The WWII-era battleship USS New Jersey will make a trip home to Philadelphia in early 2024, writes David M. Zimmer for northjersey.com.

The boat will cross the short distance between Camden and the place where it was built and launched in the early 1940s: the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

The floating museum, which was launched for service on December 7, 1943, and sees around 80,000 visitors a year, will once again be dry-docked in Philadelphia for inspection and maintenance.

“The Battleship New Jersey is an incredible piece of history that has traveled the world and aided our military during some of this country’s most unstable times like World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War,” said Louis Cappelli Jr., director for the Camden County Board of Commissioners.

Maintenance for the boat is being financed through a New Jersey Historical Commission contribution of $5 million and a $3.25 million loan provided by the Camden County Improvement Authority to the nonprofit Home Port Alliance. This association is also behind the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial.

The ship was one of four Iowa-class battleships, the last battleships commissioned by the U.S. Navy. The USS New Jersey is the most decorated, earning 19 total battle and campaign stars.

Read more about the original USS New Jersey at northjersey.com.

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