USS New Jersey (BB-62), also known as Big J or Black Dragon, is an Iowa class battleship. Among her class, she is notable for having earned the most battle stars for her combat actions, and for being the only one to have served a tour of duty in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
New Jersey was launched on December 7, 1942 by the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Her first action as 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. She destroyed a trawler, and with other ships, sank destroyer Maikaze, as well as firing on an enemy plane which attacked her formation.
On May 17, 1951, New Jersey arrived from Japan off the coast of Korea. During her two tours of duty in Korean waters, she played the role of seaborne mobile artillery. On September 25, she sailed for her first tour of gunfire support duty along the Vietnamese coast. On September 30, she fired her first shots in battle in over sixteen years. Firing against Communist targets in and near the Demilitarized Zone, her big guns destroyed two gun positions and two supply areas.
On February 8, 1991, New Jersey was decommissioned at Bremerton, Washington. She arrived at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on November 11. Since then, she has been restored, opened and established as an educational museum and a tribute to the sailors who served aboard her. New Jersey opened as a museum and memorial in October 2001.
Our USS New Jersey wooden ship model is an exact replica of the original, handcrafted with vigilance by master craftsmen. After it is sanded and puttied, skilled artists paint on the intricate details. Hand-casted resin and handmade metal parts also constitute the model. Clear lacquer provides the finishing touch and long-lasting protection. Each ship comes on a a display base with brass pedestals and a brass name plate. All items then undergo quality control before being delivered to eagerly waiting customers. |
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