Mothballed Battleship: A Video is Worth 1,000 Words

In this episode we're talking about a video that was recorded of New Jersey coming out of mothballs in the early 1980s in Bremerton, WA.
For more episodes in this series:
• A Picture is Worth 1,0...
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[@ytlas3]

Video was made right before the New Jersey left Bremerton on July 27, 1981. I remember the USS Moctobi and USS Takelma going up to Bremerton to get her. She arrived at LBNSY on August 6, 1981 to start reactivation overhaul. I was there for the full overhaul (Missouri reactivation too 😄 )

[@littletimelord2755]

That’s awesome!

[@Crabby303]

Clearly the cinematographer was expressing his/her feelings on matrimony. Chains, ropes, enormous weight, rust. Masterful storytelling indeed.

[@thurin84]

either that or they were into BDSM. or both lol.

[@davidholt7126]

Not masterful, more like amateur cinematography.

[@scott-in-dfw3005]

Needs more cowbell.

[@me109g4]

@@davidholt7126 Hopefully he didn't take up cinemaphotography as a career.

[@NavySWO]

I served on BB62 in the late 80s as Fire Control Officer in charge of the secondary batteries 5”/38s. I think about her all the time. She will always be my first love.

[@CRUSH71]

That's awesome. I was stationed at a Marine Corps reserve unit at the Long Beach Naval base from 90 to 95. We got to board one of the Iowa class battleships in May or June of 91. I can't remember which one.

[@CRUSH71]

How awesome that must have been. I realize that these ships are old and not practical to operate anymore, but a part of me wishes they were modernized active battleships today. So big, powerful, and beautiful.

[@CarlosRodriguez-kb9jc]

I got to see the Iowa, New Jersey, and Wisconsin all moored side by side in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard while my ship was in the yard. It was a sight to see those three massive bows side by side.

[@w6krg]

You've got a lot of "B roll" unedited footage here. The PH2 who shot this was from the Pac Flt AV Command in Coronado CA. I was able to go aboard Missouri when I was stationed there in the mid-70s during the Constellation's (CV-64) overhaul. There is a brass disc inset into the decking at the spot where the Japanese surrender was signed. I believe they had one compartment open as a small museum about the surrender, but the rest of the ship and all the weather decks aft of the bridge were off-limits. I was also a PH. ( Photographer's Mate )

[@CAPNMAC82]

The slate credits Photographer's Mate/2 Smith, D. B. as the auteur for this video. Definitely trained on analog film, where your shoot a repeat, a "safety" shot for every shot filmed.

[@KirkHermary]

83 repeat shots of the same bit of chain is excessive 🙄

[@littletimelord2755]

@@KirkHermary 1st of all it wasn’t 83, it was 4 or 5. Second of all, 4 or 5 isn’t excessive numbers of safety shots. Third of all, not every shot was meant to be seen/ released to the public. They probably picked one of each to release to the press, or less. Some may never have been released. With that in mind, the amount of shots filmed and refilmed is reasonable, and common practice of the time.

[@KirkHermary]

@littletimelord2755 83 was a figure of speech. Such as saying, "I've asked Fred thousands of times to stop spilling cactus juice on the carpet." Fred has not been addressed thousands of times. Realistically, it would have been perhaps 10+ times. So, when something was shown X number of times but the person writes 83 that is like hyperbole. Another example could be, "Woah! That driver passed me like I was standing still." Both drivers are moving, one is not stopped in place, it's just a figure of speech.

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

I can almost imagine the narration with all those anchor chain shots: "Bound like a modern day Prometheus, the Battleship is about to be freed from her chains..."

[@tonytrotta9322]

The battleships USS Missouri and USS New Jersey are docked like in the movie - Officer and a Gentleman - with Richard Gere at start of movie. I saw them in August 1976 and the New Jersey was down further and you could see the 62 on the bow. The Missouri was closed to film the movie MacArthur with Gregory Peck. The Heavy Cruisers USS St. Paul and USS Canberra were docked next to Missouri.

