PHILADELPHIA — After 78 days spent in drydock here, the Battleship New Jersey made the first leg of its journey back home, guided once again by Coast Guard and powered by tugboats to get Camden’s historic ship to Paulsboro.

After a 6:30 a.m. call time, crews, passengers and other personnel milled around dock number three of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard the New Jersey was built in, waiting for the OK to board the ship by way of a steep gangway. Above them, the sun continued to rise, bathing the Black Dragon (one of the many nicknames for the ship) in golden sunlight.

Excited chatter, “copy that” muffled through radio static and the whirr of airplane engines decorated any rare moments of almost-silence Friday morning.

For one guest, stepping foot on the New Jersey once more was something previously unfathomable.

“You want the honest truth? I’m emotional as hell,” Vice Admiral Douglas J. Katz (USN, Ret.), who commanded the New Jersey from August 1987 to May 1989, said through a laugh.

“This ship and the crew that we had in that time period was special,” Katz said. During his service, the USS New Jersey sailed off the coast of Korea for pre-Olympics presence and represented the United States at the Australian Naval Salute.

Katz made his arrival onboard alongside his wife of 59 years, Sharon Katz; “Unbelievable,” he said when he first stepped off the gangway, taking in the scene.

Katz would later call the “shift colors” for the vessel as it left the Philadelphia dock, changing the flags on the ship from in-port to at-sea.

Former Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite was also a passenger on the ship.

“Being aboard this ship emphasizes the importance of sea power and of the U.S. Navy,” Braithwaite said. “Armies win wars, navies prevent them.”

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Maintenance on the Battleship New Jersey

In March, the 887-foot ship left Camden for the first time in 20 years to be drydocked in Philadelphia for a $10 million maintenance project.

“We came in thinking we were going to do three major projects, and we ended up doing five,” said Marshall Spevak, the museum and memorial’s CEO.

These projects included improvements like repainting and inspecting the hull, partially installing new teak flooring, proactive welding and sealing to prevent water leakages and more.

“We are just incredibly elated and frankly lucky that the hull was in such great condition,” he said.

During its time across the river, exclusive tours were offered for $225 per standard ticket, and passenger spots were also available for those who wanted to hitch a ride on the ship as it trekked to Paulsboro.

Tickets for the second leg of the return trip were still available as of Friday and could be purchased for $5,000 on the battleship’s website.

In May, Spevak told the Courier-Post that the ship was planning to reopen for tours soon after its return date as well as be a viewing point for July 4 fireworks celebrations on the river.

More: What the battleship means for Camden, and how it ended up here

Battleship New Jersey return celebration

To mark its official return to the Camden Waterfront on June 20, the Battleship crew is planning a homecoming celebration.

Doors will open at the ship’s pier in Camden at 11 a.m., and the ship is expected to return around 1:24 p.m.

Attendees are expected to make a $10 donation at the gate in order to participate in games, live music, food and drinks and more. Children under 12 can enter free.

Guests can park along Clinton Street, in Lot 1 across from the Freedom Mortgage Pavillion as well as at the Waterfront Garage.

Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.