Great to see this historic ship being preserved in this way. A little USS Iowa history via Wikipedia:
Iowa is the last lead ship of any class of United States battleships, and was the only ship of her class to have served in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II.
During World War II, she carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt across the Atlantic to Casablanca en route to a crucial 1943 meeting in Tehran with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin. She has a bathtub — an amenity installed for Roosevelt, along with an elevator to shuttle him between decks. When transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1944, Iowa shelled beachheads at Kwajalein and Eniwetok in advance of Allied amphibious landings and screened aircraft carriers operating in the Marshall Islands. She also served as the Third Fleet flagship, flying Adm. William F. Halsey's flag at the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay. During the Korean War, Iowa was involved in raids on the North Korean coast, after which she was decommissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets, better known as the "mothball fleet." She was reactivated in 1984 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan, and operated in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets to counter the recently expanded Soviet Navy. In April 1989, an explosion of undetermined origin wrecked her #2 gun turret, killing 47 sailors.
Iowa was decommissioned for the last time in 1990, and was initially struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1995. She was reinstated from 1999 to 2006 to comply with federal laws that required retention and maintenance of two Iowa-class battleships. In 2011, Iowa was donated to the Los Angeles-based non-profit Pacific Battleship Center and will be permanently moved to the Port of Los Angeles to serve as a museum and memorial to battleships.
My understanding is that the 1989 gun turret explosion was caused by a lovers’ quarrel between two homosexual sailors. I can’t supply details on that, so don’t ask ‘cause I can’t tell.
I have applied for a job to work on developing the museum when it gets to So Cal. Say a prayer for me, I really need work!
If you getto Wiliongton, go see the North Carolina./
I have visited many of the ships on display and the North Carolina is definitely the best.
One day the Wisconsin at Virginia Beach may be a good display ,but right now it isn’t worth the trip.
When I think of the Iowa, I think of Larry and Carla Sequist... which in turn make me want to barf. Larry’s not too bad (but still a raging leftist), but Carla makes Pelosi look like a conservative.
Heads up!
Thanks, D.