[@jeffreywick4057]

In 1977, me ,my two brothers and our Aunt visited Bremerton. The Missouri was there, but the next slip over was the USS Oriscany. Two slips down was the USS Bonhomme Richard. We went on board Missouri although access was limited. Thanks for the videos. Well done.

[@littletimelord2755]

That explains both the carrier Ryan brought up, and the two carriers another commenter mentioned were visible in a scene from An Officer and a Gentleman.

[@frankhiatt5295]

I would love to see more of the videos. The historical context is amazing. Thank you for sharing this.

[@KirkHermary]

Seeing the same shot of some random chain 83 times sure is exciting 🙄

[@frankhiatt5295]

@@KirkHermary But it adds context to the rest of the video.

[@davedavis775]

The opening scene of An Officer and a Gentleman when Zac is covering up his tattoo and rides off on his motorcycle was filmed in Bremerton. You can see clearly a couple carrier's and BB62 and BB63 moored next to each other at Bremerton. I believe the movie was filmed in 1981 and released in 82 .

[@Trebuchet48]

And most of it was filmed here in Port Townsend, at Fort Worden State Park! We were visiting the town (moved here later) when the movie was filmed. There's a scene in which Gere and Winger are riding a ferry. My wife and I rode it a few years earlier on our first date.

[@kennethhummel4409]

I remember that footage, I always asked my dad if we could stop by the Missouri to look at both ships as a kid back in the day. Dad would talk about the various parts of the ships, dad was a sailor (cruiser’s and destroyers) during WW2.

[@williammurray1564]

I visited the USS Missouri at Bremerton in 1980 I think. New Jersey was along side and there was at least one Essex class carrier near by also. On the Missouri you could access much of the bow area including the wardroom where copies of the surrender documents and pictures of the ceremony were posted. In addition visitors were allowed on the upper level where the plaque was mounted in the deck marking the spot where the surrender document was signed. To say the least it was an incredible experience to witness that commemoration of history.

[@scottb8175]

I am sure I was there in June or maybe May 1980, and I am sure New Jersey wasn't there then. Do you know when New Jersey was mothballed there? I also remember Missouri's gangway was on the port side and the bow was facing toward the shore. I also remember a super carrier moored near Missouri, off her starboard side (so to the east) which someone said was a "Kitty Hawk Class".

[@Chris-po1xh]

The carrier moored next to New Jerseys starboard side at that time, I believe was USS Oriskany.

[@bobsaur2998]

Absolutely the funniest commentary of any Battkeship New Jersey video you date. Should be subtitled "'Chains and Lines, and a few Birds " Great job, Ryan!

[@KirkHermary]

It should be titled, "Watch shots of the same piece of chain 83 times." 🙄🙄🙄

[@aserta]

@@KirkHermary Camera man was ahead of his time. Ryan has KZbin Shorts material for months now. :))

[@KirkHermary]

@aserta great, next time we need to look at the same length of chain we can make 83 shorts and 27 regular videos. Boy that will be exciting, "HI I'm Ryan Szizfhdmanskilanskihanski and this is a video showing you the same piece of chain part 1 of 27." 🙄

[@littletimelord2755]

@@KirkHermary well, seems you were quite an asshole to anyone who liked the video and consistently bad at counting. If you don’t like the video, don’t watch. Don’t be an ass to people who do.

[@dw-bn5ex]

I was about eight when I walked on Missouri's deck. It started a life time of chasing down museum ships. Especially battleships. I'm sixty one now and the New Jersey is the only one I haven't gotten to. Yes more footage please.

[@davidk8184]

The Essex class carrier on the other pier is the USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31).

[@Jimorian]

A lot of these shots fit a pretty standard "B-Roll" technique of a still shot, transitioning to a zoom or pan, and ending on another still at the end. This gives an editor 3 options with each clip for footage to insert into a bigger piece.

[@DSNSGaming]

Would love to see more! Will even put up with more chain. 😉

[@The_Modeling_Underdog]

I think the guy was testing for range and focus. Although boring, it provides scale modellers with some great insight about the mooring details of a mothballed ship. Keep 'em comin', Ryan.

