USS Iowa (BB-61)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Iowa.

USS Iowa (BB-61) fires her 16-inch/50-caliber guns on 15 August 1984 during a firepower demonstration after her 1980s modernization.
History
US
Name	USS Iowa
Ordered	1 July 1939
Laid down	27 June 1940
Launched	27 August 1942
Commissioned	22 February 1943
Decommissioned	26 October 1990
Stricken	17 March 2006
Nickname(s)	"The Big Stick"
Honors and awards	11 battle stars
Status	Stricken, available for donation as a museum and memorial
Notes	Last lead ship of any class of US battleship, only US Navy ship to have a bathtub
General characteristics
Class and type	Iowa-class battleship
Displacement	45,000 tons
Length	887 ft 3 in (270 m)
Beam	108 ft 2 in (32.9 m)
Draft	37 ft 2 in (11.3 m)
Speed	33 knots (61 km/h)
Complement	151 officers, 2637 enlisted
Armament	1943: 9 x 16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns 20 × 5 in (127 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns 80 x 40 mm 56 cal. anti-aircraft guns 49 x 20 mm 70 cal. anti-aircraft guns 1982: 9 x 16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns 12 × 5 in (127 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns 32 x BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles 16 x RGM-84 Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles 4 x 20 mm/76 cal. Phalanx CIWS
Armor	Belt: 12.1 in (307 mm) Bulkheads: 11.3 in (287 mm) Barbettes: 11.6 to 17.3 in (295 to 439 mm) Turrets: 19.7 in (500 mm) Decks: 7.5 in (190 mm)
Aircraft carried	floatplanes, helicopters, UAVs
Aviation facilities	none

USS Iowa (BB-61) ("The Big Stick") was the lead ship of her class of battleship, and was the fourth ship of in the United States Navy to be named in honor of the 29th state. Among the Iowa-class battleships, Iowa is notable for being the only ship of the class to have served a combat tour in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II, and for the notourious circumstances surrounding the explosion inside her #2 gun turret in April of 1989.

During World War II Iowa served in Atlantic fleet as countermeasure against the German battleship Tirpitz. When transfered to the Pacific fleet in 1944 Iowa shelled beacheads at Kwajalein and Eniwetok in advance of Allied amphibious landings and screened aircraft carriers operating in the Marshall Islands. During the Korean War Iowa was involved in raids up and down the North Korean coast, after which she was decomissioned 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 of 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; however, she was reinstated to the NVR in 1999 to allow her sister ship New Jersey to be donated to her namesake state for use as a museum. Iowa is currently berthed with the Suisun Bay reserve fleet near San Fransisco, California, and is awaiting donation to a non-for-profit entity for use as a museum ship. At present Iowa is the only member of her class not open to the public.

Construction

Main articles: Iowa class battleship and Armament of the Iowa class battleship

Iowa was the lead ship of her class of "fast battleship" designs planned in 1938 by the Preliminary Design Branch at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. She was launched on 27 August 1942 sponsored by Ilo Wallace (wife of Vice President Henry Wallace), and commissioned on 22 February 1943 with Captain John L. McCrea in command. She was the first ship of her class of battleship to be commissioned by the United States.

Iowa’s main battery consisted of nine 16 inch (406 mm)/50 caliber Mark 7 naval guns, which could hurl 2,700 lb armor piercing shells some 24 nautical miles (44 km). Her secondary battery consisted of twenty 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns in twin turrets, which could fire at targets up to 9 miles (14 km) away. With the advent of air power and the need to gain and maintain air superiority came a need to protect the growing fleet of allied aircraft carriers; to this end, Iowa was fitted with an array of Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns to defend allied carriers from enemy airstrikes. When reactivated in 1984 Iowa had her remaining 20 mm and 40 mm Anti-Aircraft guns removed, and was outfitted with Phalanx CIWS mounts for protection against enemy missiles and aircraft, and Armored Box Launchers and Quad Cell Launchers designed to fire Tomahawk missiles and Harpoon missiles, respectively.

Since Iowa was used to ferry President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Tehran Conference in Iran she was outfitted with a bathtub for Roosevelt's convience. Roosevelt, who had been crippled after a bout with Polio, would have been unable to make effective use of a shower facility, thus the bathtub was installed as a convenience for President Franklin D. Roosevelt when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean to meet with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet Secretary General Joseph Stalin at Casablanca, Morocco. It remains the only bathtub ever installed on a United States Navy warship.

