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USS Iowa (BB-61)

The USS Iowa fires a full broadside of 16 in (406 mm) guns.

Career

Ordered:

Laid down:

Launched:

Commissioned:

Decommissioned:

Struck:

Status:

Maintained as part of the US Reserve Fleet
Slated to be donated for use as a museum ship on or around 2008

General Characteristics

Displacement:

45,000 tons

Length:

887 ft 3 in (270 m)

Beam:

108 ft 2 in (32.9 m)

Draft:

37 ft 2 in (11.3 m)

Speed:

33 knots (61 km/h)

Complement:

151 officers, 2637 enlisted

Armament:

1943	9	16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns
	20	5 in (127 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns
	80	40 mm 56 cal. anti-aircraft guns
	49	20 mm 70 cal. anti-aircraft guns
1983	9	16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns
	12	5 in (127 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns
	32	BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles
	16	RGM-84 Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles
	4	20 mm 76 cal. Phalanx CIWS

USS Iowa (BB-61), the lead ship of her class of battleship, was the fourth ship of the same name to serve in the United States Navy, but the second to be commissioned, to be named in honor of the 29th state.

Her keel was laid down on 27 June 1940 at the New York Navy Yard. Nicknamed "The Big Stick" she was launched on 27 August 1942 sponsored by Ilo Wallace (wife of Vice President Henry Wallace), and commissioned on 22 February 1943 with Captain John L. McCrea in command.

World War II

On 24 February 1943, Iowa put to sea for shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast. She got underway on 27 August for Argentia, Newfoundland to neutralise the threat of German battleship Tirpitz which was reportedly operating in Norwegian waters.

In the fall, Iowa carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Casablanca, French Morocco on the first leg of the journey to the Tehran Conference in November. After the conference she returned the President to the United States.

As flagship of Battleship Division 7, Iowa departed the United States 2 January 1944 for the Pacific Theatre and her combat debut in the campaign for the Marshall Islands. From 29 January to 3 February, she supported carrier air strikes made by Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman's task group against Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls. Her next assignment was to support air strikes against the Japanese Naval base at Truk, Caroline Islands. Iowa, in company with other ships was detached from the support group 16 February 1944 to conduct an anti-shipping sweep around Truk to destroy enemy naval vessels escaping to the north. On 21 February, she was underway with the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 58 or TF 38, depending on whether it was part of 5th Fleet or 3rd Fleet) while it conducted the first strikes against Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam in the Mariana Islands.

On 18 March, Iowa, flying the flag of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee, Commander Battleships, Pacific, joined in the bombardment of Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Although struck by two Japanese 4.7 inch projectiles during the action, Iowa suffered negligible damage. She then rejoined Task Force 58 on 30 March, and supported air strikes against the Palau Islands and Woleai of the Carolines which continued for several days.

From 22 April to 28 April 1944, Iowa supported air raids on Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura), Aitape, and Wakde Islands to support Army forces on Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay in New Guinea. She then joined the Task Force's second strike on Truk, 29 April and 30 April, and bombarded Japanese facilities on Ponape in the Carolines on 1 May.

In the opening phases of the Marianas campaign, Iowa protected the flattops during air strikes on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Rota, and Pagan on 12 June. Iowa was then detached to bombard enemy installations on Saipan and Tinian on 13 June and 14 June. On 19 June, in an engagement known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Iowa, as part of the battle line of TF 58, helped repel four massive air raids launched by the Japanese Middle Fleet. This resulted in the almost complete destruction of Japanese carrier-based aircraft. Iowa then joined in the pursuit of the fleeing enemy Fleet, shooting down one torpedo plane and assisting in splashing another.

Throughout July, Iowa remained off the Marianas supporting air strikes on the Palaus and landings on Guam. After a month's rest, Iowa sortied from Eniwetok as part of the Third Fleet, and helped support the landings on Peleliu on 17 September. She then protected the carriers during air strikes against the Central Philippines to neutralize enemy air power for the long awaited invasion of the Philippines. On 10 October, Iowa arrived off Okinawa for a series of air strikes on the Ryukyu Islands and Formosa. She then supported air strikes against Luzon on 18 October and continued this vital duty during General Douglas MacArthur's landing on Leyte on 20 October.

In a last-ditch attempt to halt the United States campaign to recapture the Philippines, the Japanese Navy struck back with a three-pronged attack aimed at the destruction of American amphibious forces in Leyte Gulf. Iowa accompanied TF 38 during attacks against the Japanese Central Force as it steamed through the Sibuyan Sea toward San Bernardino Strait. The reported results of these attacks and the apparent retreat of the Japanese Central Force led Admiral William "Bull" Halsey to believe that this force had been ruined as an effective fighting group. Iowa, with TF 38, steamed after the Japanese Northern Force off Cape Engaño, Luzon. On 25 October 1944, when the ships of the Northern Force were almost within range of Iowa's guns, word arrived that the Japanese Central Force was attacking a group of American escort carriers off Samar. This threat to the American beachheads forced her to reverse course and steam to support the vulnerable "baby carriers". However, the valiant fight put up by the escort carriers and their screen in the Battle off Samar had already caused the Japanese to retire and Iowa was denied a surface action. Following the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Iowa remained in the waters off the Philippines screening carriers during strikes against Luzon and Formosa. She sailed for the West Coast late in December 1944.

Iowa arrived San Francisco, California, on 15 January 1945, for overhaul. She sailed 19 March for Okinawa, arriving 15 April. Commencing 24 April, Iowa supported carrier operations which assured American troops vital air superiority during their struggle for that bitterly contested island. She then supported air strikes off southern Kyūshū from 25 May to 13 June. Iowa participated in strikes on the Japanese homeland 14 July and 15 July and bombarded Muroran, Hokkaidō, destroying steel mills and other targets. The city of Hitachi on Honshū was given the same treatment on the night of 17 July to 18 July. Iowa continued to support fast carrier strikes until the cessation of hostilities on 15 August.

Iowa entered Tokyo Bay with the occupation forces on 29 August. After serving as Admiral Halsey's flagship for the surrender ceremony on 2 September, Iowa departed Tokyo Bay 20 September for the United States.

Arriving Seattle, Washington on 15 October, Iowa returned to Japanese waters in January 1946 and became flagship of the Fifth Fleet. She continued this role until she sailed for the United States on 25 March 1946. From that time on, until September 1948, Iowa operated from West Coast ports, on Naval Reserve and at sea training and drills and maneuvers with the Fleet. Iowa decommissioned 24 March 1949.

The Korean War

File:Uss iowa bb-61.jpg

The USS Iowa firing a 16-inch shell towards a North Korean target in 1952

When the Korean War necessitated an expansion of the active fleet, Iowa was recommissioned on 25 August 1951 with Captain William R. Smedberg III in command. She operated off the West Coast until March 1952, when she sailed for the Far East. On 1 April 1952, Iowa became the flagship of Vice Admiral Robert P. Briscoe, Commander, Seventh Fleet, and departed Yokosuka, Japan to support United Nations Forces in Korea. From 8 April to 16 October 1952, Iowa was involved in combat operations off the East Coast of Korea. Her primary mission was to aid ground troops, by bombarding enemy targets at Songjin, Hungnam, and Kojo, North Korea. During this time, Admiral Briscoe was relieved as Commander, Seventh Fleet. Vice Admiral Joseph J. Clark, the new commander, continued to use Iowa as his flagship until 17 October 1952. Iowa departed Yokosuka, Japan on 19 October 1952 for overhaul at Norfolk, Virginia, and training operations in the Caribbean Sea.

1953 to 1958

Iowa embarked midshipmen for at sea training to Northern Europe, July 1953, and immediately after took part in Operation "Mariner," a major NATO exercise, serving as flagship of Vice Admiral Edmund T. Wooldridge, commanding the Second Fleet. Upon completion of this exercise, until the fall of 1954, Iowa operated in the Virginia Capes area. In September 1954, she became the flagship of Rear Admiral R. E. Libby, Commander, Battleship Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet.

From January to April 1955, Iowa made an extended cruise to the Mediterranean Sea as the first battleship regularly assigned to Commander, Sixth Fleet. Iowa departed on a midshipman training cruise 1 June 1955 and upon her return, she entered Norfolk for a four-month overhaul. Following refit, Iowa continued intermittent training cruises and operational exercises, until 4 January 1957 when she departed Norfolk for duty with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Upon completion of this deployment, Iowa embarked midshipmen for a South American training cruise and joined in the International Naval Review off Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 13 June 1957.

