The Battleship New Jersey leaves Camden .
The ship was built at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and was launched there on Dec. 7, 1942, the first anniversary of the Japanese air attack on Pearl Harbor. and commissioned for battle in 1943. The ship is the most decorated battleship in Navy history, earning distinction in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and conflicts in the Middle East, according to its website. The ship steamed more miles, fought in more battles and fired more shells in combat than any other battleship. It served for about 50 years before its retirement in February 1991.Before finding her home on the Camden Waterfront, the New Jersey had to make a trek from Bremerton in Washington State. When the USS New Jersey returned to the Delaware River in 2000, she was greeted by 25,000 people and towed by one of the very tugboats that towed her in 1942.
On September 28th, 2001, after receiving repairs and restoration, the USS New Jersey finally slid into her home on the Camden Waterfront.
After leaving Camden, It travelled to the Paulsboro Marine Terminal, where it would be ballasted. The ballasting process allows 500,000 gallons of water from the Delaware River to be pumped into her for ballast , which is essential for safety during transit. On March 27 the ship will move into drydock at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The maintenance work is expected to take about two months to complete, officials said. Three major repair projects are planned, including repainting the ship’s hull, fixing the anti-corrosion system underneath the ship and inspecting through-hull openings.