[@prsklenar]

Hell yeah, please! Sure more of this footage! I love seeing the changes as they brought her back to life.

[@KirkHermary]

Yep, I can't wait to see shots of the same chain over and over and over and over again.

[@littletimelord2755]

@@KirkHermary if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Simple as that

[@KirkHermary]

@@littletimelord2755 OK, because you told me to 🫡

[@markroberts2084]

I toured 63 at the time of the video. there was a small unpaved lot of her port bow and a 4x8 painted sign "See the Missouri". I yanked my car into the lot and walked, as fast a I could to the gangway. There was no one at the bulwark, so I waited. Some tourists walked by me and got on. After 10 minutes or so, An Ensign ran up to his station and said "Sorry". I replied "Permission to come aboard?" Why Yes as he tensed up to attention not knowing who I might be in my civies. I did my service as a school teacher but it was easy for me to know that ships demand respect, especially these two. I knew from WWII films were the signing was and I made a correct bee line up to the spot where the war ended. I took a few moments and tried to absorb the importance of this spot.

[@klsc8510]

Ryan, please show more. I know Navy aircraft carriers are call "bird farms". At least for a while, USS New Jersey was a real bird farm!

[@34scot]

Rest well yet sleep lightly and hear the call if once again sounded... to provide FIREPOWER FOR FREEDOM!! best ship I ever served on.

[@orhusky]

Over the years growing up in Tacoma I made a good number of trips to Bremerton to see the USS Missouri. Always very cool to be onboard.

[@rogerbemis5859]

As an Army 🪖 46R (Videographer) myself, he may have been shooting B-roll to be edited into a final video package on the current condition/reactivation. It was not uncommon for me to do several takes (using the best one) of misc 'stuff' to use as needed for the final edit. It also helps to have this footage if someone is doing a voice over. Who knows what the end results were supposed to be (someone's vision).

[@MrCliner96]

I love to see more. I'm a bit of a WW2 history nut. I wish the USS NORTH CAROLINA did videos like you do. I like the USS NEW JERSEY but I'm from North Carolina so she's closer to my heart.

[@robertyoung3992]

The USS North Carolina is in Wilmington, NC

[@MrCliner96]

@@robertyoung3992 not to sound like a smarta$$. I know where the North Carolina is. Been to her a few times. Just wished the curators there did videos like Ryan does.

[@richardelushik1177]

I like anything you can show us about the Iowa's, especially New Jersey. I'm a 70yo Viet Nam era Signal Corp veteran (1972-1975) that enjoys all that you do. Great job.

[@U.F.0.]

I used to see the Wisconsin and Iowa mothballed at the Philadelphia Naval Yard in the 1990's. They were visible from Interstate 95. A few times I was boating on the Schuylkill river and got pretty close to them.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

I'm looking forward to seeing more footage in this series.

[@jtaylor12711]

Keep going I love seeing old footage of these ships in some form of service mothballed or active. It helps tell the story of how these ships were treated/used during their lifetime.

[@nitromyke]

Thanks for the upload Ryan !! Keep ,em coming those archived footage !!

[@bryceread1]

Thank you so much for sharing this! I visited Missouri as a kid in Bremerton. It was sometime after this film was made, as New Jersey was no longer along side. Keep up the wonderful content!

[@zodszoo]

Definitely bring on more! Thanks

[@robertgoss4842]

Thanks for another superb video!

[@ajoyce53]

I worked on them both on that pier in Bremerton in ‘98 as a painter and electrician’s helper when I was younger. My dad was CO of USS Camden (AOE-2) which was home ported at PSNS back then. There was a whole mothball fleet there I’d spend my days exploring. Painted BIG J’s turrets, helped rig Mighty Mo for tow to Pearl Harbor. Really cool job for a Navy Brat for sure!!