On 3 September 1957, Iowa sailed for Scotland for NATO Operation "Strikeback". She returned to Norfolk, 28 September 1957 and departed Hampton Roads for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 22 October 1957. She was decommissioned 24 February 1958 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia.

1985-2001

After a quarter-century in mothballs, Iowa was modernized, primarily at Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans, Louisiana as part of President Ronald Reagan's "600-ship Navy" plan, and recommissioned 28 April 1984. The ship went to European waters in 1985, 1986 and 1987 through 1988, with the latter cruise continuing into the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. During that cruise, the Iowa participated in Operation Earnest Will, escorting Kuwaiti gas and oil tankers "reflagged" as US merchant ships from the Persian Gulf through the Straits of Hormuz. During the 1980s, the Navy proposed to create a "homeport" at Stapleton, Staten Island in New York City, which would be the base for Iowa and several other ships, but the project was canceled before its completion.

"A Glimpse of Hell"

On 19 April 1989, an explosion ripped through the Number Two 16 inch gun turret, killing 47 crewmen. Sailors quickly flooded the #2 powder magazine, likely preventing catastrophic damage to the ship. At first, the NCIS investigators theorized that one of the dead crewman, Clayton Hartwig, had detonated an explosive device in a suicide attempt after the end of an alleged homosexual affair with another sailor. This theory was later abandoned and Hartwig cleared. The cause of the explosion, though never determined with certainty, is generally believed to have been static electricity igniting loose powder.

Testing at Dalhgren, Virginia Naval Surface Warfare Center of powder in the same lot was able to reproduce spontaneous combustion of the powder, which had been originally milled in the 1930's and stored during a 1988 dry-docking of the Iowa in a barge at the Navy's Yorktown, Virginia Naval Weapons Station. Gun powder gives off ether gas as it degrades; the ether is highly flammable, and could be ignited by a spark.

The captain of the Iowa, Fred Moosally, was severely criticized for his handling of the matter, and the Navy changed the powder-handling procedures. Iowa deployed to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea in mid-year. Turret Two remained unrepaired when she decommissioned in Norfolk for the last time, 26 October 1990.

Iowa, as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, was berthed at the Naval Education and Training Center in Newport, from 24 September 1998 to 8 March 2001 when the ship began her journey, under tow, to California. The ship arrived in Suisun Bay near San Francisco on 21 April 2001 and is part of the Reserve Fleet there.

Due to the damage in Turret 2, the Navy put New Jersey into the mothball fleet, even though the training mechanisms on New Jersey’s 16 inch guns had been welded down. The cost to fix New Jersey was considered less than the cost to fix Iowa; however, the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 demanded that the Navy substitute Iowa for New Jersey; additionally, the Navy was to arrange for New Jersey’s donation for use as a museum ship. The Navy made the switch in January 1999, paving the way for Camden, New Jersey, to acquire USS New Jersey.

Iowa was maintained in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 until 2006, when the Secretary of the Navy struck Iowa and placed the ship on donation hold to allow transfer for use as a museum ship. But that plan has encountered resistance from those who believe that there is still a place for battleships in a modern Navy.

2001-present

The USS *Iowa*, laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet

For several years plans had been under way to berth the Iowa in San Francisco, California, opening the battleship there as a museum; however, in 2005 San Francisco’s city council, citing opposition to the Iraq War and the military's policies regarding homosexuals, voted 8-3 against maintaining Iowa in the city, paving the way for other California communities to bid for the battleship. Vallejo, site of the former Mare Island Navy Shipyard and Stockton are competing for the vessel. The organization, Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square (HSMPS), that attempted to place the ship in San Francisco is now working with the Mare Island, Vallejo, site. Both communities have identified berthing piers and have submitted proposals to the Department of the Navy to open the vessel to tourists and educational groups as a memorial and museum. Prior to her arrival in California, Iowa was temporarily docked at Naval Station Newport, Newport, RI as she awaited her fate as a Naval Museum. She was docked for some time, in Newport, next to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal.

The 2006 Defense Appropriations Act authorized the Secretary of the Navy to strike Iowa and Wisconsin from the NVR, clearing the way for them to be donated as museum ships. Acting on this authority the navy officially struck USS Iowa from the Naval Vessel Register (NVR) 17 March 2006. This is likely the first step in preparing Iowa for her ultimate transfer for use as a museum ship. Although Iowa has been struck from the NVR she has yet to be transferred to any memorial association, although that will likely change when the navy completes its evaluation of the two leading proposals. Currently, Iowa is the only ship of her class not open to the public as a museum.

The 2007 House Defense Bill (Battleship transfer) conference report (H. Rept. 109–360) accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006, the committee included instructions regarding the transfer of the battleships USS Wisconsin and USS Iowa to the Commonwealth of Virginia and State of California, respectively, and the President’s reversion authority pursuant to a national emergency. The committee seeks to clarify that the battleships USS Wisconsin and USS Iowa must be regarded as potential mobilization assets and both the recipients and the U.S. Navy are instructed to treat them as such. The committee notes that the following measures should be taken:

The ships must not be altered in any way that would impair their military utility;
The ships must be preserved in their present condition through the continued use of cathodic protection and dehumidification systems and any other preservation methods as needed;
Spare parts and unique equipment such as 16 inch gun barrels and projectiles, be preserved in adequate numbers to support the two ships, if reactivated; and
The Navy must prepare plans for the rapid reactivation of the two battleships should they be returned to the Navy in the event of a national emergency.

Awards

Iowa earned nine battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean War service.

External links

Information on the investigations into the turret explosion
Satellite image from Google Maps
Maritimequest USS Iowa BB-61 Photo Gallery
cnn.com Losing the Battleships
Navy League/Stockton Council photo of USS Iowa
Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square - Non-profit organization established to acquire the Iowa for use as a museum and memorial on Mare Island
Official Stockton, California Visitors Bureau - USS Iowa Page

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

{{Iowa_class_battleship}} {{coor title dms|38|04|04|N|122|05|52|W|region:US_type:landmark}} [[Category:Iowa class battleships|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:World War II battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Cold War battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Korean War battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Ships at the Japanese Instrument of Surrender|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:United States Navy Iowa-related ships|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[de:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[ms:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[ja:アイオワ (戦艦)]] [[pl:USS Iowa (pancernik 1943)]] [[sv:USS Iowa (BB-61)]]

USS New Jersey (BB-62)

class="infobox" style="width:25.5em;border-spacing:2px;"

USS New Jersey (BB-62), known as "Big J" and "Black Dragon", is an Iowa-class battleship, and was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Among the four completed Iowa-class battleships New Jersey is notable for having earned the most battle stars for her combat actions, and for being the only battleship of the class to have served a tour of duty in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

During World War II the New Jersey shelled targets on Guam and Okinawa, and screened aircraft carriers conducting raids in the Marshall islands. During the Korean War she was involved in raids up and down the North Korean coast, after which she was decommissioned in to the United States Navy reserve fleets, better known as the "mothball fleet". She was briefly reactivated in 1968 and sent to Vietnam to support U.S. troops before returning to the mothball fleet in 1969. Reactivated once more in the 1980s as part of the 600-ship Navy program, New Jersey was modernized to carry missiles and recomissioned for service. In 1983, she participated in U.S. operations during the Lebanese Civil War.

New Jersey was decommissioned for the last time in 1991, having earned a total of 15 battle stars for combat operations during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and a Navy Unit Commendation for service in Vietnam, and is now a museum ship at Camden, New Jersey.

