Battleship New Jersey Departs For New Navy Yard On Thursday Afternoon
Historic events are set to happen on the Delaware River this week. The iconic Battleship New Jersey will depart its home on the Camden Waterfront for dry dock maintenance at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
This will be the first time in 30 years that the Battleship will undergo dry docking. During the maintenance period, the Battleship will be removed from the water. Crews will then be able to repair the exterior of the ship that sits below the waterline.
The historic departure will take place on Thursday, March 21st. The event is open to the public and will feature comments from Governor Murphy, Congressman Donald Norcross, and Rear Admiral Thomas J. Anderson, USN. The Camden Creative Arts High School band will perform and local food trucks and vendors will be on site for the festivities.
This will be the first time that the Battleship New Jersey has moved from her home in nearly 25 years. Her final destination for these critical repairs is the same place where she was originally built in the early 1940s.
Marshall Spevak, CEO of the Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial points out that “the Battleship New Jersey is truly a treasure and we hope this event will prompt more people to visit her and learn about her incredible history and legacy.” This work will ensure that the nearly 900-foot-long ship continues to awe and educate for decades to come.
Once the Battleship is drydocked in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, it will open up to the public once again. Tickets for tours, including special “Curator’s Tour,” led by Battleship New Jersey curator, Ryan Szimanski, are available via battleshipnewjersey.org.
The Battleship New Jersey was originally built at this Philadelphia Naval Shipyard from 1940-1943 for World War II. It was then drydocked and reactivated in Philadelphia again from 1967-1968 for service in Vietnam. With 19 Battle Stars, the New Jersey is the most decorated battleship in the 248-year history of the United States Navy.
93.3 WMMR and our sister radio stations have hosted many events on the deck of the Battleship over the years. Band on The Battleship, Brew Blast, celebrity interviews and more. A few of those memories are featured below.
Donations for the drydocking efforts are now being accepted at www.battleshipnewjersey.org.