[@jameswalker1151]

Thanks for posting, thanks for all you good work, yes would like to see more.,

[@PatrickCallahan-wg2sh]

This video reminds me of a scene in the movie "Officer and Gentleman" just prior to the main character takes off to OCS to become a navy pilot. He about to jump on his motorcycle and the two battleships are in the background (New Jersey and Missouri). Movie was release in 1979 or 1980 just a few years prior to this video. I was very young then and was impressed by the two battleships and has stuck with me since.

[@chuckwhite4981]

Yes I would love to see more of this footage

[@KirkHermary]

Yep, can't wait to see more shots of the same piece of chain over and over 🙄

[@stephenlebold9126]

Yes let’s see more. It’s always interesting to get a glimpse into the past and see the different ways they did different things.

[@johnpublic5169]

Interesting raw footage. Thanks for speeding it up. I liked how they thought to capture images of the bird. Please show more when available. Thanks!

[@emmabird9745]

another great video Ryan. More please.

[@PixelmechanicYYZ]

That's not a cinematographer... that's a film student doing their final project :)

[@rustysquid]

Thank you. Yes, more footage and commentary please.

[@celestedestiny]

I was there in July 81. I was really young, like 1st grade but I remember this. It was when New Jersey was about to be towed out for re activation. She was closed to the general public but Missouri was open for deck tours. I am absolutely certain the Essex class carrier next to New Jersey was the hornet . They had all three in a row so when you came into Bremerton you saw Missouri, New Jersey and then hornet . It was because of historical significance of those ships they had them at the far west end where you could park shore side and view them

[@werewolfsaves2179]

Yes, i would like to see more videos like this one. The commentary makes them even better.

[@kman-mi7su]

I would definitely like to see more of the footage. I liked the footage of the guns in storage mode and seeing the hull growth and paint condition after years of exposure to the element.

[@richardhawkinson3020]

It sure was impressive seeing these two at Bremerton all those years.

[@johnnyfair]

I was able to get on the Iowa when she was in norfolk in probably 1986 or 87. Big difference from the frigate and tender i had lived on.😮

[@froddy32623]

Such a cool video. Thanks 😊👍

[@wills4343]

I visited my first Iowa class in November. It was quite the experience. One less item on the bucket list.

[@infectedlion1000]

Neat stuff! Would love to see more!

[@TheChonaman]

If you post it, we will come, Ryan. Lifting this from *Field of Dreams* in case you didn't get the reference. It's great to be on this channel. So many people love ships and the history behind them. Gives me hope that we aren't a society "in decline" when so many of us truly care about this stuff.

[@dutchman7216]

That was cool. Love to see more footage.

[@fewetube]

I was fortunate to visit the USS Missouri at Bremerton in June 1976. I believe the USS Oriskany was nearby (my dads boss had been a cook on the Oriskany). We were definitely allowed to walk around on deck.

[@aserta]

This footage is 71 so you were only 5ish years after. Neat.

[@tonytrotta9322]

@@aserta Footage is not 1971. I saw the battleships in August 1976 and the New Jersey was down further and you could see the 62 on the bow. The Missouri was closed to film the movie MacArthur with Gregory Peck. The Heavy Cruisers USS St. Paul and USS Canberra were docked next to Missouri in Aug. 1976. USS St. Paul Navsource web has the photo I submitted.

[@tonytrotta9322]

USS Oriskany was next to USS Missouri BB 63 in August 1978 when we visited.

[@tonytrotta9322]

Yes, I have a photo of her too stern first when we visited USS Missouri 1963 in August 1978 - Take Care! My dad who passed in 2017 at age 92 served on the heavy cruiser USS Louisville CA 28 from 1943 -46 and the Louisville was tied up along the Missouri in May 1945 at Guam transfer 150 on Halsey staff to Missouri. USS Louisville was hit by (3) kamikaze in Pacific and my dad witnessed (52) sailors buried at sea including Rear Admiral Theodore Chandler. (1) main gun turret found in Nevada Desert in 2016 as an atomic bomb testing detector.

