Why the US Sent a WWII "Dinosaur" to Vietnam (1968)

Vietnam, 1968. Surrounded Marines faced annihilation until a WWII relic awoke to answer their call. Why did the USS New Jersey become the "Black Dragon" that terrified the enemy more than any modern jet?

In this documentary, Valor Sea reveals the controversial reactivation of the USS New Jersey (BB-62) for the Vietnam War, championed by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. We analyze the terrifying power of its Mark 7 16-inch guns, capable of hurling shells the weight of a Volkswagen Beetle over 25 miles. Discover how the analog Mark 8 Rangekeeper computer delivered pinpoint accuracy and why the psychological trauma of its "freight train" sound broke the enemy's will to fight.

00:00 The Ambush: 1968 DMZ Crisis
01:14 Awakening the Giant: USS New Jersey Reactivated
02:27 16-Inch Guns vs. Volkswagen Beetle
04:05 The Sound of Terror: "The Freight Train"
05:10 Analog Brain: Mark 8 Rangekeeper Computer
07:05 The Black Dragon: Psychological Warfare
10:35 A Legend Retired

Valor Sea is your cinematic command center for naval history.
We produce authoritative, deeply researched documentary films chronicling the titans of the sea. We investigate the most powerful warships ever built, from the dreadnoughts of the Royal Navy and German Kaiserliche Marine in World War I, to the epic carrier battles of the US Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy in WW2.

Join us as we declassify the Cold War secrets of the Soviet Navy , explore the strategy and technology behind the battleships and aircraft carriers that shaped history , and analyze the definitive moments of naval warfare.

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