A column of water rises beside USS Hancock (CV-19) as Japanese dive bombers attack off Formosa, present-day Taiwan. The Navy recorded it as a near miss. This photograph was taken from Battleship New Jersey on October 14, 1944. At the time, Battleship New Jersey was flagship of the Third Fleet, flying the flag of Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. The strikes on Formosa were part of a campaign to break Japanese air power ahead of the landings at Leyte. Those landings led to the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the largest naval battles in history. You can learn more about the battleship's WWII service when you visit the ship. #militaryhistory

October 1968. A Marine gets steak and peas from the chow line aboard Battleship New Jersey. Corporal David P. Jackson came aboard for rest and relaxation from his duties at Dong Ha in the Republic of Vietnam. During the battleship's Vietnam commission, she steamed without a Marine detachment. But the ship's commanding officer, Captain J. Edward Snyder, found another way to bring Marines on board. He invited troops serving ashore to come aboard, and the visits earned the ship the nickname "The New Jersey Hilton." The chow line is still on board today. You can see it when you visit the ship, or get a meal there yourself with our overnight program.