USS New Jersey: The WWII Iwo Jima Battleship That Went from Combat to Moored Museum

By Kris Osborn, Warrior

The USS New Jersey, one of the most decorated battleships in United States naval history, did not simply retire when her combat service ended, but instead went through  a series of updates, modifications, and preservation efforts to transition from an active warship into a moored museum. The design, technological systems and overall configuration were, by design, preserved for posterity.  

Commissioned in 1943 during World War II, the USS New Jersey was of course built for combat and not intended to exist in perpetuity as a floating museum.  Over decades of service in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and briefly during the Cold War in the 1980s, the ship underwent numerous military modernizations, including radar upgrades, improved fire-control systems, and missile capabilities. 

Attacking Iwo Jima

For example, the USS New Jersey is famous for pounding the shores of Iwo Jima, conducting “carrier screening” protective missions and simply “bombarding” enemy strongholds with massive firepower.  The combat successes of the USS New Jersey are spread across several wars and extremely significant to the point that the ship became a famous, war tested platform to be remembered. Therefore, once decommissioned in 1991, the USS New Jersey has become an emblem of the U.S. enduring combat power. 

“The USS New Jersey helped shoot down twenty Japanese warplanes and kamikazes, and rescued downed American pilots. The New Jersey also fought in the two largest naval battles of the Pacific War. First, in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the largest carrier battle in history, she helped throw up the impenetrable wall of antiaircraft fire which, with Navy fighters, decimated Japan’s naval air arm in the Marianas Turkey Shoot. Second, she led the Navy’s main fleet in the Battle for Leyte Gulf, the largest sea battle of all time, which destroyed the Japanese fleet as a fighting force,”  a formal write up on the battleship's history states. 

Reworking Ship Structure

One of the most important updates involved structural maintenance. Steel warships are highly vulnerable to corrosion from sea water once they are no longer actively maintained by a navy crew. Therefore, not surprisingly, preservation teams conducted hull inspections, rust removal, and repainting. Painters doing the preservation used a special kind of coating to preserve the “look” of the ship and slow-down deterioration.  Periodic dry-docking allowed engineers to repair hull plating, reinforce internal structures, and ensure the ship remained watertight to keep the ship afloat and stable as a museum.

Part of the transition from combat service to museum involved safeguarding the ship for civilian visitors by adding railings to stairs, less slippery materials and less access to exposed machinery. 

Electrical and mechanical systems also required updates. While many original systems were preserved for display, modern electrical wiring was installed to safely power lighting, climate controls in select areas, and interactive exhibits. Fire suppression systems were added to protect both visitors and the historic structure, replacing or supplementing outdated naval firefighting equipment that was no longer practical for museum use.

Reworked for Public Display

Accessibility improvements played a growing role as well. Although it is difficult to fully retrofit a World War II battleship to modern accessibility standards, the museum introduced ramps, elevators, and virtual tours to make the ship’s history more inclusive. These updates ensured compliance with contemporary expectations while respecting the physical limitations of the original design.

Finally, interpretive updates transformed the USS New Jersey from a static artifact into a living educational space. Interactive displays, restored combat information centers, audio guides, and veteran-led tours help visitors understand how the ship functioned during wartime. Some areas were restored to specific historical periods, allowing guests to experience how the ship changed across decades of service.. 

Kris Osborn is President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University