| The third Iowa (BB-61) was laid down at New York Navy Yard,
27 June 1940; launched 27 August 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Henry A. Wallace,
wife of Vice President Wallace, and commissioned 22 February 1943, Capt,
John L. McCrea in command. |
| On 24 February, Iowa put to sea for shakedown in Chesapeake
Bay and along the Atlantic Coast. She got underway, 27 August for Argentia,
Newfoundland to neutralize the threat of German Battleship Tirpitz which
was reportedly operating in Norwegian waters. |
| In the fall, Iowa carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt
to Casablanca, French Morocco on the first leg of his journey to the Teheran
Conference in November. After the conference she returned that President
to the United States. |
| As Flagship of Battleship Division 7, Iowa departed the
United States 2 January 1944 for the Pacific Theatre and her combat debut
in the campaign for the Marshalls. 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 Attols in the Marshall Islands. 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 Fast Carrier Task Force 58 while it conducted the fast
strikes against Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam in the Marianas. |
| 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' projectiles
during the action, Iowa suffered negligible damage. She then rejoined
Task Force 58, 30 March, and supported air strikes against the Palau Islands
and Woleai of the Carolinas which continued for several days. |
| From 22 to 28 April 1944, Iowa supported air raids on
Hollandia, 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, 29-30 April, and bombarded Japanese facilities on Ponape
in the Carolinas, 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, 12 June, in an engagement known as the Battle of the Philippine
Sea, Iowa helped repel four massive air raids launched by the Japanese
Middle Flit. This resulted in the almost complete destruction of Japanese
carrier - based aircraft. 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 3d Fleet.=, and helped support
the landings on Peleliu, 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 Ryukyus and Formosa.
She then sup0ported air strikes against Luzon, 18 October and continued this
vital duty during general macArthur's landing on Leyte 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 -p
pronged attack 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 Halsey to believe
that this force had been ruined as an effective fighting group. Iowa,
with Task Force 38, steamed after the Japanese Northern Force off Cape Engano,
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 had already caused the Japanese to retire
and Iowa was denied a surface action. Following the Battle for 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. |
| Iowa arrived San Francisco, 15 January 1945, for overhaul.
She sailed 19 March 1945 for Okinawa, arriving 15 April 1945. Commencing
24 April 1945, Iowa supported carrier operations which assured American
troops vital air superiority during their struggle for that bitterly contested
island. She then supported air strikes off southern Kyusyhu from 25 May to
13 June 1945. Iowa participated in strikes on the Japanese homeland
14-15 July and bombarded Muroran, Hokkaido, destroying steel mills and other
targets. The city of Hitachi on Honshu was given the same treatment on the
night of 17-18 July 1945. Iowa continued to support fast carrier strikes
until the cessation of hostilities, 15 August 1945. |
| Iowa entered Tokyo Bay with the occupation forces, 29 August
1945. After serving as Admiral William F. Halsey's flagship for the surrender
ceremony, 2 September 1945, Iowa departed Tokyo Bay 20 September 1945
for the United States. |
| Arriving Seattle, Washington, 15 October 1945, Iowa returned
to Japanese waters in January 1946 and became flagship of the 5th Fleet.
She continued this role until she sailed for the United States 25 March 1946.
From that time on, until September 1948, Iowa operated from West Coast
ports, on Naval Reserve and at sea training and drills and maneuvers with
the Fleet. Iowa decommissioned 24 March 1949. After Communist aggression
in Korea necessitated an expansion of the active fleet, Iowa
recommissioned 25 August 1951, Captain William R. Smedberg III in command.
She operated off the West Coast until March 1952, when she sailed for the
Far East. On 1 April 1952, Iowa became the flagship of Vice Admiral
Robert T. Briscoe, Commander, 7th Fleet, and departed Yokosuka, Japan to
support United Nations Forces in Korea. From 8 April to 16 October 1952,
Iowa was involved in combat operations off the East Coast of Korea.