World War II (1943-1945)

Shakedown and service with the Atlantic Fleet

On 24 February 1943, Iowa put to sea for shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast. She got underway on 27 August for Argentia, Newfoundland to counter the threat of German battleship Tirpitz which was reportedly operating in Norwegian waters before returning to the United States 25 October for two weeks of maintence at the Norfolk Navy Yard.

In mid-November 1943, Iowa carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, and other World War II military brass to Casablanca, French Morocco on the first leg of the journey to the Tehran Conference. Among the vessles escorting Iowa on the journey was the Fletcher-class destoyer USS William D. Porter (DD-579). William D. Porter had already been involved in a major mishap when she wrecked a sister destoyer resting at anchor while backing up the night before sailing as an escort for Iowa, and Porter extended her bad luck streak the next day when a depth charge on her deck fell into the rough sea and exploded, causing Iowa and the other escort ships to take evasive manuvers under the assumption that the task force had come under torpedo attack by a German U-boat.

On 14 November, at Roosevelt's request, Iowa conducted an anti-aircraft drill to demonstrate her ability to defend herself from enemy aircraft. The drill began with the release of a number of balloons for use as AA-targets, most of which were shot by AA gunners aboard Iowa, however a few of the balloons had drifted toward William D. Porter. Porter went to battlestations and began shooting down the balloons Iowa had missed, and with the other escort ships demostrated a torpedo drill by simulating a launch at Iowa; however this drill abruptly turned serious when the #3 torpedo aboard William D. Porter discharged from its tube and headed toward Iowa.

William D. Porter attempted to signal Iowa about the incoming torpedo, but owing to radio silence was forced to use a blinker light, and while relaying the message to Iowa the detroyer misidentified the direction of the torpedo and then relayed the wrong message. In deperation the destoyer finally broke radio silence, and using codewords, relayed a warning message to Iowa regarding the incoming torpedo. After confirming the identity of the destoyer Iowa turned to aviod being hit by the torpedo. Roosevelt, meanwhile, had learned of the incoming torpedo threat and asked his secret service attendee to move his wheel chair to the side of the battleship. Not long afterward the torpedo detontated in wake of the battleship, however Iowa was unhurt, and after avoiding the accidental torpedo attack trained her main guns on William D. Porter out of concern that the ship may have been involved in some sort of assassination plot.

Iowa would later complete her Presidential escort mission 16 December by returning the President to the United States. Roosevelt adressed the crew of Iowa prior to leaving the battleship, at which time he said, "...from all I have seen and all I have heard, the Iowa is a 'happy ship,' and having served with the Navy for many years, I know—and you know—what what that means." He also touched on the progress made at the conference before concluding his adress with "...good luck, and remember that I am with you in spirit, each and every one of you," before leaving.

Service with Battleship Division 7, Admiral Lee

Backed up by USS Indiana (BB-58), Iowa prepares to fire her main guns, possibly during the Marshall Islands Campaign.

As flagship of Battleship Division 7, Iowa departed the United States 2 January 1944 for the Pacific Theatre, transitting the Panama Canal 7 January in advance of her combat debut in the campaign for the Marshall Islands. From 29 January to 3 February, she supported carrier air strikes made by Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman's task group against Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls. Her next assignment was to support air strikes against the Japanese Naval base at Truk, Caroline Islands. Iowa, in company with other ships was detached from the support group 16 February 1944 to conduct an anti-shipping sweep around Truk to destroy enemy naval vessels escaping to the north. On 21 February, she was underway with the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 58 or TF 38, depending on whether it was part of 5th Fleet or 3rd Fleet) while it conducted the first strikes against Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam in the Mariana Islands. During this action Iowa sunk the light cruiser Katori.

On 18 March, Iowa, flying the flag of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee, Commander Battleships, Pacific, joined in the bombardment of Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Although struck by two Japanese 4.7 inch projectiles during the action, Iowa suffered negligible damage. She then rejoined Task Force 58 on 30 March, and supported air strikes against the Palau Islands and Woleai of the Carolines which continued for several days.

From 22 April to 28 April 1944, Iowa supported air raids on Hollandia (now known as Jayapura), Aitape, and Wakde Islands to support Army forces on Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay in New Guinea. She then joined the Task Force's second strike on Truk, 29 April and 30 April, and bombarded Japanese facilities on Ponape in the Carolines on 1 May.