Construction

New Jersey was one of the Iowa-class "fast battleship" designs planned in 1938 by the Preliminary Design Branch at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. She was launched on 12 December 1942 and commissioned on 23 May 1943. The ship was the second of the Iowa class to be commissioned by the US Navy.^[1] The ship was christened at her launching by Mrs. Edison, wife of Governor Charles Edison of New Jersey, himself a former Secretary of the Navy; and commissioned at Philadelphia 23 May 1943, Captain Carl F. Holden in command.^[2]

New Jersey’s main battery consisted of nine 16 inch (406 mm)/50 caliber Mark 7 naval guns, which could hurl 2,700 lbs armor piercing shells some 24 miles. Her secondary battery consisted of ten 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns, which could fire at targets up to 9 miles away. 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; to this end, New Jersey was fitted with an array of Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns to defend allied carriers from enemy airstrikes. When reactivated in 1968 New Jersey had her 40 mm AA guns removed and was tailored for use as a heavy bombardment ship. When reactivated 1982 New Jersey had her remaining 20 mm guns removed and was outfitted with Phalanx CIWS mounts for protection against missiles and aircraft, and Armored Box Launchers and Quad Cell Launchers designed to fire Tomahawk missiles and Harpoon missiles, respectively.^[3]

World War II

Shakedown and Service with the 5th Fleet, Admiral Spruance

Typhoon Cobra stuff

New Jersey completed fitting out and trained her initial crew in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean. On 7 January 1944 she passed through the Panama Canal war-bound for Funafuti, Ellice Islands. She reported there 22 January for duty with the 5th Fleet, and three days later rendezvoused with Task Group 58.2 for the assault on the Marshall Islands. New Jersey screened the aircraft carriers from enemy attack as their planes flew strikes against Kwajalein and Eniwetok 29 January–2 February, softening up the latter for its invasion and supporting the troops who landed 31 January.^[2]

New Jersey began her career as a flagship 4 February in Majuro Lagoon when Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, commanding the 5th Fleet, broke his flag from her main. Her first action as a flagship was a bold two-day surface and air strike by her task force against the supposedly impregnable Japanese fleet base on Truk in the Carolines. This blow was coordinated with the assault on Kwajalein, and effectively interdicted Japanese naval retaliation to the conquest of the Marshalls. On 17 February and 18 February, the task force accounted for two Japanese light cruisers, four destroyers, three auxiliary cruisers, two submarine tenders, two submarine chasers, an armed trawler, a plane ferry, and 23 other auxiliaries, not including small craft. New Jersey destroyed a trawler and, with other ships, sank the destroyer Maikaze, as well as firing on an enemy plane which attacked her formation. The task force returned to the Marshalls 19 February.^[2]

Between 17 March and 10 April, New Jersey first sailed with Rear Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's flagship USS Lexington (CV-16) 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. Upon his return to Majuro, Admiral Spruance transferred his flag to USS Indianapolis (CA-35).^[2]

New Jersey's next war cruise, 13 April–4 May 1944, began and ended at Majuro. 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 bombed shipping and shore installations at Truk 29 April–30 April. New Jersey and her formation splashed two enemy torpedo bombers at Truk. Her 16 inch salvos pounded Ponape 1 May, destroying fuel tanks, badly damaging the airfield, and demolishing a headquarters building.^[2]

After rehearsing in the Marshalls for the invasion of the Marianas, New Jersey put to sea 6 June in the screening and bombardment group of Admiral Mitscher's Task Force. On the second day of preinvasion air strikes, 12 June, New Jersey downed an enemy torpedo bomber, and during the next two days her heavy guns battered Saipan and Tinian, throwing steel against the beaches the marines would charge 15 June.^[2]

The Japanese response to the Marianas operation was an order to its mobile fleet: it must attack and annihilate the American invasion force. 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. New Jersey took station in the protective screen around the carriers on 19 June 1944 as American and Japanese pilots dueled in the Battle of the Philippine Sea. That day and the next were to pronounce the doom of Japanese naval aviation; in this "Marianas Turkey Shoot", the Japanese lost some 400 planes. This loss of trained pilots and aircraft was equaled in disaster by the sinking of the Japanese aircraft carriers Taihō and Shōkaku by the submarines Albacore and Cavalla, respectively, and the loss of Hiyō to aircraft launched from the light aircraft carrier Belleau Wood. In addition to these losses, Allied forces succedded in damaging two Japanese carriers and a battleship. The anti-aircraft fire of New Jersey and the other screening ships proved virtually impenetrable. Only two American ships were damaged, and those but slightly. In this overwhelming victory only 17 American planes were lost to combat.^[2]

Service with the 3rd Fleet, Admiral Halsey

New Jersey's final contribution to the conquest of the Marianas was in strikes on Guam and the Palaus from which she sailed for Pearl Harbor, arriving 9 August. Here she broke the flag of Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr.,^[4] 24 August, becoming flagship of the 3rd Fleet. For the eight months after she sailed from Pearl Harbor (30 August), New Jersey was based at Ulithi. In this climactic span of the Pacific War, fast carrier task forces ranged the waters off the Philippines, Okinawa, and Formosa, striking again and again at airfields, shipping, shore bases, invasion beaches.^[2]

In September the targets were in the Visayas and the southern Philippines, then Manila and Cavite, Panay, Negros, Leyte, and Cebu. Early in October raids to destroy enemy air power based on Okinawa and Formosa were begun in preparation for the Leyte landings of 20 October 1944.^[2]

This invasion brought on the desperate, almost suicidal, last great sortie of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its plan for the Battle of Leyte Gulf included a feint by a northern force of planeless heavy attack carriers to draw away the battleships, cruisers and fast carriers with which Admiral Halsey was protecting the landings. This was to allow the Japanese Center Force to enter the gulf through San Bernardino Strait. At the opening of the battle planes from the carriers guarded by New Jersey struck hard at both the Japanese Southern and Center Forces, sinking a battleship 23 October. The next day Halsey shaped his course north after the decoy force had been spotted. Planes from his carriers sank four of the Japanese carriers, as well as a destroyer and a cruiser, while New Jersey steamed south at flank speed to meet the newly developed threat of the Center force. It had been turned back in a stunning defeat when she arrived.^[2]

New Jersey rejoined her fast carriers near San Bernardino 27 October 1944 for strikes on central and southern Luzon. Two days later, the force was under suicide attack. 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 USS Intrepid (CV-11), while machine gun fire from Intrepid wounded three of New Jersey's men. During a similar action 25 November three Japanese planes were splashed by the combined fire of the force, part of one flaming onto the flight deck of USS Hancock (CV-19). Intrepid was again attacked, shot down one would-be suicide, but was crashed by another despite hits scored on the attacker by New Jersey gunners. New Jersey shot down a plane diving on USS Cabot (CVL-28) and hit another which smashed into Cabot’s port bow.^[2]

In December, New Jersey sailed with the Lexington (CV-16) task group for air attacks on Luzon 14 December–16 December; then found herself in the furious typhoon which sank three destroyers. Skillful seamanship brought her through undamaged. She returned to Ulithi on Christmas Eve to be met by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz.^[2]

Service with Battleship Division Seven, Admiral Badger

New Jersey ranged far and wide from 30 December 1944 to 25 January 1945 on her last cruise as Admiral Halsey's flagship. 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. At Ulithi 27 January Admiral Halsey lowered his flag in New Jersey, but it was replaced two days later by that of Rear Admiral Oscar C. Badger II commanding Battleship Division 7.^[2]

In support of the assault on Iwo Jima, New Jersey screened the USS Essex (CV-9) group in air attacks on the island 19 February–21 February, and gave the same crucial service for the first major carrier raid on Tokyo 25 February, a raid aimed specifically at aircraft production. During the next two days, Okinawa was attacked from the air by the same striking force.^[2]

New Jersey was directly engaged in the conquest of Okinawa from 14 March until 16 April. As the carriers prepared for the invasion with strikes there and on Honshū, New Jersey fought off air raids, used her seaplanes to rescue downed pilots, defended the carriers from suicide planes, shooting down at least three and assisting in the destruction of others. On 24 March 1945 she again carried out the vital battleship role of heavy bombardment, preparing the invasion beaches for the assault a week later.^[2]

During the final months of the war, New Jersey was overhauled at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, from which she sailed 4 July for San Pedro, Pearl Harbor, and Eniwetok bound for Guam. Here on 14 August she once again became flagship of the 5th Fleet under Admiral Spruance. 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 USS Iowa (BB-61). As part of the ongoing Operation Magic Carpet New Jersey took aboard nearly a thousand homeward-bound troops with whom she arrived at San Francisco 10 February.^[2]

Post WWII (1946–1950)

After west coast operations and a normal overhaul at Puget Sound, New Jersey’s keel once more cut the Atlantic as she came home to Bayonne, New Jersey, for a rousing fourth birthday party 23 May 1947. Present were Governor Alfred E. Driscoll, former Governor Walter E. Edge and other dignitaries.^[2]