Her primary mission was to aid ground troops, by bombarding enemy targets
at Songjin, Hungnam, and Kojo, North Korea. During this time, Admiral Briscoe
was relieved as Commander, 7th Fleet. Vice Admiral J. J. Clark, the new
commander, continued to use Iowa as his flagship until 17 October
1952. Iowa departed Yokosuka, Japan 19 October 1952 for overhaul at
Norfolk and training operations in the Caribbean Sea. |
| 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 E. T. Woolfidge,
commanding the 2d Fleet. Upon completion of this exercise, until the fall
of 1954, Iowa operated in the Virginia Capes area. In September 1945,
she became the flagship of Rear Admiral R. E. Libby, Commander, Battleship
Cruiser Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. |
| From January to April 1955, Iowa made an extended cruise
to the Mediterranean as the first battleship regularly assigned to Commander,
6th Fleet. Iowa departed on a midshipman training cruise 1 June 1955
and upon her return, she entered Norfolk for a 4-month overhaul. Following
refit, Iowa continued intermittent training cruises and operational
exercises, until 4 January 1957 when she departed Norfolk for duty with the
6th 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, 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, 22 October 1957. She
decommissioned 24 February 1958 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at
Philadelphia where she remained until September of 1982 when she was towed
to the Avondale Shipyard, Inc., New Orleans, for modernization and reactivation.
She was subsequently towed to Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi
for final reactivation preparations. |
| Iowa was recommissioned on 28 April 1984,
Captain Gerald E. Gneckow in command. Two days later she was underway to
Autec Range for Naval Gunfire Support training and in May she spent two weeks
in refresher training at Guantanamo Bay. On the 21st, off Vieques Island,
Puerto Rico, Iowa's 16-inch and 5-inch batteries underwent NGFS
qualification. During the remainder of 1984 Iowa provided a "Naval Presence"
in the Central Americas and Caribbean, participated in another round of gunnery
exercises off Vieques Island and operated in Pacific waters. She arrived
at Norfolk 17 September and in October spent a week visiting New York before
participating in COMPUTEX 1-85 in Puerto Rican Operations and finally ended
the year in port at Norfolk. |
| Iowa underwent her Sea Trials
in January of 1985 and subsequently was underway for deployment in Central
America. She completed several civic action and humanitarian projects in
Costa Rica and Honduras and participated in encounter exercises with Battleship
Surface Action Group. |
| In March Iowa operated out of Norfolk while engaged in
Battle Force integrated training and post-shakedown availability training
followed by the offloading of ammunition at Yorktown's Naval Weapons Station
and on 26 April she was drydocked at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth,
Virginia. |
| Out of drydock 31 July 1985, Iowa loaded ammunition while
at Whiskey Island Anchorage in Hampton Roads. This was followed by a
demonstration of her Tomahawk Handling system, then ten days of sea trials
and ammunition onload at Yorktown. On 22 August she received the Battenburg
Cup Award as best all-around ship in the Atlantic Fleet (for 1984). During
the latter part of the year she participated in Ocean Safari followed by
Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 85 with Iowa in port at Kiel, West Germany
at operations end. Underway for Norfolk 26 October, she arrived 5 November
and began preparations for INSURV/UMI and final contract trials. |
| From November 1985 to March 1986, Iowa operated as a peaceful
presence off Central America where she supported countries friendly to the
United States. In July Captain Larry Seaquist took command of Iowa
and on the 4th she carried President Ronald Reagan, and wife Nancy, for the
Liberty Weekend's International Naval Review in the Hudson River. |
| August found the battleship underway along the coast of Florida
and the Gulf of Mexico where she conducted operational and training exercises
until underway on the 17th for NATO Operation Northern Wedding which took
place in September after which she visited Portsmouth, England and Bremerhaven,
West Germany. Iowa finally departed for the United States on 2 October.
On 9 December she was again underway for seatrials off the Virginia Capes,
where her first launch, flight and recovery of a Pioneer RPV was
made. |
| Iowa departed Norfolk en route to the Caribbean on 9 January
1987 and on the 10th participated in exercise BLASTEX 1-87. She arrived in
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for Operational Readiness Inspection on 11 February
and departed 13 February en route for gunnery exercises at Vieques Island,
Puerto Rico. Iowa returned to Norfolk on 26 February where she was
subsequently placed on restricted availability. In March she
participated in independent ship exercises until returned to the status of
restricted availability on the 30th. |
| On April 25 Iowa departed Norfolk en route to the Caribbean
where she conducted SACEX starting 4 May in the Puerto Rican operations area.