In the opening phases of the Marianas campaign, Iowa protected the flattops during air strikes on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Rota, and Pagan on 12 June. Iowa was then detached to bombard enemy installations on Saipan and Tinian on 13 June and 14 June, which resulted in the destrouction of an enemy ammunition dump. On 19 June, in an engagement known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Iowa, as part of the battle line of TF 58, helped repel four massive air raids launched by the Japanese Middle Fleet. This resulted in the almost complete destruction of Japanese carrier-based aircraft, with Iowa taking claiming three enemy planes. Iowa then joined in the pursuit of the fleeing enemy Fleet, shooting down one torpedo plane and assisting in splashing another.

Throughout July, Iowa remained off the Marianas supporting air strikes on the Palaus and landings on Guam. After a month's rest, Iowa sortied from Eniwetok as part of the Third Fleet, and helped support the landings on Peleliu on 17 September. She then protected the carriers during air strikes against the Central Philippines to neutralize enemy air power for the long awaited invasion of the Philippines. On 10 October, Iowa arrived off Okinawa for a series of air strikes on the Ryukyu Islands and Formosa. She then supported air strikes against Luzon on 18 October and continued this vital duty during General Douglas MacArthur's landing on Leyte on 20 October.

In a last-ditch attempt to halt the United States campaign to recapture the Philippines, the Japanese Navy struck back with a three-pronged attack aimed at the destruction of American amphibious forces in Leyte Gulf. Iowa accompanied TF 38 during attacks against the Japanese Central Force as it steamed through the Sibuyan Sea toward San Bernardino Strait. The reported results of these attacks and the apparent retreat of the Japanese Central Force led Admiral William "Bull" Halsey to believe that this force had been ruined as an effective fighting group. Iowa, with TF 38, steamed after the Japanese Northern Force off Cape Engaño, Luzon. On 25 October 1944, when the ships of the Northern Force were almost within range of Iowa's guns, word arrived that the Japanese Central Force was attacking a group of American escort carriers off Samar. This threat to the American beachheads forced her to reverse course and steam to support the vulnerable "baby carriers". However, the valiant fight put up by the escort carriers and their screen in the Battle off Samar had already caused the Japanese to retire and Iowa was denied a surface action. Following the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Iowa remained in the waters off the Philippines screening carriers during strikes against Luzon and Formosa. She sailed for the West Coast late in December 1944.

USS Iowa in drydock in San Fransisco, California, undergoing repairs and modernization after being damaged during Typhoon Cobra.

On 18 December 1944 the ships of Task Force 38 unexpectedly found themselves in a fight for their lives when Typhoon Cobra overtook the force— seven fleet and six light carriers, eight battleships, 15 cruisers, and about 50 destroyers— during their attempt to refuel at sea. At the time the ships were operating about 300 miles (500 km) east of Luzon in the Philippine Sea. The carriers had just completed three days of heavy raids against Japanese airfields, suppressing enemy aircraft during the American amphibious operations against Mindoro in the Philippines. The task force rendezvoused with Captain Jasper T. Acuff and his fueling group 17 December with the intention of refueling all ships in the task force and replacing lost aircraft. Although the sea had been growing rougher all day, the nearby cyclonic disturbance gave relatively little warning of its approach. On 18 December, the small but violent typhoon overtook the Task Force while many of the ships were attempting to refuel. Many of the ships were caught near the center of the storm and buffeted by extreme seas and hurricane force winds. Three destroyers, Hull (DD-350), Monaghan (DD-354), and Spence (DD-512), capsized and sank with nearly all hands, while a cruiser, five aircraft carriers, and three destroyers suffered serious damage. Approximately 790 officers and men were lost or killed, with another 80 injured. Fires occurred in three carriers when planes broke loose in their hangars and some 146 planes on various ships were lost or damaged beyond economical repair by fires, impact damage, or by being swept overboard. Iowa reported zero injured sailors as a result of the typhoon,, but suffered a loss of one of her float planes, and damage to one of her shafts. The damaged shaft required Iowa to return to the US, and Iowa arrived San Francisco, California, on 15 January 1945, for repairs and an overhaul. During the course of the overhaul she had her bridge area enclosed, and was outfitted with a new search radar and a new fire control radar.

