CAMDEN, N.J. (PIX11) - It was 1969 when Navy veteran Jonah Berman served in Vietnam onboard what would become the most decorated battleship in American history.
"The hard work and dedication of all of my shipmates and the captain, the executive officer, they were treating us very well," said Berman, a resident of Kips Bay in Manhattan. "We had a tough job to do and no matter where we went, we were respected."
Berman traveled from Manhattan to the Camden waterfront to see the USS New Jersey at sea once more, as the Iowa-class battleship-turned-museum heads to be dry-docked for repairs.
"Oh, it brings back great memories. It's indescribable, it's just breathtaking," said Berman. "She hasn't been mothballed or scrapped, which a lot of older ships have because of budget cuts. I'm just so proud that she's still afloat."
"She continues to serve her community in new ways, and with the work done while we're in dry dock, she will remain here for decades to come," said Marshall Spevak, CEO of Battleship New Jersey.
While many still firmly believe the ship could have moved under her own power, the USS New Jersey was assisted by four McAllister tugboats as she goes to her new temporary home in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Among the thousands captivated by the battleship's historic departure was John Stickney, another Navy veteran who works onboard the ship today. "I wanted to be here to see the ship off," said Stickney, "and I intend to be here in June when she comes back."
To learn more about the battleship's dry docking and how to visit, click here.
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