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. Over two thousand United States Naval Academy and NROTC midshipmen received sea-going experience under the command of Admiral Richard L. Connoly, Commander Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, who broke his flag in New Jersey at Rosyth, Scotland 23 June. She was the scene of official receptions at Oslo, where King Haakon VII of Norway inspected the crew 2 July, and at Portsmouth, England. The training fleet was westward bound 18 July for exercises in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic.^[2]

After serving at New York as flagship for Rear Admiral Heber H. McClean, Commander, Battleship Division 1, 12 September–18 October, New Jersey was inactivated at the New York Naval Shipyard. She was decommissioned at Bayonne 30 June 1948 and assigned to the New York Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet.^[2]

The Korean War (1950–1953)

In 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea, prompting the United States to intervene in the name of the United Nations. President Harry S. Truman was caught off guard when the invasion struck,^[5] but quickly ordered U.S. Forces stationed in Japan into South Korea. 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. As part of the naval mobilization New Jersey recalled from the mothball fleet to provide seaborn artillery support for U.N. and South Korean troops. New Jersey was recommissioned at Bayonne 21 November 1950, Captain David M. Tyree in command, and proceeded to the Caribbean, where she welded her crew into an efficient body which would meet the demanding requirements of the Korean War. She sailed from Norfolk, Virginia 16 April 1951 and arrived from Japan off the east coast of Korea 17 May. Vice Admiral Harold M. Martin, commanding the United States Seventh Fleet, placed his flag in New Jersey for the next six months.^[2]

New Jersey’s guns opened the first shore bombardment of her Korean career at Wonsan 20 May. During her two tours of duty in Korean waters, she was again and again to play the part of seaborne mobile artillery. In direct support to United Nations troops; or in preparation for ground actions, in interdicting Communist supply and communication routes, or in destroying supplies and troop positions, New Jersey hurled a weight of steel fire far beyond the capacity of land artillery, moved rapidly and free from major attack from one target to another, and at the same time could be immediately available to guard aircraft carriers should they require her protection. It was on this first such mission at Wonsan that she received her only combat casualties of the Korean War. One of her men was killed and two severely wounded when she took a hit from a shore battery on her number one turret and received a near miss aft to port.^[2]

Between 23 May and 27 May and again 30 May 1951, New Jersey pounded targets near Yangyang and Kansong, dispersing troop concentrations, dropping a bridge span, and destroying three large ammunition dumps. Air spotters reported Yangyang abandoned at the end of this action, while railroad facilities and vehicles were smashed at Kansong. 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. The helicopter crew was able to reach friendly territory and were later returned to their ship.^[2]

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. 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. On 28 July off Wonsan the battleship was again taken under fire by shore batteries. Several near misses splashed to port, but New Jersey’s precision fire silenced the enemy and destroyed several gun emplacements.^[2]

Between 4 July and 12 July, New Jersey supported a United Nations push in the Kansong area, firing at enemy buildup and reorganization positions. 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. New Jersey returned to Wonsan 18 July for an exhibition of perfect firing: five gun emplacements demolished with five direct hits.^[2]

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. 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. 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.^[2]

Aside from a brief break in firing 23 September to take aboard wounded from the Korean frigate Apnok (PF-62), damaged by gunfire, New Jersey was heavily engaged in bombarding the Kansong area, supporting the movement of the U.S. X Corps. The pattern again was harassing fire by night, destruction of known targets by day. Enemy movement was restricted by the fire of her big guns. A bridge, a dam, several gun emplacements, mortar positions, pillboxes, bunkers, and two ammunition dumps were demolished.^[2]

On 1 October 1951, General Omar Bradley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General Matthew B. Ridgeway, Commander in Chief Far East, came on board to confer with Admiral Martin.^[2]

Between 1 October and 6 October New Jersey was in action daily at Kansong, Hamhung, Hungnam, Tanchon, and Songjin. Enemy bunkers and supply concentrations provided the majority of the targets at Kansong; at the others New Jersey fired on railroads, tunnels, bridges, an oil refinery, trains, and shore batteries. She also engaged an enemy gun emplacement with her five-inch gun mounts, which New Jersey succsessfully destroyed. The Kojo area was her target 16 October as she sailed in company with HMS Belfast, pilots from HMAS Sydney spotting. The operation was well-planned and coordinated, and excellent results were obtained.^[2]

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." This five hour bombardment leveled ten artillery positions, and in smashing trenches and bunkers inflicted some 500 enemy casualties.^[2]

New Jersey dashed up the North Korean coast raiding transportation facilities from 1 November to 6 November. She struck at bridges, road, and rail installations at Wonsan, Hungnam, Tanchon, Iowon, Songjin, and Chongjin, leaving four bridges destroyed, others badly damaged, two marshaling yards badly torn up, and many feet of track destroyed. With renewed attacks on Kansong and near the Chang-San-Got Peninsula 11 November and 13 November, New Jersey completed hew first tour of duty in Korea.^[2]

Relieved as flagship by USS Wisconsin (BB-64), New Jersey cleared Yokosuka for Hawaii, Long Beach and the Panama Canal, and returned to Norfolk 20 December for a six-month overhaul. 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. Now New Jersey prepared and trained for her second Korean tour, for which she sailed from Norfolk 5 March 1953.^[2]

Shaping her course via the Panama Canal, Long Beach, and Hawaii, New Jersey reached Yokosuka 5 April, and next day relieved USS Missouri (BB-63) as flagship of Vice Admiral Joseph H. Clark, Commander 7th Fleet. Chongjin felt the weight of her shells 12 April, as New Jersey returned to action; in seven minutes she scored seven direct hits, blowing away half the main communications building there. At Pusan two days later, New Jersey manned her rails to welcome the President of the Republic of Korea and Madame Rhee, and American Ambassador Ellis O. Briggs.^[2]

New Jersey fired on coastal batteries and buildings at Kojo 16 April; on railway track and tunnels near Hungnam 18 April; and on gun emplacements around Wonsan Harbor 20 April, silencing them in five areas after she had herself take several near misses. Songjin provided targets 23 April. Here New Jersey scored six direct 16 inch (406 mm) hits on a railroad tunnel and knocked out two rail bridges.^[2]

New Jersey added her muscle to a major air and surface strike on Wonsan 1 May, as 7th Fleet planes both attacked the enemy and spotted for the battleship. 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. Two days later Kalmagak at Wonsan was her target.^[2]

New Jersey’s tenth birthday, 23 May 1953, was celebrated at Inchon with President and Madame Rhee, Lieutenant General Maxwell D. Taylor, and other dignitaries on board. Two days later New Jersey was all war once more, returning to the west coast at Chinampo to knock out harbor defense positions.^[2]

The battleship was under fire at Wonsan 27 May–29 May, but her five-inch guns silenced the counter-fire, and her 16 inch shells destroyed five gun emplacements and four gun caves. She also hit a target that flamed spectacularly: either a fuel storage area or an ammunition dump.^[2]

New Jersey returned to the key task of direct support to troops at Kosong 7 June. On her first mission, she completely destroyed two gun positions, an observation post, and their supporting trenches, then stood by on call for further aid. She then sailed back to Wonsan for a day-long bombardment 24 June, aimed at guns placed in caves. The results were excellent, with eight direct hits on three caves, one cave demolished, and four others closed. Next day she returned to troop support at Kosong, her assignment until 10 July, aside from necessary withdrawal for replenishment.^[2]

At Wonsan 11 July–12 July, New Jersey fired one of the most concentrated bombardments of her Korean duty. For nine hours the first day, and for seven the second, her guns slammed away on gun positions and bunkers on Hodo Pando and the mainland with telling effect. At least ten enemy guns were destroyed, many damaged, and a number of caves and tunnels sealed. New Jersey smashed radar control positions and bridges at Kojo 13 July, and was once more on the east coast bombline 22 July–24 July to support South Korean troops near Kosong. These days found her gunners at their most accurate and the devastation wrought was impressive. A large cave, housing an important enemy observation post was closed, the end of a month-long United Nations effort. A great many bunkers, artillery areas, observation posts, trenches, tanks and other weapons were destroyed.^[2]

At sunrise 25 July 1953 New Jersey was off the key port, rail and communications center of Hungnam, pounding coastal guns, bridges, a factor area, and oil storage tanks. She sailed north that afternoon, firing at rail lines and railroad tunnels as she made for Tanchon, where she launched a whaleboat in an attempt to spot a train known to run nightly along the coast. Her big guns were trained on two tunnels between which she hoped to catch the train, but in the darkness she could not see the results of her six-gun salvo.^[2]