Bombardment of Japan

She sailed 19 March for Okinawa, arriving 15 April and relieving sister ship USS New Jersey (BB-62). Begining 24 April, Iowa supported carrier operations which aimed to establish and maintain air superiority for ground forces during their struggle for the island. She then supported air strikes off southern Kyūshū from 25 May to 13 June. Iowa then sailed toward northern Honshu and Hokkaido, and participated in strikes on the Japanese homeland 14 July and 15 July by bombarding Muroran, Hokkaidō, destroying steel mills and other targets. The city of Hitachi on Honshū was given the same treatment on the night of 17 July to 18 July. On 29 and 30 July Iowa trained her guns on Kahoolawe for a bombardment. Iowa continued to support fast carrier strikes until the cessation of hostilities on 15 August as a result fo the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On 27 August Iowa and her sister ship USS Missouri (BB-63) entered Sagami Bay to oversee the surrender of the Yokosuka naval district.

Iowa entered Tokyo Bay with the occupation forces on 29 August. While in the bay she recieved a number of sailors from sister ship Missouri who were temporarily transfered to Iowa for the duration of the surrender ceramony aboard Missouri. After serving as Admiral Halsey's flagship for the surrender ceremony on 2 September, Iowa remained in the bay as part of the occupying force. As part of the ongoing Operation Magic Carpet, she recieved homeward bound GI's and liberated US POWs before departing Tokyo Bay 20 September bound for the United States.

Post World War II (1945-1949)

Iowa arrived in Seattle, Washington, 15 October 1945 and then sailed for Long Beach where she engaged in training operation until returning to Japan in 1946 to serve as flagship for the US 5th Fleet until returning to the United States 25 March and resuming her role as a training ship. During this time she also embarked Naval Reserve elements and midshipmen for training in addition to her usual training routine of drills and manuvers. In October she underwent a period of overhaul and modernization which resulted in the addition of the SK-2 Radar and the loss of a number of 20 mm and 40 mm gun mounts. In September 1948, as part of the post World War II draw down of the armed forces, she was inactivated at San Fransisco and formally decomissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets 24 March 1949.

The Korean War (1951-1952)

In 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea, prompting the United States to intervene in the name of the United Nations. President Harry S. Truman was caught off guard when the invasion struck, but quickly ordered U.S. forces stationed in Japan into South Korea. Truman also sent U.S. based troops, tanks, fighter and bomber aircraft, and a strong naval force to Korea to support the Republic of Korea. As part of the naval mobilization Iowa was reactivated 14 July 1951 and formally recommissioned 25 August, Captain William R. Smedberg III in command. Iowa remained in US waters until March 1952, when she sailed for Korean waters. On 1 April she releived sister ship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) and became the flagship of Vice Admiral Robert Briscoe, Commander of the US 7th Fleet.

In her first combat operation of the Korean War, Iowa fired her main guns near Wonson-Songjin 8 April, with the goal of striking North Korean supply lines. In the company of other Naval vessels Iowa’s guns fired again 9 April, this time against enemy troop concentrations, supply areas, and suspected gun positions in and around Suwon Dan and Kojo. In Support of the Republic of Korea's I Corps, she shelled an enemy position on 13 April, killing 100 enemy soldiers, destroying six gun emplacements, and mauling a division headquarters. The next day she entered Wonson harbor and shelled warehouses, observation posts and railroad marshaling yards before moving out to rejoin the UN flotilla aiding ground forces around Kosong. On 20 April, in her first combat action above the 38th parallel, Iowa shelled railroad lines at Tanchon, where she closed four railroad tunnels before sailing to Chindong and Kosong for a two day bombardment 25 April.

USS Iowa firing a 16-inch shell towards a North Korean target in 1952.

On 25 May Iowa, following in sister ship Missouri’s footsteps, arrived in the waters off Chongjin, a North Korean industrial center about 48 miles from the Russian border. Upon her arrival Iowa procedded to shell the industrial and rail transportation centers in Chongjin, after which she steamed south to aid the X Corp. Along the way Iowa turned her guns against Songjin for the second time in as many monthes, closing several railroad tunnels and seriously damaging the bridges in the area. On 28 May Iowa rejioned the gunline supporting the X-corps, and shelled several islands in Wonsan Harbor.

