Battleship New Jersey Now Fights to Save Camden
Photos and Text By Stephen Finn
CAMDEN – After 44 years of service in the U.S. Navy from World War II to Desert Storm, the Battleship New Jersey arrived at its final resting place in Camden, New Jersey on October 15, 2000. Today the ship is open to the public and serves as a floating museum.
“The battleship is a fascinating piece of equipment,” said Norman Roton, a Navy veteran and docent on the ship since its opening. “It’s history that you can actually see and touch.”
The Battleship New Jersey is one of three Iowa-class battleships ordered by the U.S. Navy in 1939 for operations in the Pacific during WWII. It is the most decorated vessel in naval history and was the only U.S. battleship to provide gunfire support during Vietnam.
Despite its illustrious career, the ship belongs to a dying breed. In light of modern warfare tactics, naval battles are a distant memory. These once proud, hulking war machines have become all but obsolete.
“The New Jersey is a dinosaur, the last of the Mohicans,” said Roton. “There are no longer any battleships being built or operated on in the world today.”
In addition to its value as a historical site, the battleship, along with the nearby Adventure Aquarium, is part of a larger revitalization effort in Camden.
Joseph Myers is the vice president of the Cooper’s Ferry Development Association, which has coordinated over $600 million of private and public investment for the city. The organization kick started revitalization efforts in 1984 with development plans for the Camden Waterfront.
“Waterfront attractions like the battleship are of great value to a city like Camden,” said Myers. “By improving the city’s image and bringing people over to visit these attractions we hope to draw new businesses and support local business growth.”
Although the Battleship New Jersey will never again see action on the high seas, it hasn’t stopped serving its country. Its final mission may be it’s most challenging: to help save the struggling waterfront city of Camden.