New Jersey's mission at Wonsan, next day, was her last. Here she destroyed large-caliber guns, bunkers, caves and trenches. Two days later, she learned of the truce. Her crew celebrated during a seven day visit at Hong Kong, where she anchored 20 August. Operations around Japan and off Formosa were carried out for the remainder of her tour, which was highlighted by a visit to Pusan. Here President Rhee came aboard 16 September to present the Korean Presidential Unit Citation to the 7th Fleet.^[2]

Post Korean War (1953–1968)

Relieved as flagship at Yokosuka by Wisconsin 14 October, New Jersey was homeward bound the next day, reaching Norfolk 14 November. During the next two summers she crossed the Atlantic with midshipmen on board for training, and during the rest of the year sharpened her skills with exercises and training maneuvers along the Atlantic coast and in the Caribbean.^[2]

New Jersey stood out of Norfolk 7 September 1955 for her first tour of duty with the United States Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Her ports of call included Gibraltar, Valencia, Cannes, Istanbul, Suda Bay; and Barcelona. She returned to Norfolk 7 January 1956 for the spring program of training operations. That summer she again carried midshipmen to Northern Europe for training, bringing them home to Annapolis 31 July. New Jersey sailed for Europe once more 27 August as flagship of Vice Admiral Charles Wellborn, Jr., Commander United States Second Fleet. She called at Lisbon, participated in NATO exercises off Scotland, and paid an official visit to Norway where Crown Prince Olaf was a guest. She returned to Norfolk 15 October, and 14 December arrived at New York Naval Shipyard for inactivation. She was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Bayonne 21 August 1957.^[2]

The Vietnam War

New Jersey’s third career began 6 April 1968 when she recommissioned at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Captain J. Edward Snyder in command. Fitted with improved electronics and a helicopter landing pad and with her 40 millimeter battery removed, she was tailored for use as a heavy bombardment ship. Her 16 inch guns, it was expected, would reach targets in Vietnam inaccessible to smaller naval guns and, in foul weather, safe from aerial attack.^[2]

New Jersey, now the world's only active battleship, departed Philadelphia 16 May, calling at Norfolk and transiting the Panama Canal before arriving at her new home port of Long Beach, California, 11 June. Further training off southern California followed. On 24 July New Jersey received 16 inch shells and powder tanks from Mount Katmai (AE-16) by conventional highline transfer and by helicopter lift, the first time heavy battleship ammunition had been transferred by helicopter at sea.^[2]

Departing Long Beach 3 September, New Jersey touched at Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay before sailing 25 September for her first tour of gunfire support duty along the Vietnamese coast. Near the 17th parallel on 30 September, the dreadnought fired her first shots in battle in over sixteen years. Firing against Communist targets in and near the so-called Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), her big guns destroyed two gun positions and two supply areas. She fired against targets north of the DMZ the following day, rescuing the crew of a spotting plane forced down at sea by antiaircraft fire.^[2]

The next six months saw New Jersey settling herself into a steady pace of bombardment and fire support missions along the Vietnamese coast, broken only by brief visits to Subic Bay and replenishment operations at sea. In her first two months on the gun line, New Jersey directed nearly ten thousand rounds of ammunition at Communist targets; over 3,000 of these shells were 16 inch (406 mm) projectiles.^[2]

At the end of her tour in 1969, the New Jersey fired over 116,000 times from her 16 in main cannons and over 1 million times from her 5 in cannons, marking the heaviest naval bombardment since World War II.^[2]

Post Vietnam War (1969–1982)

Her first Vietnam combat tour completed, New Jersey departed Subic Bay 3 April 1969 for Japan. She arrived at Yokosuka for a two-day visit, sailing for the United States 9 April. Her homecoming, however, was to be delayed. On the 15th, while New Jersey was still at sea, North Korean jet fighters shot down an unarmed EC-121 Constellation electronic surveillance plane over the Sea of Japan, killing its entire crew. A carrier task force was formed and sent to the Sea of Japan, while New Jersey was ordered to come about and steam toward Japan. On the 22nd she arrived once more at Yokosuka, and immediately put to sea in readiness for what might befall.^[2]

As the crisis eased, New Jersey was released to continue her interrupted voyage. She anchored at Long Beach 5 May 1969, her first visit to her home port in eight months. Through the summer months, New Jersey’s crew toiled to make her ready for another deployment, and deficiencies discovered on the gun line were remedied. According to official reports, though, reasons of economy were to dictate otherwise. However, many believe that the ship was ordered decommissioned because the Viet Cong said that they would not attend the Paris Peace Talks if the ship was redeployed to Vietnam. Nonetheless, on 22 August 1969 the United States Secretary of Defense released a list of names of ships to be inactivated; at the top of the list was New Jersey. Five days later, Captain Snyder was relieved of command by Captain Robert C. Peniston.^[2]

Assuming command of a ship already earmarked for the "mothball fleet," Captain Peniston and his crew prepared for their task. New Jersey got underway on the voyage 6 September, departing Long Beach for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. She arrived on the 8th, and began preinactivation overhaul to ready herself for decommissioning. On 17 December 1969 New Jersey 's colors were hauled down and she entered the inactive fleet, still echoing 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.”^[2]

Reactivation (1982)

United States General Accounting Office: Update of the Issues Concerning the Proposed Reactivation of the Iowa Class Battleships and the Aircraft Carrier Oriskany

As part of President Ronald Reagan's Navy secretary John Lehman's effort to create a 600-ship Navy, New Jersey was reactivated in 1982 and moved under tow to the (I need a shipyard name here) for modernization. While in the reactivation phase the Navy played with various ideas to remove the #3 Gun Turret aboard New Jersey and replace it with a missile magazine or aircraft related updates; however these ideas were ultimately dropped, and New Jersey retained her #3 Gun Turret during her 1980s carreer.

File:New Jersey recomissioned.JPG

President Ronald Reagan speaks during the recommisioning ceremony for New Jersey.

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 AGM-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.^[6]^[7]^[8] 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.^[9] Also included in her modernization were upgrades to radar and fire control systems for her guns and missiles, and improved electronic warfare capabilities.^[6]

Because New Jersey had been recalled for service in the Vietnam War her modernization differed from her sisters for a number a reasons. When reactivated in 1967 New Jersey had her 20 mm Oerlikon and 40 mm Boffers anti-aircraft guns removed, and recieved improve electronic warefare capabilities. This alteration help speed up the time it took get New Jersey recomissioned: since she was not in her World War II format the only physical alteration to New Jersey involved the removal of four of her ten 5 in gun mounts to make room for four Armored Box Launchers.^[6] In addition to saving time, this also made New Jersey cheaper to reactivate since the cost needed to moderinze the battleship only inculded the addition of missile and gun system mounts, electronic warfare suits, and improved radar and gun spotter technology.

On 28 December 1982 New Jersey was formally recommissioned at Long Beach, California, her new homeport. The recomissioning of New Jersey marked a return of the battleships after a 14-year absence from the world's oceans, a sentiment best summed up on the New Jersey badge from the time, which proudly declared "The Battleship Is Back".

Lebanese Civil War

In 1983, a bloody civil war was raging in Lebanon. In an effort to stop the violence in the region a Multinational Force comprised largely of U.S. and French armed service members was created and sent to the region to attempt a restoration of order. As part of the multinational force the United States mobilized an expiditionary force composed of members of the United States Marine Corps and elements of the United States Sixth Fleet which operated out of the Mediterranean Sea.^[10]

At the time the Multinational Force had arrived the Lebanese Civil War had shifted to the Chouf Mountains in what would later be termed the "Mountain War." In August 1983, Israel withdrew its Defense Forces from the Chouf District (southeast of Beirut), thus removing the buffer between the Druze and the Christian militias and triggering another round of brutal fighting. On 16 September 1983 Druze forces massed on the threshold of Suk El Gharb, a village defended by the Lebanese Army.^[11] Suk El Gharb was a village with strategic importance: the militias coming up from the south had to traverse Suk El Gharb to get to the Beirut-Aley road. Moreover, Suk El Gharb controlled a ridge that overlooked Baabda, Yarze, which was the location of the Ministry of Defence, and East Beirut. From that ridge, the Militia gunners could shoot directly downhill at those locations with artillery.