Thorughout June Iowa trained her guns on targets at Mayang-do, Tanchon, Chongjin, Chodo-Sokto and ports of Hungnam and Wonsan in support of the UN and South Korean Forces. On 9 June a helicopter from Iowa rescued a downed pilot from the carrier USS Princeton (CV-37). At the time Princeton was operating with TF 77, and with other carriers in the task force were involved in a bombing campaign against North Korean supply lines, troop concentrations, and infastructure; additionally, the carriers were flying close air support missions for ground forces fighting against the North Korean forces. In July Iowa recieved a new skipper, Captain Joshua W. Cooper, who assumed command of the battleship for the remainder of her Korean War tour.

On 11 August the destroyer USS Thompson (DD-627) arrived in Korea for another comabt tour after undergoing an overhaul in the United States. Thompson, a veteran of World War II, had seen service in the Atlantic was involved in operations in support of Operation Overlord, but owing to the abrupt start of the Korean War Thompson had served as a makeshift mine sweeper for several monthes in 1951. By 1952 she was no longer needed in a minesweeper capacity, thus Thompson was now free to operate as a destroyer for coast patrol and gunfire support duties. Unfortuently, the communists had changed tactics in response to offshore bombardments, and more guns were brought in to defend the coasts. On 20 August 1952, while operating off Sŏngjin, Thompson came under fire by a Chinese battery. A shell hit the flying bridge, killing four and wounding nine. Thompson attempted to return the fire, but the well-concealed shore guns made the return shelling's accuracy difficult and ineffective, as a result, Thompson retired from the scene and transferred her casualties to Iowa, then operating 16 miles (30 km) south of Sŏngjin. Iowa then covered the damaged Thompson’s retreat into safer waters.

Iowa fires her guns off the coast of Koje 17 October 1952

On 23 September, General Mark Wayne Clark, the Commander-In-Chief of United Nations Forces in Korea, came aboard Iowa. During his time aboard the battleship Clark observed Iowa in action as her guns shelled Wonsan area for a third time, accounting for the descruction of a major enemy ammunition dump. On 25 September Iowa fired her guns at an enemy railroad and thirty-car train.

In October Iowa was part of force involved in Operation Decoy, a feint to draw enemy troops into Kojo and bring them within striking distance of the battleships big guns. On 16 October, during the operation, Iowa provided anti-aircraft support to USS Mount McKinley (AGC-7), an amphibious force command ship.

Post Korean War (1953-1957)

Iowa embarked midshipmen for at sea training to Northern Europe, July 1953, and immediately after took part in Operation "Mariner," a major NATO exercise, serving as flagship of Vice Admiral Edmund T. Wooldridge, commanding the Second Fleet. Upon completion of this exercise, until the fall of 1954, Iowa operated in the Virginia Capes area. In September 1954, she became the flagship of Rear Admiral R. E. Libby, Commander, Battleship Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet.

From January to April 1955, Iowa made an extended cruise to the Mediterranean Sea as the first battleship regularly assigned to Commander, Sixth Fleet. Iowa departed on a midshipman training cruise 1 June 1955 and upon her return, she entered Norfolk for a four-month overhaul. Following refit, Iowa continued intermittent training cruises and operational exercises, until 4 January 1957 when she departed Norfolk for duty with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Upon completion of this deployment, Iowa embarked midshipmen for a South American training cruise and joined in the International Naval Review off Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 13 June 1957.

On 3 September 1957, Iowa sailed for Scotland for NATO Operation "Strikeback". She returned to Norfolk, 28 September 1957 and departed Hampton Roads for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 22 October 1957. She was decommissioned 24 February 1958 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia. During her time on the gunline in the Korean War Iowa expended over 4,500 16-in shells at communist targets. This was double the amount of ordinace that she fired in World War II.

Reactivation (1982-1984)

• United States General Accounting Office: NAVY SHIPS: Information on Benifits and Costs of Establishing New Homeports
• United States General Accounting Office: NAVY HOMEPORTS: Expanded Structure Unnecessary and Costly

USS Iowa in drydock undergoing modernization

As part of President Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman’s effort to create a 600-ship Navy, Iowa was reactivated and moved under tow to Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans, Louisiana for modernization in advance of her planned recomissioning. During the modernization Iowa had all of her remaining Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns removed, due to their ineffectiveness against modern jet fighters and enemy anti-ship missiles; additionally, the two 5 in gun mounts located at mid-ship and in the aft on the port and starboard side of the battleship were removed.

