Central Waterfront in Camden in Camden County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

5" Secondary Gun System

Battleship New Jersey

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 21, 2023

1. 5" Secondary Gun System Marker

Inscription.

5" Secondary Gun System. Battleship New Jersey. , New Jersey's secondary armament originally consisted of twenty 5-inch/38-caliber guns in ten twin enclosed gun mounts. Two mounts were located on each side of the ship at the 01 Level and three were mounted on each side at the 02 Level. These guns could be used against the surface, shore, and aircraft targets., The Mark 32 5" Twin Gun Mount was the most effective dual-purpose gun used during World War II, proving so successful that the United States Navy continued to fit these guns to new warships as late as 1967., Against kamikaze suicide aircraft attacks, New Jersey's 5" guns proved deadly effective when firing the proximity-fused shell, which had a miniature radar antenna in its nose. Each mount could elevate its guns to +85 degrees and hit targets more than 30,000 feet in the air, the cruising altitude of today's jet airliners. Used against surface targets or enemy ships, each 5" gun could hit a target more than ten miles away. These guns proved very effective in supporting American forces on land during the Vietnam War., During modernization in 1981, New Jersey had four twin mounts removed (in yellow, below) to make room for new, modern Harpoon and Tomahawk missile armament., This reduced the number of mounts to six, three per side, for a total of twelve 5-inch/38-caliber guns.,

Mark 32 , 5"/38 Twin Gun Mount. Ammunition Weights:
Shell: 55 lbs. , Powder: 24 lbs.
Shell Type:
-High-Explosive (ship and shore) , -Star-Shell (night illumination) , -White-Phosphorous (ground attack)
Range: Max. 10.2 miles , Firing Rate: Up to 15-20 rounds minute (every 3 seconds!) , Traverse: 25° per second , Elevation: 15° per second , Gun Weight: 1.783 tons each , Mount Weight: 75.7 tons , Armor Shield: 2.5" (front) , Crew: 14 men in gunhouse

, [Captions:] , A 5" secondary gun seen onboard New Jersey during World War II. These guns, along with their radar-assisted directors shown here, were extremely effective against suicide attacks by Japanese "kamikaze" aircraft., Below: Each mount had a 14-man crew. Due to ammunition weights, very fit gun crews 23° were needed to achieve a rate of fire of one shell every three seconds.

New Jersey's secondary armament originally consisted of twenty 5-inch/38-caliber guns in ten twin enclosed gun mounts. Two mounts were located on each side of the ship at the 01 Level and three were mounted on each side at the 02 Level. These guns could be used against the surface, shore, and aircraft targets.

The Mark 32 5" Twin Gun Mount was the most effective dual-purpose gun used during World War II, proving so successful that the United States Navy continued to fit these guns to new warships as late as 1967.

Against kamikaze suicide aircraft attacks, New Jersey's 5" guns proved deadly effective when firing the proximity-fused shell, which had a miniature radar antenna in its nose. Each mount could elevate its guns to +85 degrees and hit targets more than 30,000 feet in the air, the cruising altitude of today's jet airliners. Used against surface targets or enemy ships, each 5" gun could hit a target more than ten miles away. These guns proved very effective in supporting American forces on land during the Vietnam War.

During modernization in 1981, New Jersey had four twin mounts removed (in yellow, below) to make room for new, modern Harpoon and Tomahawk missile armament.

This reduced the number of mounts to six, three per side, for a total of twelve

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5-inch/38-caliber guns.

Mark 32
5"/38 Twin Gun Mount Ammunition Weights:
Shell: 55 lbs.
Powder: 24 lbs.
Shell Type:
-High-Explosive (ship & shore)
-Star-Shell (night illumination)
-White-Phosphorous (ground attack)
Range: Max. 10.2 miles
Firing Rate: Up to 15-20 rounds minute (every 3 seconds!)
Traverse: 25° per second
Elevation: 15° per second
Gun Weight: 1.783 tons each
Mount Weight: 75.7 tons
Armor Shield: 2.5" (front)
Crew: 14 men in gunhouse

[Captions:]
A 5" secondary gun seen onboard New Jersey during World War II. These guns, along with their radar-assisted directors shown here, were extremely effective against suicide attacks by Japanese "kamikaze" aircraft.

Below: Each mount had a 14-man crew. Due to ammunition weights, very fit gun crews 23° were needed to achieve a rate of fire of one shell every three seconds.

Erected by Battleship New Jersey.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, Cold • War, Vietnam • War, World II • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1967.

Location.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 21, 2023

2. 5" Secondary Gun System Marker

39° 56.357′ N, 75° 7.971′ W. Marker is in Camden, New Jersey, in Camden County. It is in Central Waterfront. It can be reached from Clinton Street west of South Delaware Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Clinton St, Camden NJ 08103, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South Jersey

and in Greater Philadelphia.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: USS New Jersey Marine Memorial (here, next to this marker); Harpoon Anti-Ship Missile (a few steps from this marker); USS New Jersey Marine Detachments (a few steps from this marker); Mark 36 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Chaff (SRBOC) (within shouting distance of this marker); Admirals and the Flag Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); Close-In Weapons System (within shouting distance of this marker); Admiral's Flag Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); 04 Level Navigation Bridge (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 24, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 229 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 24, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.