'Intense Bombardment': 1 Iowa-Class Battleship Fired 5,000 16-Inch Shells During Vietnam War

What You Need to Know: USS New Jersey (BB-62), nicknamed “Big J,” was the only U.S. battleship to provide gunfire support during the Vietnam War, setting it apart from its Iowa-class peers. Originally commissioned in 1943 and serving in World War II and the Korean War, New Jersey was reactivated in 1968 to counter heavy aircraft losses in Vietnam.

-After upgrades, the ship delivered intense bombardment, firing thousands of 16-inch and 5-inch shells, destroying enemy structures and bunkers.