Central Waterfront in Camden in Camden County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Teakwood Deck Restoration
Battleship New Jersey
Wooden decks were used on battleships as part of a long navy tradition. Steel decks of the USS New Jersey were overlaid with Teakwood planks. The New Jersey had her original Teakwood deck laid in 1943 for WWII. There have been repairs to the deck for each of her 4 commissions. Teakwood was used due to its insulation properties; its resistance to rot, as well as providing better traction than steel decks when wet. Additionally, Teakwood does not splinter on impact from in-coming projectiles.
Teak planks were screwed down tight to the deck using welded bolts. A rubberized caulk-like material was placed between each plank to prevent water from seeping underneath the deck and rotting the wood planks from underneath. Once the caulk had dried, the entire deck was sanded smooth.
After the USS New Jersey was decommissioned in 1991, little work was performed on the Teakwood decks and now the decks of the New Jersey are rotting away. In an effort to preserve this long standing navy tradition, new Teakwood planks are being installed in a historically accurate manner over newly constructed steel decks which have also deteriorated.
This project has been funded through the help of the Fred J. Brotherton Charitable Foundation and the New Jersey Historic Trust.
To find out how you can help preserve the
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Erected by Battleship New Jersey.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1943.
Location. 39° 56.388′ N, 75° 7.997′ W. Marker is in Camden, New Jersey, in Camden County. It is in Central Waterfront. Marker can be reached from Clinton Street west of South Delaware Avenue, on the right when traveling south. The marker is onboard the USS New Jersey. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Clinton St, Camden NJ 08103, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Aiming the Big Guns (a few steps from this marker); Side View Turret #1 (a few steps from this marker); Armed Forces Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Aiming the Secondary Guns (a few steps from this marker); Admiral's Flag Bridge (a few steps from this marker); Fleet Admiral William Halsey (a few steps from this marker); 04 Level Navigation Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); Close-In Weapons System (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Camden.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 23, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 76 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 23, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