She was then towed to Ingalls shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, where over the next several months the battleship was upgraded with the most advanced weaponry available; among the new weapons systems installed were four MK 141 quad cell launchers for 16 AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, eight Armored Box Launcher (ABL) mounts for 32 BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles, and a quartet of Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS) gatling guns for defense against enemy anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft. Iowa was the first battleship to receive the RQ-2 Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, a remotely controlled drone that replaced the helicopters previously used to spot for her nine 16 in/50 Mark 7 guns, and Iowa could carry up to eight of the UAVs at a time. Also included in her modernization were upgrades to radar and fire control systems for her guns and missiles, and improved electronic warfare capabilities. Armed as such, Iowa was formally recommissioned on 28 April 1984, ahead of schedual, within her budget, and under the command of Captain Gerald E. Gneckow.

Shakedown and NATO exercises (1984-1989)

From April to August 1984 Iowa underwent refresher training and naval gunfire support qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean, then spent the rest of 1984 on a shakedown cruise in the waters around Central America. During this cruise she aided in several humatiarian operations, such as those conducted in Costa Rica and Honduras before returning to the states in April 1985 for a period of drydocking and routine maintence.

In August 1985 Iowa joined 160 other ships for Exercise Ocean Safari, a NATO naval exerice aimed at testing NATO's ability to control sea lanes and thereby maintian free passage of shipping. Owing to bad weather, Iowa and the other ships were forced to ride out rough seas, but Iowa made use of the rough seas practice hiding herself from enemy forces. While serving with the exercing force Iowa crossed the Arctic Circle. In October Iowa took part in Baltic Operations (Baltops), and fired her phalanx guns, 5 guns, and 16 guns in the Baltic Sea 17 Ocotber while operting with with US and other allied ships. After the conclusion of Baltops Iowa returned to the United States.

In 1986 Iowa returned to the waters around Central America, conduct drills and exercises while providing a military presence to friendly nations. On 4 July President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan boarded Iowa for the International Naval Review, which was held in the Hudson River. During the review Iowa sailed slowly down the Hudson River and into New York Harbor, allowing Reagan to inspect the thirty-three warships representing twenty-three nations from a platform atop of Turret I. That same month Larry Seaquist assumed command of the battleship and her crew.

On 17 August Iowa set sail for the North Atlantic and in September participated in Exercise Northern Wedding by ferring Marines ashore and assisting helicopter gunships. During the exercise Iowa fired her main guns at Cape Wrath range in Scotland in support of a simulated amphibious assault 5 and 6 September, firing a total of ninteen 16 in shells and thirty-two 5 in shells during a ten hour period. As with Exercise Ocean Safari, Iowa operted in rough seas and adverse weather conditions. During the live fire exercise a small number of Marines assigned to Iowa were put ahore to moniter the fall of shot and advise the battleship of gunnery corrections. At the conclusion of the exercise Iowa visited ports in England and Germany before returning to the states in October.

Crewmen recover an RQ-2 Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicle aboard Iowa.

In December Iowa became the testbed for the Navy's RQ-2 Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The drone was designed to serve as an aeriel spotter for the battleship's guns, thereby allowing the guns to be used against an enemy without the need for a airplanes or helicopter spotter. Pioneer passed its tests and made its first deployment that same month aboard Iowa.

From January to September 1987 Iowa Operated in the waters in and around Central America and participated in several exercises until sailing for the Mediterranean Sea 10 September to join the US 6th Fleet based there. In remained in the Mediterrianian Sea until 22 October, when she was detached from the sixth fleet and departed for operations in the North Sea. On 25 November, as part of Operation Earnest Will, Iowa transitioned the Suez Canal and set sail for the Persian Gulf. For the remandier of the year Iowa escorted Kuwaiti gas and oil tankers "reflagged" as US merchant ships from the Persian Gulf through the Straits of Hormuz.

On 20 February 1988 Iowa departed from the Persian Gulf, transited the Suez Canal, and set sail for the United States, arriving at Norfolk 10 March for routine maintence. In April she participated in the annual Fleet Week celebrations before returning to Norfolk for an overhaul. In May, Fred Mosally replaced Larry Seaquist as Captian of the Iowa. In August Iowa set sail on sea trails, then began refresher training in the waters around Florida and Puerto Rico.

On 20 January 1989, during gunnery practice off Vieques Island, Iowa fired a 16 in shell 23.4 nautical miles, setting a record for the longest 16 in shell ever fired. In February the battleship sailed for New Orleans for a port visit before departing for Norfolk. On 10 April the battleship was visited by commander of the US 2nd Fleet, and on 13 April sailed to participate in fleet exercise.