[@durdre]

Show us more footage - super interesting

[@ChristopherDoll]

I remember visiting Missouri around this time, when it was still in Bremerton. Don't recall if New Jersey was still there. Either way, Missouri was often open to the public as you mentioned. I recall seeing the igloos installed. They had a bit of an exhibit inside, just off the main deck. Not much of the interior was accessible, unless there were more private tours. It was the second and last time I was on Missouri. After watching many of your channel's videos, I'm feeling the need to visit them both

[@RogerWKnight]

I see the comments about the B-roll filming. There is a possible second purpose of this footage. It helps engineers assigned the task of restoring a mothballed ship to service to be able to look at this film as many times and with the ability to freeze the frames as they want. They can see how much corrosion has to be sandblasted away, what parts need to be replaced or reconditioned and so on. This is helpful in that much engineering work is done in offices and at drafting tables, during this era, and not outside on the deck of the actual ship.

[@democracybacksliding]

It all great to see Thank you !

[@darojos]

I love it. I grew up near Bremerton. My grandmother used to take me to tour the Missouri, it was a good way for her to entertain a young boy. I toured her during this period. Walking up the pier between these two was pretty awe inspiring. I was very sad when Missouri ended up in Honolulu. At about 15:46 as the camera pans to the left, you can see buildings on shore and one of those was my step-father lumber yard.

[@tonyelliott7734]

Hey hey, my my. Battleships will never die...

[@31dknight]

Another great video from the battleship. Thanks

[@KirkHermary]

Such great video of the same bits of chain over and over 🙄 I can't wait to see more. Oh wait, I sure can.

[@bend8353]

It is really nice to see this after NJ just came back from the dry dock. Kind of cool to think how the ship is in better shape now then at times it was in the care of the navy

[@nealpletsch1817]

your running commentary was a riot

[@jimcombs6760]

I love this footage. More please!

[@Tommie_the_wrath_of_Khan]

Feeling kind of nostalgic. I’ve been on the Missouri twice at least. Wish I was old enough to appreciate it back then. I drive by where they were moored when I drive to work these days

[@deanpruitt7801]

I did get to see New Jersy then. My brother was stationed on the Enterprise at the time, which was in drydock there. I went on the Missouri to visit the surrender spot.

[@GrantDolanMusic]

I would like Ryan’s take on if the ship is in better condition now than it was before it was reactivated in 1982? 40 years of hard work with half of that being a museum ship I would think parts are better but other parts are in poorer condition.

[@timriley302]

Liked seeing the actual video of how they were and how far NJ has come.

[@zonavarbondagoo4074]

Fantastic video 'snapshot in time'.

[@kennethhummel4409]

The footage is the yard birds at PSNS Bremerton preparing the New Jersey for her refit and reactivating. They’re doing some inspections and repairs prior to her trip to California. I never did understand why the Bremerton yard didn’t reactivate her.

[@Bruin144]

There was one interior space open on the Missouri at this time with displays about the ship & WWII surrender. It was just off the area where the surrender took place. I visited her probably shortly before this was filmed.

[@alanbare8319]

Keep on showing the videos!

[@JoseyWales44s]

I have almost the same picture as the thumbnail. We visited Missouri and saw New Jersey sitting next to her a couple of times in the mid 70's when I was a kid.

[@scbs9662]

Yes please continue. At least the video is now available.

[@scatterhawk47]

When in college in Seattle I went past the Missouri a few times en route to Bremerton. I clearly remember seeing the Missouris, but as the video shows, the Missouri blocked the view of the New Jersey. This was great, future releases could be edited but that said - MORE please. Thank you!

[@Sunny141]

It was great to look down on the deck where I can imagine my dad walked during WWII.

[@Jpdt19]

Thanks Ryan

[@Ronaldl2350]

More video like this would be fantastic!

[@dundonrl]

When I was about 5 or 6 (so late 70s) my family drove to Bremerton from Oregon and toured the Missouri. We were able to go halfway to the stern on the main deck, through the wardroom and up to the bow on her. I also remember looking at the New Jersey moored next to her, as seen in this video.

[@donalddodson7365]

I think the command, control and Bridge areas are the most interesting from a historical perspective. My non-Navy sense is that ships have become more like video games with smaller crews and waging war by computers and "joy sticks." Yes, any and all vintage footage works for me. Thank you, all. Happy 2023!

