Iowa Class Battleships

Extremely good and capable ships that have served the United States Navy off and on for fifty years. When first commisioned, many thought they were obsolete, however, wartime service immediately dispelled this. Their AA capablitiy and speed made them ideal for carrier escorts. All served in Korea; New Jersey shelled North Vietnam for a short period of time, but the North Vietnamize demanded she be taken out of service. All four were recommisioned as part of Reagans 600 ship navy during the 1980's but all have since been decomissioned.

General Characteristics, Iowa Class

Builders Iowa and Missouri: New York Navy Yard, New Jersey and Wisconsin: Philadelphia Navy Yard
Power Plant 8 Babcock & Wilcox 3 drum express, 4 shafts
Length 887 feet
Beam 108 feet
Displacement [1943-1945] about 59,000 tons
1968-69 [BB-62 only about 57,000 tons
1982-1992 about 57,000 tons
Speed 32 knots
Aircraft WWII scouts/ROV recon 1980's

Crew: [1940's] about 2,800 people, [1980's] about 1,500 people
Armament [WWII] 9 x 16"/50 cal (Mk 7) in 3 triple turrets 2 forward 1 aft, 20 x 5"/38 cal (Mk 12) in ten twin turrets 5 port 5 starboard, 60-80 x 40mm/56 cal Bofors in 15-20 quad gun mounts, 49-60-20mm/70 cal Oerlikons in single mounts.
***All 20mm and most 40mm were removed prior to 1980's refit***
Armament [1980's] 9 x 16"/50 cal (Mk 7) in 3 triple turrets 2 forward 1 aft, 12 x 5"/38 cal (Mk 12) in 6 twin turrets 3 port 3 starboard, 4 x 20mm/76 cal Mk 15 Vulcan Phalanx 6-barrelled Gatling 2 port 2 starboard, 32 x RGM-74 Tomahawks in 8 quad Mk 141 ABL launchers 4 port 4 starboard, 16 x RGM-84 Harpoons in 4 quad launchers 2 port 2 starboard

Date Deployed [WWII]: February 22, 1943 [USS Iowa]
Date Deployed [1980's]: October 28, 1982 [USS New Jersey]

Vessels
Ships	Hull Number	Status
USS Iowa	BB-61	Commissioned Feb 43, entered PacFlt for remainder of war, RECOM Aug '51 for Korea, DECOM again '52, RECOM again '82 part of Reagans 600 ship navy, then DECOM'd Oct '90, Stricken, Jan 12, '95 reinstated in reserve Jan.4/99 Class B Mobilization Asset Newport,Rhode Island
USS New Jersey	BB-62	Commissioned May 23,'43 for PacFlt ops. Flagship FADM W.F. Halsey, was at Leyte Gulf but didn't fire any shots in anger, DECOM June '48, RECOM for Korea '50, DECOM'd in '57, Recalled again for a brief Vietnam tour, being RECOM'd April '68 and DECOM'd Dec '69.RECOM'd in 82 but DECOM'd again Feb '91. Stricken Jan 12,'95. einstated in reserve Feb.12/98 Class B Mobilization Asset stricken Jan.4/99 proposed Museum Ship in NJ Bremerton Inactive Fleet
USS Missouri	BB-63	Comissioned June 11, 1944 for PacFlt ops. Japanese surrender document signed on her decks, Sept 2nd, 1945. DECOM Feb '55. RECOM May, '86. Escorted ships through Persian Gulf, 89-90. Shelled Iraqi postions, January 1991. DECOM March '92 and stricken Jan 12, 95. museum ship Hawaii donated May.4/98 arrived Jun.22/98 Pearl Harbor
USS Wisconsin	BB-64	Comissioned April '44 for PacFlt ops. DECOM '48, RECOM '51 Korea, DECOM '58. RECOM Oct. '88 and DECOM Sept. '91. Escorted merchants in Persian Gulf/Shelled Iraqi positions. Stricken Jan 12, 1995. reinstated in reserve Feb.12/98 Class B Mobilization Asset Norfolk Inactive Fleet, Virginia
USS Illinois	BB-65	Cancelled Aug.12/45, scrapping started Sept. '1958
USS Kentucky	BB-66	cancelled Jan.22/50, scrapping started 1959 at Baltimore

Take a look at The US Navy Fire Support Associaton Dedicated To Bringing The Battleships Back To Frontline Service. Let's get the battlewagons back in action!

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