CAMDEN, N.J. (PIX11) - She's one of the symbols of New Jersey and even has her own license plate. Soon, Battleship New Jersey will be on the move.
"She served in World War II, in Korea, in Vietnam and in the Lebanon Civil War in the late '80s," said Battleship New Jersey CEO Marshall Spevak.
The historic Iowa-class battleship, docked permanently on the Camden waterfront, is getting a rebirth.
It's set to receive an under-hull makeover in Philadelphia's Navy Yard later this month before returning to Camden. It's going to be a $10 million project, half of which has already been covered in last year's state budget.
"It'll be the first time in almost 35 years the ship's been dry-docked for maintenance," said Spevak.
On Tuesday, about a dozen New Jersey lawmakers held a committee meeting on the ship, hearing testimony from local officials on the project.
"Really, it was an effort to educate our members of the Legislature exactly what they're helping to pay for," said Spevak.
With 19 battle stars, the USS New Jersey was the most decorated battleship in American history. Today, from the moment you come aboard, you enter one of the most immersive museum experiences anywhere in the Garden State.
"This is a huge symbol of our thanks to their service, a huge symbol of our country always protecting our rights and freedoms, and the USS New Jersey has done that for many decades," said Assemblyman Julio Marenco, a Navy veteran who represents parts of Hudson County, and knows the battleship is a symbol for all of New Jersey. "We have veterans in every single county in this state that served in every single theater of war, peacetime and war. This, to them, is kind of a 'thank you.'"
The ship will leave the dock for the Navy Yard on Thursday, March 21.
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