[@JoshuaTootell]

As long as there is a crew, you have people handling sewage, people cleaning dishes, someone wiping oil, etc. "Joysticks" are only a small part. There is a hard working crew keeping these "computers" in action.

[@clintonbowerman3143]

more footage when you can please, great narration aswell!!

[@oceanmariner]

I lived near Bremerton while the NJ was there. The Missouri was open for deck tours and the wardroom was open for a walk thru with pictures and artifacts. Everything else was closed and sealed, even the inside wardroom doors. When the Iowas were being returned to service, many museum ships were raided for spares. I had friends that worked at the shipyard. The BBs were put in drydock about every ten years and had the bottom sand blasted and repainted. The ships had dehumidifiers and some temporary piping for air movement that I didn't see in the video. The bigger ships got more and better care. Some WWII ships were never touched until scrapped or reactivated. A sand blaster I knew told of sand blasting water tanks on a CVE. Suddenly he started seeing thru the side plating. The plating was so far gone, the sand was making the steel go away completely. They stopped, closed it up and pulled a different ship out. The CVE pulled out of mothballs was to ferry planes and helos to Vietnam. I suppose it's the one that the VC sank. Mothballed ships were parts queens for active ships. Some mothballed destroyers I saw in the late 1960s had places where rain water collected on deck that had totally wasted away. Leaving holes for water to drain and ruin the compartments and equipment below.

[@jamesmoore869]

Mr. Schmanski of Battleship New Jersey. Please continue.... The most impressive part is that it exists.

[@seanvargo8060]

Would love to see more!

[@matthorn3302]

Good stuff, keep it up.

[@jimm2099]

The audio is not synched video

[@morganbrickwall7902]

As a teenager I was on a family cruise on the New Jersey in Long Beach. I was able to tour the 16" guns also. My stepdad was on it in Beirut when they were using the 16" guns. I was amazed that such a large crew fit on a relatively small ship.

[@markstone5597]

It's like they're showing that this proud ship is just chained to the dock (doesn't wear out as fast as tie-up lines I guess) interesting, thanks for sharing.

[@scowell]

Those birds are swallows... had barn swallows on my porch for many years, love them! Maybe cliff swallows? Ship swallows!

[@georgescott7556]

yes keep showing them videos!!

[@XanderDorn]

My best guess for the bird would be that it is some kind of flycatcher.

[@Trebuchet48]

Swallow. Likely a barn swallow, based on the nestlings.

[@elijahwerner6130]

I got a kick out of the birds; it seems that they worked very hard to keep things sealed up during mothballs, but I've at times wondered if they ever encountered a significant critter problem during a reactivation.

[@roaklin]

Are there any chance we could catch some clips of any chains used to secure the ship?

[@CrzyHavvk]

Around 4:40 you mention an Essex. It's Hornet. There's some top down stills from this time period, and you can see the forward elevator sticking up out of the flight deck. I grew up in Bremerton and got to visit Missouri around this time.

[@sky194]

I like it. Always interesting 🙂👍

[@YdnarLah37]

I've been scratch building a model of the USS Boise CL-47 and close ups of deck equipment is of great interest to me.

[@davelewandoski4292]

Would love to see more of these videos. It was great seeing New Jersey alongside Missouri. The guy that made this video must be the same one that made the videos showing New Jersey when the Navy turned Her over to The Museum.

[@bigstick6332]

Definitely enjoy the video’s. Don’t care if there’s artistic filming, it’s great. Interesting to see the changes on the ship from the beginning of the video to the end, like the bridge windows.

[@KirkHermary]

It's so exciting seeing the same chain over and over 🙄

[@bigstick6332]

@@KirkHermary Yes, but better that that no video at all. If that's the price, I'll pay it.

[@chuck3441]

As a kid I was on Missouri in Bremerton, still would like to see her again but old age has taken toll.

[@bobn2805]

Hey! For your information that anchor chain is VERY interesting 😂