Iowa finds a home

[Bob Adams]

I always had a soft spot for these Battlewagons. One of the last actions of my ship was to come to her aid in 1989.:

The U.S. Navy, MARAD (United States Maritime Administration) and the crew that mothballed the battleship over the past 22 years did an excellent job and kept the heart and soul of Iowa alive," said Williams."Things are on track and we are following our schedule as planned," he added. "We are trying to make sure nothing is missed as the process is complex."
The fast Iowa-class battleships, ordered by the Navy in 1939 and 1940, could travel at a speed of 33 knots. The Iowa, first commissioned in 1943 and again in 1951 and 1984, saw duty in World War II and the Korean War. It took part in escorting tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war before being decommissioned in 1990.
During World War II, when transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1944, the ship shelled beachheads at Kwajalein and Eniwetok in advance of Allied amphibious landings and screened aircraft carriers operating in the Marshall Islands.
It was one of two ships of its class camouflaged during World War II— and it also was the only one with a bathtub, which was put in for President Roosevelt. The Iowa also served as the Third Fleet flagship, flying Adm. William F. Halsey's flag as it accompanied the Missouri at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
A dark part of the ship's history took place in 1989, when 47 sailors were killed in an explosion in the No. 2 gun turret. After the blast, the Navy alleged a crewmember caused the explosion as a result of a failed relationship with another male crewmember. A follow-up investigation found the explosion was most likely the result of human error.
Most visitors are immediately drawn to the sight and firepower of the Iowa's nine16-inch guns, which could send an armor-piercing shell the weight of a small car 24 miles. When the ship was modernized during the 1980s, it was outfitted with Tomahawk cruise missiles, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Phalanx gun mounts. It was also one of the first ships outfitted to carry a drone for reconnaissance flights.
Future plans for the Iowa include an interactive tour experience that will allow the visitor to experience what life at sea was like during active duty. Among the highlights will be viewing the inside of one of the main gun turrets, seeing the 17.5-inch armored conning station on the bridge and viewing Roosevelt's stateroom.
There will also be tours of secondary weapons, missiles, engineering, armor and special spaces. An ADA accessibility plan calls for an elevator to be installed from the main deck to one below for access to the main exhibit areas. The museum is scheduled to open on July 7.

[Paul Pless]

[Canoeyawl]

I would be a shame to scrap it. That ship has been mothballed here for a numbers of years and I have sailed around it a couple of times. Compared to the lowly tankers and troop carriers etc. that she is moored with, it is impressive in length and low freeboard. She definitely stands out in a crowd.

[Bob Cleek]

I always loved that shot above of Iowa firing a broadside. If you look at her starboard waterline, you will note the "wake" created by the recoil pushing her sideways in the water!

[CrosbyStriper]

I hate it when people go to the low level of scrapping a classic ship, my personal favorite, although not a battleship, the old Italian Line's Augustus is being scrapped. The owner wanted a ridiculous 28mil for her, he had an offer of 8mil from a foundation trying to save her, and passed on it. two weeks later he sold the ship for 1.5mil to the scrappers. I'ts a shame, always my favorite, and now she is almost gone. She was the last ship afloat from the Italian Line, and really the last link to the Andrea Doria disaster.


Glad to hear the Iowa found a good home instead of suffering a similar fate to the old Italian's Augustus.

[Paul Pless]

I always loved that shot above of Iowa firing a broadside.

If you look closely at that photo, there are at least eight men on deck during the firing. Wonder what that experience was like?

[nautiguy]

Right now, she is in Richmond, CA in the Santa Fe Reach next to the old Ford plant and Rosy The Riveter memorial.
Some work is being done and she is open weekends for visitors. I'm not sure how much they plan to do before moving her South, but I recently heard that she will moved in a few weeks and the actual fitting out as a museum will take place in Long Beach.

[JerryH]

I was always told that when these Battlewagons fired their 16 inch guns broasdside that it would move the ship sideways. If you look at this photo it appears to be so.Check out the wake port and starboard, also pay attention to the wake at the bow. That's some show of power!!!

[Ted Hoppe]

Sailed by her a few weeks ago... still quite an impressive ship.

As a little kid, I steered her sister, the New Jersey through to the Gatun Locks. Quite an impression on a 7 year old boy.

[Ted Hoppe]

Looks like the Master Mariners Regatta gets a big side show.... The Start times begin at 12:00.
The Fleet should be racing this battlewagon at about 1:15 to 2:00pm!

(05-24) 15:43 PDT RICHMOND -- The USS Iowa is scheduled to embark on its final voyage through the bay Saturday, nearly a week after iffy weather at sea postponed its departure.

Battleship's schedule
The USS Iowa is slated to leave the Bay Area for the last time Saturday. Here's a tentative schedule:
11 a.m. - The Iowa departs the Port of Richmond.
11 a.m. to noon - Ship travels from Richmond Inner Harbor to the Richmond Long Wharf.
1 to 2 p.m. - The battleship passes Angel Island.
2 to 3 p.m. - Iowa sails under the Golden Gate Bridge.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...#ixzz1vpsDFOVQ

[Vince Brennan]

I hope she's as well loved there as BB62 is here in the Delaware River.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

I've toured both the ALABAMA and the MISSOURI; magnificent warships.

[Michael D. Storey]

I always loved that shot above of Iowa firing a broadside. If you look at her starboard waterline, you will note the "wake" created by the recoil pushing her sideways in the water!

Well, from what I have seen, that is actually the shock wave being spread fore an aft along her side. If the firing of her guns that far above her keel were to shove her sideways, I would suspectacate that she would be on her side.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

At the Missouri in February our Guide said that the movement of the hull when firing a broadside is almost imperceptable; which keys with what M Storey is saying in #13.

[Bob Adams]

Sailed by her a few weeks ago... still quite an impressive ship.

As a little kid, I steered her sister, the New Jersey through to the Gatun Locks. Quite an impression on a 7 year old boy.

How did you manage that?

[Paul Scheuer]

In the broadside picture, do we know how far sideways she actually went ? If, in fact, she did move sideways.

I would expect to see a substantial "bow wave" as all that water moved from the port side around the bow.

Could it be that the disturbance shown in the picture is actually a surface effect from the combined blast ?

[Wayne Jeffers]

Shockwaves from the muzzle blast. A wider photo shows them pretty well.



Wayne

[BrianM]

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