"A Glimpse of Hell"

Main article: USS Iowa turret explosion

Heavy smoke pours from Turret #2 following an internal explosion 19 April 1989

On 19 April 1989, an explosion ripped through the Number Two 16 inch gun turret, killing 47 crewmen. A gunner in the powder magazine room quickly flooded the #2 powder magazine, likely preventing catastrophic damage to the ship. At first, the NCIS investigators theorized that one of the dead crewman, Clayton Hartwig, had detonated an explosive device in a suicide attempt after the end of an alleged homosexual affair with another sailor. To support this claim naval officials pointed to several different factors, including Hartwig's life ensurance policy, which named Kendall Truitt as the sole benificiary in the event of his death, the presence of unexplained materials inside Turret II, and his mental state, which was alleged to be unstable.

Although the Navy was satisfied with the investigation and its results others did not take to the official investigation results very well, and in October 1991, amid increasing critisism over what was seen as a very poor investigation with little or no real forensic proof, Congress relented and forced the Navy to reopen the investigation. This second investigation, handled by independent investigators, was hampered by the fact that most of original debris from Iowa had been cleaned up or otherwise disposed of the Navy before and after the first investigation, but the investigation did manage to uncover evidence pointing to an accidental powder explosion rather than an act of sabotage.

While Iowa was undergoing modernization sister ship USS New Jersey (BB-62) had been summoned to Lebanon to aid the peacekeeping forces by providing off shore fire support. Unfortunetly, New Jersey was at the time the only commissioned battleship anywhere in the world, and in an effort to get another battleship commissioned to relieve New Jersey the modernization of Iowa was stepped up, leaving her in poor condition when she recomissioned in 1984. In May of 1988, Fred Mosally replaced Larry Seaquist as captain of the Iowa. Unlike Seaquest, who had placed emphasis on the training and manning of guns, Mosally was more concerned with the maintience of the missiles on Iowa. Lastly, the Navy had improperly stored the gunpowder used aboard the battleship; it had been placed aboard a barge where sunlight and other elemental factors contributed to its degredation.

Testing of powder in the same lot at the Dalhgren, Virginia Naval Surface Warfare Center was able to reproduce spontaneous combustion of the powder, which had been originally milled in the 1930's and improperly stored during a 1988 dry-docking of the Iowa in a barge at the Navy's Yorktown, Virginia Naval Weapons Station. Gun powder gives off ether gas as it degrades; the ether is highly flammable, and could be ignited by a spark. This revelation resulted in a shift in the Navy's position on the incident, and Admiral Frank Kelso, the Chief of Naval Operations at the time, publicly apologized to the Hartwig family, concluding that there was no real evidence to support the claim that he had intentionally killed the other sailors. The captain of the Iowa, Fred Moosally, was severely criticized for his handling of the matter, and as a result of the incident the Navy changed the powder-handling procedures for its battleships. The incident remains the Navy's worst loss of life during peace time operations, surpassing the loss of life incured from the friendly fire incident involving an Iraqi pilot and the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate USS Stark (FFG-31).

Reserve Fleet and Museum Ship (1990-present)

• News Story w/ Iowa info

See also: United States Naval Gunfire Support Debate

The USS Iowa, laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and the lack of a perceived threat against the United States came drastic cuts to the defense budget, and the high cost of maintaining battleships as part of the active fleet became uneconomical; as a result, Iowa was decmissioned for the last time 26 October 1990. Iowa was the first of the reactivated battleships to be decomissioned, and was decomissioned earlier than originally planned as a result of the damaged #2 turret. Iowa as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, was berthed at the Naval Education and Training Center in Newport, from 24 September 1998 to 8 March 2001 when the ship began her journey, under tow, to California. The ship arrived in Suisun Bay near San Francisco on 21 April 2001 and is part of the Reserve Fleet there. where she remained in reserve until struck from the Naval Vessel Register in January 1995.

Section 1011 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 required the United States Navy to reinstate to the Naval Vessel Register two of the Iowa-class battleships that had been struck by the Navy in 1995; these ships were to be maintained in the United States Navy reserve fleets (or "mothball fleet"). The Navy was to ensure that both of the reinstated battleships were in good condition and could be reactivated for use in the Marine Corps' amphibious operations. Due to Iowa’s damaged Turret 2 the Navy selected New Jersey for placement into the mothball fleet, even though the training mechanisms on New Jersey's 16 in guns had been welded down. The cost to fix New Jersey was considered less than the cost to fix Iowa; as a result, New Jersey and Wisconsin were reinstated to the Naval Vessel Register and placed back in the reserve fleet.

