Editing USS New Jersey (BB-62) (section)

===Central Pacific===
On 7 January 1944 she passed through the [[Panama Canal]] war-bound for Funafuti, Ellice Islands. She reported there 22 January for duty with the 5th Fleet, and three days later rendezvoused with Task Group 58.2 for the assault on the [[Marshall Islands]]. ''New Jersey'' screened the [[aircraft carrier]]s from enemy attack as their planes flew strikes against [[Kwajalein]] and [[Eniwetok]] 29 January-2 February, softening up the latter for its invasion and supporting the troops who landed 31 January.

''New Jersey'' began her career as a flagship 4 February in [[Majuro]] Lagoon when Admiral [[Raymond A. Spruance]], commanding the 5th Fleet, broke his flag from her main. Her first action as a flagship was a bold two-day surface and air strike by her task force against the supposedly impregnable [[Japan]]ese fleet base on [[Truk]] in the [[Caroline Islands|Carolines]]. This blow was coordinated with the assault on Kwajalein, and effectively interdicted Japanese naval retaliation to the conquest of the Marshalls. On 17 and 18 February, the task force accounted for two Japanese [[light cruiser]]s, four [[destroyer]]s, three [[auxiliary cruiser]]s, two [[submarine tender]]s, two [[submarine chaser]]s, an [[armed trawler]], a [[plane ferry]], and 23 other auxiliaries, not including small craft. ''New Jersey'' destroyed a trawler and, with other ships, sank destroyer ''Maikaze'', as well as firing on an enemy plane which attacked her formation. The task force returned to the Marshalls 19 February.

Between 17 March and 10 April, ''New Jersey'' first sailed with Rear Admiral Marc A. Mitscher's flagship USS Lexington (CV-16) for an air and surface bombardment of Mille, then rejoined Task Group 58.2 for a strike against shipping in the [[Palaus]], and bombarded Woleai. Upon his return to Majuro, Admiral Spruance transferred his flag to USS Indianapolis (CA-35).

''New Jersey's'' next war cruise, 13 April-4 May 1944, began and ended at Majuro. She screened the carrier striking force which gave air support to the invasion of Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay and Humboldt Bay, [[New Guinea]], 22 April, then bombed shipping and shore installations at Truk 29-30 April. ''New Jersey'' and her formation splashed two enemy [[torpedo bomber]]s at Truk. Her 16-inch salvos pounded Ponape 1 May, destroying fuel tanks, badly damaging the airfield, and demolishing a headquarters building.

After rehearsing in the Marshalls for the invasion of the [[Marianas]], ''New Jersey'' put to sea 6 June in the screening and bombardment group of Admiral Mitscher's Task Force. On the second day of preinvasion air strikes, 12 June, ''New Jersey'' downed an enemy torpedo bomber, and during the next two days her heavy guns battered [[Saipan]] and [[Tinian]], throwing steel against the beaches the marines would charge 15 June.

The Japanese response to the Marianas operation was an order to its Mobile Fleet; it must attack and annihilate the American invasion force. Shadowing American [[submarine]]s tracked the Japanese fleet into the Philippine Sea as Admiral Spruance joined his task force with Admiral Mitscher's to meet the enemy. ''New Jersey'' took station in the protective screen around the carriers on 19 June 1944 as American and Japanese pilots dueled in the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]]. That day and the next were to pronounce the doom of Japanese naval aviation; in this "Marianas Turkey Shoot," the Japanese lost some 400 planes. This loss of trained pilots and aircraft was equaled in disaster by the sinking of three Japanese carriers by submarines and aircraft, and the damaging of two carriers and a battleship. The anti-aircraft fire of ''New Jersey'' and the other screening ships proved virtually impenetrable. Only two American ships were damaged, and those but slightly. In this overwhelming victory but 17 American planes were lost to combat.

[[File:Halsey messing with crew.jpg|thumb|right|Admiral Halsey dines with the crew aboard USS New Jersey (BB-62) Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1944.]]
''New Jersey's'' final contribution to the conquest of the Marianas was in strikes on [[Guam]] and the Palaus from which she sailed for [[Pearl Harbor]], arriving 9 August.

In Hawaii, she broke the flag of Admiral [[William F. Halsey, Jr.]], 24 August, becoming flagship of the 3rd Fleet. For the eight months after she sailed from Pearl Harbor (30 August), ''New Jersey'' was based at Ulithi. In this climactic span of the Pacific War, fast carrier task forces ranged the waters off the Philippines, Okinawa, and [[Taiwan|Formosa]], striking again and again at airfields, shipping, shore bases, invasion beaches.