As the militias invaded and the Labanese forced began to lose ground Michel Aoun, the commander of the Labanese 8th Mechanised Infantry Battalion defending the town, pleaded with United States to aid with the defense of the town.^[11] Aoun cited Syrian involvement with the attacking militias as justification for U.S. aid in the defense of Suk El Gharb. At first the U.S. forces refused to get involved, citing their role as peacekeepers in the region; however, when informed that Suk El Gharb would likely be overrun if something was not done the United States agreed to aid with the defense of the town. USS Virginia (CGN-38), USS John Rodgers (DD-983), USS Bowen, and USS Radford fired 338 rounds from their five inch (127 mm) guns in support of Lebanese Army forces defending Suk El Gharb. The offshore artillery support helped the Labenese Army hold the town until a cease-fire was declared on 25 September, the same day on which New jersey joined the group.^[11]

On November 28 — after October 23, 1983 Beirut barracks bombing — the U.S. government announced that New Jersey would be retained off Beirut although her crew would be rotated. On 14 December, New Jersey fired 11 projectiles from her 16 inch (406 mm) guns at hostile positions inland of Beirut. These were the first 16 inch (406 mm) shells fired for effect anywhere in the world since New Jersey ended her time on the gunline in Vietnam in 1969.

On 8 February 1984, New Jersey fired almost 300 shells at Druze and Syrian positions in the Bekaa valley east of Beirut. Some 30 of these massive projectiles rained down on a Syrian command post, killing the general commanding Syrian forces in Lebanon and several other senior officers. This was the heaviest shore bombardment since the Vietnam War.

Although New Jersey preformed her job expertly during the intervention in Lebanon some have criticized the descion to have New Jersey shell Druze and Syrian forces. Members of this camp allege that this action forced a shift in the previously neutral U.S. forces by convincing local Lebanese Muslims that the United States had taken the Christian side;^[12] New Jersey’s shells had killed a number of Muslim civilians living in the targeted area.^[13]. In his memoir, General Colin Powell (at the time an assistant to Caspar Weinberger) noted that "When the shells started falling on the Shiites, they assumed the American ‘referee’ had taken sides."^[14]^[15]

Post Cold War (1984–Present)

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990's and the lack of a perceived threat against the United States came drastic cuts to the defense budget, and the high-manning requirements of the battleship saw New Jersey decommissioned for the final time at the Naval Station Long Beach, California, on 8 February 1991 and then towed to Bremerton, Washington.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 required the United States Navy to maintain two battleships in the mothball fleet that were in good condition and could be reactivated for use in the Marine Corp's amphibious operations. Due to Iowa’s damaged Turret 2 the Navy selected New Jersey for placement into the mothball fleet, even though the training mechanisms on New Jersey’s 16" guns had been welded down. The cost to fix New Jersey was considered less than the cost to fix Iowa; however, the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 demanded that the Navy substitute Iowa for New Jersey; additionally, the Navy was to arrange for New Jersey’s donation for use as a museum ship.^[16] The Navy made the switch in January 1999, paving the way for Camden, New Jersey, to acquire USS New Jersey.

On 12 September 1999, the ship was towed by the tug Sea Victory from Bremerton to Philadelphia where she arrived on 11 November. On 20 January 2000, Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig announced that the battleship would be donated to Home Port Alliance of Camden, New Jersey, for use as a museum. After the 11 September 2001 attacks, the Secretary of the Navy decreed that the Navy Jack remain on New Jersey. Having completed an outstanding career, the ship is now the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial. She is permanently berthed on the Camden Waterfront. The museum opened to the public for tours in October 2001. Self-guided, tour-guided and overnight encampments are offered on the floating museum. Overnight encampments, typically for the benefit of scouting organizations, offer the opportunity to sleep and eat in the original berths and mess decks.

Awards

New Jersey earned the Navy Unit Commendation for Vietnam service. She received nine battle stars for World War II; four for the Korean conflict; and two for Vietnam. Overall, she holds the distinction of being the most decorated battleship in the history of the U.S. Navy.

Notes

^ "Naval Vessel Register". United States Navy. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax "USS New Jersey (BB 62) History". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
^ Johnston, Ian & McAuley, Rob (2002). The Battleships. London: Channel 4 Books (an imprint of Pan Macmillian, LTD). pp. page 120. ISBN 0752261886. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ William F. Halsey held the rank of a four star Admiral throughout the Second World War. In December of 1945, four monthes after the official surrender of the Japanese, he was promoted to the rank of Fleet Admiral and awarded his fifth star. Source
^ American Secretary of State Dean Acheson had told Congress on June 20 that no war was likely.
^ ^a ^b ^c "BB-61 IOWA-class (Specifications)". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
^ Johnston, Ian & McAuley, Rob (2002). The Battleships. London: Channel 4 Books (an imprint of Pan Macmillian, LTD). pp. page 183. ISBN 0752261886. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Holland, W. J. (2004). The Navy. China: Barnes & Noble, Inc., by arrangement with Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, Inc. pp. page 184. ISBN 076076218X. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
^ "The Warfighter's Encyclopedia: Aircraft - RQ-2 Pioneer".
^ Levins, Hoag (2001-10-18). "Camden County News: Battleship New Jersey Curator Speaks". Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |accessmonthday= (help)
^ ^a ^b ^c "The Lebanese War, Lebanese Civil War (subsection:The Israeli Defense Forces Withdrawal and the Mountain War)". cederland.org. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
^ U.S. Library of Congress. "Lebanon - United States". Retrieved 2007-05-25.
^ Glass, Charles (2006). "Do it now. For Israel". Retrieved 2005-05-25. {{cite web}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); External link in |authorlink= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
^ Parry, Robert (2007). "Fatal Flaws of Bush's 'Tough-Guy-ism'". Consortiumnews.com. Retrieved 2005-05-25. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
^ Powell, Colin A. and Joseph Persico, My American Journey, Ballantine, ISBN 0-345-40728-8
^ 105th Congress, United States Senate and House of Representatives. "Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999" (pdf). pp. p 200-201. Retrieved 2007-03-12. {{cite web}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

References

Comegno, Carol. The Battleship USS New Jersey: From Birth to Berth. Pediment Pub, 2001. ISBN 1-891395-76-9
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

External links

Battleship New Jersey museum
Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station - Shows Amateur Radio operators restoring ships electronics
Unofficial US Navy Site
Maritimequest USS New Jersey BB-62 Photo Gallery
WWII Battleship Site Entry for USS New Jersey
Naval Vessel Registry Entry for USS New Jersey
USS New Jersey Photos on board the Battleship USS New Jersey BB-62 in Camden, NJ

Task Force 58

USS Mobile Bay rewrite

Template:Ship table

File:USSMobileBayCG-53Crest.jpg

Crest of USS Mobile Bay

USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. She is named for the naval Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War in 1864.

With her guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons, she is capable of facing and defeating threats in the air, on the sea, or the ashore, and underneath the sea. She also carries two Seahawk LAMPS multi-purpose helicopters, but mainly for anti-submarine warfare, ASW.

USS MOBILE BAY was built in Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipbuilding Division of Litton Industries. The cruiser was commissioned on 21 February 1987 at the Alabama State Docks in Mobile, Alabama.

After commissioning, MOBILE BAY joined the U. S. Atlantic Fleet, arriving at its Mayport, Florida, homeport in March 1987. Following a year of crew qualifications, tests and systems trials, MOBILE BAY embarked on its maiden deployment on 11 May 1989. During this cruise, MOBILE BAY earned its first two awards: the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Armed Services Expeditionary Medal, for operations conducted in the Gulf of Oman.

In June of 1990, MOBILE BAY shifted homeports from Mayport, Florida to Yokosuka, Japan. Shortly thereafter, MOBILE BAY deployed in August 1990 in support of Operation Desert Shield and Storm, becoming the first Aegis cruiser to circumnavigate the globe. In the Arabian Gulf, the ship distinguished itself by becoming the first Battle Force Anti-Air Warfare Commander to control a four-carrier Task Force. MOBILE BAY launched 22 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missile strikes, and controlling carrier-launched attack aircraft that contributed to the complete destruction of the Iraqi Navy.

In May of 1991, MOBILE BAY was ordered to Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, to participate in Operation Fiery Vigil, the evacuation of thousands of people displaced by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. In December 1991, MOBILE BAY began work-ups for a spring 1992 Arabian Gulf deployment.

