USS Iowa

I asked my kids what I could do to be a better mom…a little constructive criticism.  They gave me the typical responses like “buy us more things”, but Brandon also added, “take us on more family day trips”.  Though we are no way short of activities, we could do a better job of exploring the local museums and attractions together. 

We have been wanting to visit the USS Iowa.  It is a battleship that is now located in the Port of Los Angeles.  It was ordered in 1939, launched in 1942, and commissioned in 1943.  Lance absolutely loves this stuff, and he loves sharing this passion with the kids.

 

When we boarded the ship, they announced Lance’s presence aboard over a loudspeaker.  I thought that was such a wonderful tribute to someone who had served 21 years in the military. 

Everyone had endless questions, and Lance was a wonderful tour guide explaining what was what.  This ship is much smaller than the Midway, but it was still such a rewarding visit. 

 

Here are some factual information about the historic USS Iowa.

 

USS IOWA Statistics

 

Namesake: The State of Iowa

Ordered: July 1, 1939

Builder: New York Naval Yard

Laid down: June 27, 1940

Launched: August 27, 1942

Commissioned: February 22, 1943

Decommissioned: October 26, 1990

Motto: "Our Liberties We Prize, Our Rights We Will Maintain"

Original Nickname: The Big Stick, which referred to President Teddy Roosevelt’s advice: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

Additional Nickname: Battleship of Presidents

Standard Displacement: 45,000 tons

Length: 887 ft 3 in (270.43 m)

Beam: 108 ft 2 in (32.97 m)

Draft: 37 ft 2 in (11.33 m)

Speed: 33 kn (38 mph; 61 km/h)

World War II Complement: 151 officers, 2637 enlisted

Bulkheads: 11.3 in (287.0 mm)
Barbettes: 11.6 to 17.3 in (294.6 to 439.4 mm)
Turrets: 19.7 in (500 mm)
Decks: 7.5 in (190.50 mm) Aircraft carried: floatplanes, helicopters, UAVs

Armament:

1943:

9 × 16 in (406 mm)/50 cal Mark 7 guns
20 × 5 in (127.0 mm)/38 cal Mark 12 guns
80 × 40 mm/56 cal anti-aircraft guns
49 × 20 mm/70 cal anti-aircraft cannons

1984:
9 × 16 in (406 mm)/50 cal Mark 7 guns
12 × 5 in (127.0 mm)/38 cal Mark 12 guns
32 × BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles
16 × RGM-84 Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles
4 × 20 mm/76 cal Phalanx CIWS

Armor: Belt: 12.1 in (307.3 mm)

USS IOWA Timeline

 

June 27, 1940: Laid down by New York Naval Shipyard

 

Aug. 27, 1942: Launched

 

Feb. 22, 1943: Commissioned

 

Nov. 13, 1943: Carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt across the Atlantic to meet with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin at the Tehran Conference, where the three leaders decided to open a second front against Nazi Germany

 

Jan. 23, 1944: Engaged in first Pacific campaign in support of carrier air strikes against Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls.

 

Feb. 16, 1944: Attacked naval base at Truk in the Caroline Islands

 

April 15, 1945: Relieved USS NEW JERSEY off of Okinawa, Japan

 

July 15, 1945: USS IOWA, MISSOURI and WISCONSIN attacked Muroran on Hoakkaido

 

Aug. 29, 1945: IOWA and MISSOURI enter Tokyo Bay for the formal signing of the Japanese surrender

 

March 24, 1949: First decommissioning

 

Aug. 25, 1951: First recommissioning

 

April 9, 1952: Joined bomb line off coast of Korea

 

May 25, 1952: Destroyed Chongjin’s industrial center (48 miles from the Russian border)

 

Aug. 20, 1952: Helped Destroyer Thompson escape to safe waters

 

June 1954: Training exercise with all four IOWA class battleships off of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

 

Feb. 24, 1958: Second decommissioning

 

April 28, 1984: Second recommissioning

 

Aug. 12, 1984: Provided medical and dental assistance in Guatemala

 

Feb. 1985: Provided humanitarian support for Costa Rica and Honduras

 

Aug. 22, 1985: Awarded Brattenberg Cup as best ship in the Atlantic Fleet for 1984

 

July 4, 1986: Carried President Ronald Reagan on the Hudson River for the nation’s Celebration of Liberty in New York City

 

April 19, 1989: Forty-seven sailors were killed in an explosion in Turret #2

 

Oct. 26, 1990: Third decommissioning

 

March 8, 2001: Begins journey from the East Coast to California via the Panama Canal

 

April 21, 2001: Arrives at the “Mothball Fleet” in Suisun Bay

 

March 17, 2006: Becomes available for donation by the U.S. Navy

 

May 26, 2010: Navy accepts Pacific Battleship Center’s Letter of Intent to submit an application for the donation

 

Sept. 24, 2010: Los Angeles City Council votes 13-0 in support of a resolution to bring the USS IOWA to the Port of Los Angeles

 

Oct. 7, 2010: Los Angeles Harbor Commissioners indicate support

 

Nov. 4, 2010: Los Angeles Harbor Commissioners staff recommends Berth 87

 

Nov. 18, 2010: Los Angeles Harbor Commissioners vote 5-0 in support of a resolution to make Berth 87 the future home of USS IOWA

 

Nov. 22, 2010: Pacific Battleship Center submits application to the Navy

 

Sept. 6, 2011: Navy awards IOWA to the Pacific Battleship Center for a museum

 

Oct. 27, 2011: Leaves “Mothball Fleet” in Suisun Bay and arrives at California’s Port of Richmond for renovation in preparation for tow to Los Angeles

 

April 19, 2012: Remembrance Ceremony honors 47 sailors who died in the Turret #2 explosion

 

April 24, 2012: Re-stepping of the 50-foot-tall mast in preparation for tow to Los Angeles

 

April 30, 2012: U.S. Navy Vice Admiral W. Mark Skinner and Pacific Battleship Center President Robert Kent sign final documents transferring ownership from Navy to PBC

 

May 26, 2012: Leaves Port of Richmond under tow, crosses San Francisco Bay and passes under the Golden Gate Bridge and heads for Los Angeles

 

May 30, 2012: Arrives at Los Angeles for hull cleaning at offshore anchorage

 

June 2, 2012: Completes last voyage on open water and docks at Berth 51-52 in Port of Los Angeles

 

June 9, 2012: Makes final journey down the main channel to its permanent home at Port of Los Angeles, Berth 87, in San Pedro, Calif.

 

July 2, 2012: Celebration (by invitation only) for Plankowners who made donations to the nonprofit Pacific Battleship Center by May 20, 2012.

 

July 2-5, 2012: Reunion of the Veterans Association of the USS Iowa (by invitation only)

 

July 4, 2012: Independence Day Celebration featuring Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa (by invitation only)

 

July 7, 2012: Public grand opening of the ship as a floating museum

 

Brandon is right. I think I need to do these things more.  There are so many local activities.  We definitely have to do more exploring.