In Late may she again exercised independently until her participation starting
8 July in FLEETEX 3-87, local of the Western Atlantic. On 26 July she
arrived at Yorktown Naval Weapons Center for loading ammunition, subsequently
arriving Norfolk on the 28th where again placed in service restricted
availability. September Iowa joined the 6th Fleet to participate in
Exercise Display Determination which took her to Istanbul. Detaching from
the 6th Fleet, she operated in the North Sea during mid-October arriving
in Torndheim, Norway, 30 October. November 8 she passed through the
Mediterranean, transited the Suez Canal and carried at Diego Garcia to commence
Persian Gulf Presence Operations 4 December; 7 December she departed Diego
Garcia for operations in the Indian Ocean and North Arabian Sea. |
| January 1988 found Iowa in the Gulf of Oman where operations
included escorting convoys through the southern Strait of Hormuz and protecting
convoy assembly areas off Masirah Island and Muscat, Oman. Transiting the
Suez Canal, she arrive Norfolk 10 March and was placed in service restricted
availability. Iowa participated in "Fleet Week" 21-25 April in New
York City followed by off loading of ammunition at Yorktown Naval Weapons
Station prior to entering Norfolk Navy Shipyard for in service restricted
availability from 25 April through 23 August. Iowa closed 1988 as
follows: Sea Trials in August off the Virginia Capes; visit at Port Everglades,
Florida, 9-11 October; Refresher training beginning 13 October Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba; Gunnery exercises at Vieques Island starting 28 November; finally
arriving at Norfolk 7 December. |
| In January of 1989, operating with units of the standing Naval
Forces, Atlantic, Iowa fired the longest 16-inch round in history
at Vieques Island. The projectile traveled 23.4 nautical miles for a first
round hit on target. |
| After visit 5-9 February in New Orleans, Iowa arrived
at Norfolk 16 March where on 10 April she Embarked the Commander, Second
Fleet, and was underway by the 13th for FLEETEX 3-89 where on the 19th
an explosion within Turret Two killed 47 crewmen; She returned
to Norfolk, arriving 22 April. |
| On 30 May through 2 June Iowa loaded Ammunition at Whisky
Island and by 7 June was underway for Norther Europe and the Mediterranean.
During this deployment, Iowa traveled 30,8983 nautical miles and crossed
eight time zones. Port visits included: Kiel, West Germany; Portsmouth, England;
Rota, Spain; Casablanca, Morocco; Gibraltar; Marseille, France; Antalya,
Turkey; Gaeta, Italy; Istanbul, Turkey; Haifa, Israel; Alexandria, Egypt;
Ajaccio, Corsica; Augusta Bay, Sicily; Naples, Italy; and Palma, Mallorca.
September Iowa participated in Exercise Display Determination for
1989 and, en route to Norfolk on 26 November, she fired here last 16-inch
round giving a total of 2,873 rounds fired since the 1984 recommissioning
making her total 11,834 16-inch rounds fired. Iowa arrived Norfolk
7 December. |
| A memorial plaque was unveiled on 4 January for the men who
lost their lives during the April 1989 Turret Two explosion and it was
subsequently dedicated during a memorial service 19 April. |
| Iowa was placed in service restricted availability 16 January,
20 February she underwent Nuclear Weapons Closeout Inspection and 25
May her Marine Detachment was deactivated. She embarked Midshipmen for a
summer training cruise and was finally decommissioned on 26 October 1990.
On 24 September 1998 Iowa became part of the Reserve Fleet, berthed
at the Naval Education and Training Center in Newport, Rhode Island. |
| For information on the efforts to preserve the Iowa as
a monument please visit the USS Iowa (BB-61) Veteran's Association
at
http://www.ussiowa.org |
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