On 15 April 1992, MOBILE BAY once again set sail for the Arabian Gulf. En route, the ship and crew visited Sydney, Australia, to represent the U. S. Navy at the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Battle of Coral Sea. Sailing through the Straits of Hormuz in late May 1992, the ship began duties as the Arabian Gulf Anti-Air Warfare Commander. MOBILE BAY also played a vital role in Operation Southern Watch, the enforcement of the U. N.-mandated "No Fly Zone" over Southern Iraq. Returning to Japan in October, MOBILE BAY participated in ANNUALEX-92, a major naval exercise involving units of the U. S. Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force. MOBILE BAY served as the Anti-Air Warfare Commander for a joint U. S. - Japanese flotilla.

In May 1993, MOBILE BAY steamed to Western Australia for SPRING TRAINING-93, a multi-national exercise involving units of the U. S., Royal Australian, and Singaporean Navies. In September of 1993, MOBILE BAY made an historic visit to the Russian seaport of Vladivostok. Departing Russia, MOBILE BAY participated in ANNUALEX-93 before returning to Yokosuka to finish preparations for an upcoming Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf deployment.

On 17 November 1993, MOBILE BAY departed Yokosuka for a third deployment in three years. Arriving in the Arabian Gulf a month later, MOBILE BAY immediately assumed duties as Anti-Air Warfare Commander for naval forces in the Gulf. Remaining on station until February 1994, MOBILE BAY helped to maintain stability in the region. MOBILE BAY completed this deployment on 17 March 1994, returning to Yokosuka.

In May of 1994, MOBILE BAY left home waters to participate in RIMPAC-94, a month-long exercise in the mid-Pacific involving over 50 warships from five Pacific Rim nations.

In spring 1999, the MOBILE BAY sailed three times through the Taiwan Straits during a period of tension between Taiwan and China, and in June 1999 it was dispatched to Korea during the "Crab Wars" over fishing rights between North and South Korea.

In early May 1999, USS MOBILE BAY deployed to Singapore to participate in the 1999 International Maritime Defense Exhibition (IMDEX) Asia, there.

In mid-1999, USS MOBILE BAY deployed to serve US forces supporting INTERFET operations off the coast of East Timor. Sailing south on August 23, 1999, for a series of routine Australian port visits and Exercise Crocodile 99, USS MOBILE BAY was redirected by Commander, 7th Fleet, and told to sail for the waters of East Timor. As the first U.S. forces on the scene, MOBILE BAY was designated as Commander, Joint Task Force Timor Sea Operations (CJTF TSO). During Timor Sea operations, MOBILE BAY performed many missions including guard ship; U.S. armed forces sanctuary; air surveillance; intelligence gathering; Timor ground operations repair efforts; link manager (which provided primary air tracking in support of aircraft into and out of East Timor carrying supplies and troops); and ship escort.

Following the East Timor operation, MOBILE BAY Bay visited Singapore; Pattaya, Thailand; Kagoshima and Sasebo, Japan. After the Sasebo port visit, MOBILE BAY participated in early November in the joint exercise Annualex, with the Japanese navy.

In July 2000, USS MOBILE BAY changed homeports from Yokosuka, Japan, to San Diego, CA, ending 10 years of 7th Fleet service.

USS MOBILE BAY was refurbished in 2001 as one of the Navy’s first "Smart Ships," and one of four ships selected to test how well Navy vessels can operate with sharply reduced crews. MOBILE BAY had been nominated for the Navy’s "Optimal Manning Project", an early test of concepts to be integrated into the design of DD-21.

On December 21, 2001, a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, operating from the USS MOBILE BAY, seized 10.5 metric tons of cocaine approximately 800 miles southwest of Acapulco, Mexico.

See USS Mobile (disambiguation) for other ships carrying the name "Mobile".

External links

{{NVR}} {{Ticonderoga class cruiser}} [[Category:Ticonderoga class cruisers|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Cruisers of the United States|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Cruisers of the United States Navy|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Cold War cruisers of the United States|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[Category:Active cruisers of the United States|Mobile Bay (CG-53)]] [[ja:モービル・ベイ (ミサイル巡洋艦)]] {{US-mil-ship-stub}}

That "Thing"

High Wind Advisory - Unique to the Southwestern region of the United States, high wind advisories are issued in advance of aproaching cold fronts to advise people about the potential aproaching hazard. Cold fronts have heavy winds, which can (and frequently do) kick up power dust storms in the desert; such storms severely limit visability and, if powerful enough, can overturn vehicals, topple utility poles, and blow roofs off houses. Typical these advisories are issued when a cold front’s winds are aproximated to be 35-40 miles per hour, and last thoughout the duration of the storm.

Cyberization

Cyberization is a term applied to those that have replaced their biological bady parts with high quality prosthetic device designed to do the same job but more efficently. All branches of Ghost in the Shell take place in a future when hi-tech prosthetics exist and are commonplace, and the use of prosthetics and other cybernetic devices on humans has resulted in much ambiguity over what exactly constitutes cyberization and what should be considered a cyborg. This ambiguity is further enlarged by the fact that Ghost in the Shell does not explicitly define what cyberization is and at what point it makes a person a cyborg.

In a broad sense cyberization could best be described as undergoing some level of cyber enhancement, such as receiving replacement prosthetics for limbs rendered missing, badly-damaged or ineffective. This process may be as simple as having a finger or toe replaced, or it may be as complicated as transferring a cyberbrain in order to completely switch one’s body. Others have argued that replacing a large portion of the body with prosthetics should not be considered cyberization, but cyborgization. Used in this sense, those bearing mechanization but lacking heavy amounts of it (50% or greater appears to be the common baseline level among military personnel) would still be considered natural humans, while those over a certain replacement level would not.

Several discussions throughout the Ghost in the Shell universe attest to the difficulty of conclusively reaching a definition that can be agreed upon. In Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Section 9's members are all revealed to have undergone cyberization, yet the group refers to Togusa as a "natural" as he lacks anything beyond the basic cyberbrain upgrade, which everyone needs to have. The Laughing Man, the primary focus of the "Complex" episode story arc, gave insight to a cyborg's ability to share and synchronize memories, thus depriving humans of the uniqueness. The Major countered his point by noting that each person’s curiosity can overcome sychronization. Even the Tachikoma mini-tanks debate these points in episode 15 (Time of the Machines – MACHINES DÉSIRANTES) of Stand Alone Complex when one of the units points out that Japanese citizens who have undergone cyberization resented being called cyborgs.

Rewrite

While in Puerto Vallarta the steelworkers donated their time to paint an orphanage, touching in a positive way the lives of many less fortunate children. In the ensuing months Stethem embarked on her third Inter Deployment Training Cycle (IDTC) and served as Command Destroyer Squadron 23’s flagship throughout the month of February. In March, Stethem completed the Command Assessment of Readiness for Training II (CART II). Between the weeks of 1 April and 3 May 2002 Stethem completed the Tailored Ship’s Training Availability period. On 6 May Stethem served as the opposition forces for the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group’s Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX).

In early June, Stethem ensured her seventh Engineering Command excellance award as a result of outstanding performance during the Engineering Underway Demonstration. On July 8-12, she commenced a Supply Management Assessment which was upgraded to an Inspection because of her exemplary Combat Logistics readiness. Returning to the site of her commissioning in 1995, at the end of July, STETHEM took part in the 60th Anniversary of SEABEE Days in Port Hueneme, CA in honor of her namesake. She then transited to Everett, WA, embarked families and friends for the short transit to participate in the Seattle Seafair Festival. On September 12, 2002, STETHEM was given the distinct privilege of leading the Parade of Sail into San Diego Bay. In the beginning of October, STETHEM occupied a place of honor downtown at Broadway Pier as part of San Diego’s Fleet Week Celebration. While at Broadway Pier, STETHEM safely hosted the first public Navy ship tours in San Diego after the September 11th attacks. Soon afterward, on October 16, STETHEM successfully launched the first Tomahawk Cruise Missile using the new Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (TTWCS). At the end of October, STETHEM once again played the role of opposition force, this time for the CONSTELLATION Carrier Battle Group.