New Jersey remained in mothball fleet until the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 passed through the United States Congress 18 October 1998. Section 1011 required the United States Secretary of the Navy to list and maintain Iowa and Wisconsin on the Naval Vessel Register, while Section 1012 required the Secretary of the Navy to strike New Jersey from the Naval Vessel Register and transfer the battleship to a non-for-profit entity in accordance with section 7306 of Title 10, United States Code. Section 1012 also required the transferee to locate the battleship in the State of New Jersey. The Navy made the switch in January 1999, allowing New Jersey to open as a museum ship in her namesake state.

For several years plans had been under way to berth the Iowa in San Francisco, California, opening the battleship there as a museum; however, in 2005 San Francisco’s city council, citing opposition to the Iraq War and the military's policies regarding homosexuals, voted 8-3 against maintaining Iowa in the city, paving the way for other California communities to bid for the battleship. Vallejo, site of the former Mare Island Navy Shipyard and Stockton are competing for the vessel. The Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square (HSMPS) organization that attempted to place the ship in San Francisco is now working with the Mare Island, Vallejo, site. Both communities have identified berthing piers and have submitted proposals to the Department of the Navy to open the vessel to tourists and educational groups as a memorial and museum. Prior to her arrival in California, Iowa was temporarily docked atNaval Station Newport, Newport, Rhode Island as she awaited her fate as a Naval Museum. She was docked for some time, in Newport, next to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CVA-59).

On 17 March 2006 the Secretary of the Navy exercised his authority to strike Iowa and Wisconsin from the NVR, which has cleared the way for both ships to be donated for use as museums; however, the United States Congress remains "deeply concerned" over the loss of naval surface gunfire support that the battleships provided, and has noted that "...navy efforts to improve upon, much less replace, this capability have been highly problematic." Partially as a consequence the US House of Representatives has asked that the battleships be kept in a state of readiness should they ever be needed again. Congress has asked that the following measures be implemented to ensure that, if need be, Iowa can be returned to active duty:

1. Iowa must not be altered in any way that would impair her military utility;
2. The battleship must be preserved in her present condition through the continued use of cathodic protection, dehumidification systems, and any other preservation methods as needed;
3. Spare parts and unique equipment such as the 16-inch (406 mm) gun barrels and projectiles be preserved in adequate numbers to support Iowa, if reactivated;
4. The Navy must prepare plans for the rapid reactivation of Iowa should she be returned to the Navy in the event of a national emergency.

These four conditions closely mirror the original three conditions that the Nation Defense Authorization Act of 1996 laid out for the maintenance of Iowa while she was in the Mothball Fleet. It is unlikely that these conditions will impede the current plan to turn Iowa into a permanent museum ship.

Awards

Iowa earned nine battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean War service.

• USS Iowa recently recieved the Battenberg Cup as best all around ship in the Atlnatic Fleet for Fiscal Year 1984. Iowa claims the battle efficeincy along with 9 departmental efficeincy awards and has been nominated for the Anti surface warfare mission area award and the Navy Safety Award. In 1984 Iowa was deployed in the Atlantic, Carribean, and Pacific, steaming 15,411 miles and visiting 10 countries. (All Hands, December 1985, pg 45 [taken near verbatum, alter prior to publication])

References

{{reflist}}

See also

• List of broadsides of major World War II ships

External links

• Satellite image from Google Maps
• Maritimequest USS Iowa BB-61 Photo Gallery
• Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square

{{Iowa class battleship}} {{coor title dms|38|04|04|N|122|05|52|W|region:US_type:landmark}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Iowa (BB-61)}} [[Category:Iowa class battleships]] [[Category:Battleships of the United States]] [[Category:World War II battleships of the United States]] [[Category:Cold War battleships of the United States]] [[Category:Korean War battleships of the United States]] [[Category:Ships built in New York]] [[Category:Ships at the Japanese Instrument of Surrender]] [[Category:United States Navy Iowa-related ships]] [[cs:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[de:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[es:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[ms:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[ja:アイオワ (戦艦)]] [[pl:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[sk:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[sv:USS Iowa (BB-61)]]