USS New Jersey: When Democracy Needed Firepower

USS New Jersey (BB-62), one of the iconic Iowa-class battleships, was a floating fortress of American naval power. Armed with nine 16-inch/50 caliber Mark 7 guns, each capable of launching a 2,700-pound shell over 35 kilometers, the New Jersey could obliterate enemy positions with pinpoint accuracy.

Commissioned in 1943 and serving in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and even Lebanon, the New Jersey became one of the most decorated warships in U.S. Navy history. When her massive 16-inch guns roared to life, the thunder could be heard miles away — a terrifying sound of steel diplomacy at sea.

Watching the main battery fire was both a marvel of engineering and a reminder of her devastating firepower. These salvos weren’t just for show — they shaped the outcomes of beach landings, destroyed enemy fortifications, and asserted dominance in contested waters.

Today, Battleship New Jersey rests as a museum ship in Camden, New Jersey — but her legacy continues to echo across the waves, just like the thunder of her mighty guns once did.
#BattleshipNewJersey, #IowaClass, #16InchGuns, #NavalPower, #WWIINavy, #BigGunBattleship, #BB62, #GunfireSupport, #USNavyHistory, #NavalWarfare, #FloatingFortress, #ColdSteelThunder