In January 2003, STETHEM played the opposition force role for the NIMITZ Carrier Battle Group. On February 5, 2003, STETHEM returned to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for another port visit. Working with the San Diego and Puerto Vallarta Navy League Chapters, STETHEM delivered medical equipment for distribution to handicapped residents of Puerto Vallarta. The STEELWORKERs also painted the local library frequented by many of Puerto Vallarta’s school children. On April 5, 2003, STETHEM successfully performed the first ever surface ship launch of a Block IV Tactical Tomahawk Cruise Missile, bringing it one big step closer to fleet introduction. This was followed up on 08 May with the first surface ship launch of a Block IV Tactical Tomahawk Cruise Missile with a live warhead. After the missile left the launcher, STETHEM’s strike team became the first to demonstrate Tactical Tomahawk’s post launch execution capability when they redirected the missile in flight. Both the team and the missile performed flawlessly completely destroying the intended target on San Clemente Island after over 2 hours and 700 miles of missile flight.

On May 14th, after a two week Intermediate Maintenance Availability, STETHEM sailed in support of a different kind of missile firing exercise. During this exercise STETHEM’s Airwarfare Team engaged two air borne targets with Standard Missiles. After this successful engagement, STETHEM celebrated by transiting north to Juneau, Alaska and Victoria, B. C. for some well deserved rest and relaxation. All of the STEELWORKER’s took advantage of great opportunities for sightseeing and shopping.

Returning from her trek up North in June, STETHEM rested for one week and then put back to sea to serve as the Opposition Force against Pacific Fleet’s first Expeditionary Strike Group which was headed up by USS PELELIU.

On July 3, 2003, surrounded by friends and family, Commander David W. Melin was relieved by Commander Charles F. Williams. Today, we are continuing our successes with our new Commander and our great crew.

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{wikibreak|TomStar81|when the Confederacy of Collage Finals is supressed by the United Student Resistance Faction.}

External links (for reference)

http://users3.ev1.net/~cfmoore/history/1944normandy.html

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:WSigs2jXFCgJ:www.sinodefenceforum.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D1547%26page%3D6+CVN+78+and+Enterprise&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=47

USS William D. Porter (DD-579)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/mmedia/nation/111001-1v.htm

http://web.umr.edu/~rogersda/american&military_history/World%27s%20Fastest%20Battleships.pdf

http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/AMMUNITION/NAVORD-OP-769-APPENDIX-1-GENERAL-TURRET-DATA.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-03-08-san-francisco-battleship_x.htm

http://www.bb62museum.org/photos.html

DYK Link

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User:TomStar81

My User Page | My Talk Page | My Sand box | My Copyrights | My Contributions

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User:TomStar81

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About me

I joined in September 2004, and I have picked up some of the tools of the trade, but I still have not mastered everything (yet...). Feel free to correct me if I screw something up, but please do so Nicely.
I am an avid computer gamer, and spend the rest of my time either watching TV or reading books. I'm not an expert in any particular field, but I am knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects including (but not limited to): Meteorology, Transportation, History, Military Science, Historical Interpretations of the American Constitution, the Legal Process, and cartoons, with a special eye on anime and Adult Swim, and the old Toonami. I have also been told that I can think outside the box, but I'm not sure how true that is.
Since joining Wikipedia I have been steadily expanding my horizons here, and have been dropping welcome messages on the talk pages of new users who happen to edit articles I track on my watchlist. On July 8th, 2008, I became an administrator here on the English Wikipedia, and as such now have a few extra buttons to employ for the betterment of Wikipedia. I also have an account on the Commons repository after noticing that a large number of the pictures I originally uploaded for use in articles pertaining to the United States Navy have since migrated over to the commons or to pages on Wikipedia sites in other languages. I am a member of the Military history Wikiproject, which seeks to improve Wikipedia’s coverage of military history, and the World War II task force, a task force operating under the Military history Wikiproject which aims to improve Wikipedia’s coverage of World War II. In August of 2007, I became one of nine coordinators elected by the members of the Military history Project to oversee the internal operations fo the project and to ensure that the project retains active and healthy on Wikipedia as the encyclopedia continuously evolves. Occasionally, if I am bored or if I have nothing better to do with my time I will check the recent edits log to check for vandalism, or cruise aimlessly through the articles that pop up when I click on "Random Article" to further my own knowledge and to see if I can improve the page(s) in any way.
I have found that my school work at the University of Texas at El Paso has been getting harder, so I have been spending somewhat less time here than I have in the past, and I have been using this site more as a source and less as a recreational hobby. This has been especially true during May and December, when we college guys have our finals. Therefore, if you leave a message here during the school year or during finals week it may be a while before I get back to you.
Anyway, if I can help with something, then I will definitely try, and if I can't, I may be able to at least point you in the general direction of assistance.
Oh, and uh, one more thing: My Spelling is Atrocious, so if I made it, and it's misspelled, please fix it. You will be doing us all a favor ;-)
—TomStar81 04:53, 4 Sep 2004 (UTC)

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For More Information, Please see User:TomStar81/Copyrights.

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This is a Wikipedia user page.
This is not an encyclopedia article or the talk page for an encyclopedia article. If you find this page on any site other than Wikipedia, you are viewing a mirror site. Be aware that the page may be outdated and that the user in whose space this page is located may have no personal affiliation with any site other than Wikipedia. The original page is located at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:TomStar81/Sandbox.

[Order-1] "Naval Vessel Register". United States Navy. Retrieved 2007-03-16.

[DANFS-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax "USS New Jersey (BB 62) History". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. United States Navy. Retrieved 2007-03-16.

[The_Battleships_I-3] Johnston, Ian & McAuley, Rob (2002). The Battleships. London: Channel 4 Books (an imprint of Pan Macmillian, LTD). pp. page 120. ISBN 0752261886. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[4] William F. Halsey held the rank of a four star Admiral throughout the Second World War. In December of 1945, four monthes after the official surrender of the Japanese, he was promoted to the rank of Fleet Admiral and awarded his fifth star. Source

[5] American Secretary of State Dean Acheson had told Congress on June 20 that no war was likely.

[FAS_Iowa-6] "BB-61 IOWA-class (Specifications)". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 2006-11-26.

[The_Battleships_II-7] Johnston, Ian & McAuley, Rob (2002). The Battleships. London: Channel 4 Books (an imprint of Pan Macmillian, LTD). pp. page 183. ISBN 0752261886. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[The_Navy-8] Holland, W. J. (2004). The Navy. China: Barnes & Noble, Inc., by arrangement with Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, Inc. pp. page 184. ISBN 076076218X. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)

[Drone-9] "The Warfighter's Encyclopedia: Aircraft - RQ-2 Pioneer".

[CCN-10] Levins, Hoag (2001-10-18). "Camden County News: Battleship New Jersey Curator Speaks". Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |accessmonthday= (help)

[C-11] "The Lebanese War, Lebanese Civil War (subsection:The Israeli Defense Forces Withdrawal and the Mountain War)". cederland.org. Retrieved 2007-05-25.

[12] U.S. Library of Congress. "Lebanon - United States". Retrieved 2007-05-25.

[13] Glass, Charles (2006). "Do it now. For Israel". Retrieved 2005-05-25. {{cite web}}: Check |authorlink= value (help); External link in |authorlink= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

[14] Parry, Robert (2007). "Fatal Flaws of Bush's 'Tough-Guy-ism'". Consortiumnews.com. Retrieved 2005-05-25. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)

[15] Powell, Colin A. and Joseph Persico, My American Journey, Ballantine, ISBN 0-345-40728-8

[16] 105th Congress, United States Senate and House of Representatives. "Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999" (pdf). pp. p 200-201. Retrieved 2007-03-12. {{cite web}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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USS Iowa (BB-61)

World War II

The Korean War

1953 to 1958

1985-2001

"A Glimpse of Hell"

2001-present

Awards

See also

External links

USS New Jersey (BB-62)

Construction

World War II

Shakedown and Service with the 5th Fleet, Admiral Spruance

Service with the 3rd Fleet, Admiral Halsey

Service with Battleship Division Seven, Admiral Badger

Post WWII (1946–1950)

The Korean War (1950–1953)

Post Korean War (1953–1968)

The Vietnam War

Post Vietnam War (1969–1982)

Reactivation (1982)

Lebanese Civil War

Post Cold War (1984–Present)

Awards

See also

Notes

References

External links

USS Mobile Bay rewrite

External links

That "Thing"

Cyberization

Rewrite

Image Gallery

Wikibreak

External links (for reference)

DYK Link

FA

Userpage Overhaul

User:TomStar81