Astoria Oregon being fitted for the tow to Hawaii. I got a chance to walk the decks and look her over. These ships are quite the site. Nice that you were able to poke around the inside. The Missouri was in poor shape at the time but has since had lots of TLC applied and looks in fine shape. What suprised me most was that I had invisioned a battleship as a massive thing but they really are not. When compaired to a cruise ship or commercial tanker.

dmebust, I know what you mean about the perception and the reality of these ships. I have collected 1/1200 scale models since I was a teenager and one of my first was Missouri. Since the models are all in proportion I would have thought I knew how big these BBs were. Then I spent 4 years in the Navy aboard an aircraft carrier. Had the opportunity to see the Missouri for the first time when she was an active vessel being used to shell targets in Vietnam. My first thought was that she was not as big as I had expected.

Patrick r, Thanks for sharing the pictures. If I make it to the east coast next summer I will have to make a trip to see the New Jersey. What is the liner you can see the funnels of? The SS United States? Is she open for viewing?

Al

From what I understand the United States is moored in Philadelphia awaiting to be sold or developed. I doubt you can visit it at this moment.

I'll never forget flying into Philadelphia about 10 years ago, looking up river as we came in from the east – not knowing and not expecting – and suddenly I realized "Wow! That's an IOWA!. A mere shift of the pupils and there was United States!

Quite an experience.

Philadelphia is one of the few cities I fly into where I choose a window seat (right side if you are facing forward). If you land from the Northeast you'll see the New Jersey, Olympia, United States (she is pretty tattered)and quite a few mothballed ships in the old Navy Yard including one of the Forrestal big decks and a couple of cruisers.

From what I understand the United States is moored in Philadelphia awaiting to be sold or developed. I doubt you can visit it at this moment.

You can't go on, but you get a very good view of her from the Ikea parking lot in S. Philly or crossing the Walt Whitman Bridge. She was supposed to be turned into a casino ship, but it never happened. A classmate of mine jumped the fence to get some good pictures of it for a project about 10 years ago but got chased off pretty quickly if memory serves.

My grandfather's 90th birthday is coming up and we're having a party for him on the New Jersey. He worked on that ship before the Iowa class was completed and he was shipped off to the Pacific. A few years back, when the Iowa was moored at the old Navy Yard, I actually got to walk the deck while the preparations were being made to turn her into a museum ship. I didn't know until talking to some of the workers that turret #2 was never returned to working order.

The Olympia is fun to visit, I try to go ever couple of years. It's so drastically different from the more modern battleships, I've spent hours on it before just taking it all in. The Becuna, a submarine, is moored right next to it and you can take a tour through it and see just how cramped those old subs were.

Very nice. I was lucky enough to see the Missouri in Hawaii. So far that's the only Iowa I've visited. Thinking about doing the North Carolina next!

Great pics Patrick.

I served 4 years on the Big J, 81-85. I couldn't have asked for a better tour of duty. M Division, EMO4 (#4 Engine-Room). She truly was a lady!!!!

A couple of years ago I went to visit the Olympia after attending Historicon. I had no idea NJ was parked across the river until I parked the rental car and I found myself looking right at her.

And for some reason the old song "Oh, you beautiful doll, you great big, beautiful doll" started going through my head.

I used to be able to go over to Bremerton and see the Missouri and NJ (only Missouri was open to visitors, though). Went with an old girlfriend and her ancient mariner uncle (30+years in the Navy). It's amazing how quickly a 90-year old guy can go up and down those ladders.

Too bad the United States is in such sad straits. I visited the Queen Mary in Long Beach a few years ago. Wonderful ship. My wife (who is claustrophobic)even enjoyed that one. The only downside to that visit was looking across the park at this large building wondering what it was. Dismissed it and went on to San Diego. Later found out that the building housed Hughes' Spruce Goose. Damn!

One of the great disappointments of my life was visiting in-laws in Washington some years ago. My wife and I rented a car to visit Bremerton and tour the Missouri, one of my great goals. When we arrived I was told she was off limits for tourism because of two carriers moored either side. I almost cried and visited the Forrest Sherman, a nice ship but NOT a great battleship with a unique historical site on board. Now she might as well be on the Moon as in Hawaii. It is fitting that she is moored just ahead of the Arizona.

The Olympia tour rocks.. and I miss the 8" gun heavy cruiser that used to be tied up in Philly Navy Yard! Always fun to look out of an aircraft window and see that.. and Ft. Mifflin right there close, too.

Here are some pics of the Wisconsin (WisKy) that you might like, too: link