Iowa on the high seas...

**tbm3fan** · 27 May 12,, 02:15

Well sorta. Hey, she is not tied up to a buoy, a pier or a dock but out on the open water passing by a city and looking majestic as she passes under a majestic bridge that is 75 on Sunday. As far as I am concerned you would never know she wasn't under her own power.

I had to work and rush out of my office at noon to beat it to Marin. That went fine right until I got off 101, before the Golden Gate Bridge, to head up to the road to the Nike Missile Site. Oh, did I make a HUGH mistake there. After 2 miles up and down over a period of an hour I decided to leave. Seems the water front, wherever you could see the bay, was packed with people all looking for the Iowa. Drove down and went east of the Bridge to see about Fort Baker. Way less cars and lots of precious legal parking. Got my shots and talked with an ex-Air Force guy who is now a professional photographer. He made the same mistake I made but we finally did get what we could. Leaving took another 2 hours what is normally a 40 minute trip on another day.

First shot coming around Tiburon and Alcatraz in the background. Yes, that is a Huey in some shots.

**tbm3fan** · 27 May 12,, 02:18

Four more and goodbye as she passes under the Golden Gate Bridge for the last time. A bridge, that for many returning home, really let's you know that you are home.

**GrayGhost1975** · 27 May 12,, 08:34

Couldn't be there (sadly), but found this on the local ABC news

Bon voyage for battleship USS Iowa | Video | abc7news.com

**Ken_NJ** · 27 May 12,, 18:26

Some more photos of the Iowa leaving at this link. They were onboard a tug following the Iowa...

Good story and photos in the L.A. Times today about the Iowa - Page 5 - RC Groups

**tbm3fan** · 27 May 12,, 21:41

Originally Posted by Ken_NJ

Some more photos of the Iowa leaving at this link. They were onboard a tug following the Iowa...

Good story and photos in the L.A. Times today about the Iowa - Page 5 - RC Groups

I will say that Reuters link inside this link was hilarious. So many things wrong. Ship sold rather than custody. Missing gun turrets. Dismantled radar tower. Peeling paint and rust everywhere according to Bob Rodgers. If this is the Bob Rodgers I know then that explains those words. Oh well, it was for the Brits...

**Daniel_B** · 27 May 12,, 22:19

Originally Posted by tbm3fan

I will say that Reuters link inside this link was hilarious. So many things wrong. Ship sold rather than custody. Missing gun turrets. Dismantled radar tower. Peeling paint and rust everywhere according to Bob Rodgers. If this is the Bob Rodgers I know then that explains those words. Oh well, it was for the Brits...

By "radar tower dismantled", it must've meant the top of the mast being removed. Semantics... at least for people who have no interest in this kind of stuff.

"Gun turrets removed." I'm betting someone described the 1980s reactivation to this reporter, and mentioned the 4 5" turrets removed to make way for missiles, and he got his facts mixed up and thought it was something done after she was decommissioned.

And it says there was "rust and peeling paint everywhere," past-tense, and until a couple of months ago that was true.

Great pics, BTW!

**GrayGhost1975** · 27 May 12,, 22:27

There're still too many reporters out there that will call our current Burke DDGs "battleships", so it wouldn't surprise me to see a 5/38 mount called a turret.

**tbm3fan** · 28 May 12,, 05:16

Originally Posted by Daniel_B

And it says there was "rust and peeling paint everywhere," past-tense, and until a couple of months ago that was true.

Great pics, BTW!

Not quite since I have been on the ship 6 times since 2009 and once with Rusty for an inside tour. Walked over the entire outside and up higher than I will admit to. Peeling paint was minimal. Surface rust in places is not an issue as it cleans up easily. Rust out only on the main deck in areas with 1/4" plate steel used to form the base for winches and the like. Also some in the drains which clog up with debris. The biggest issue was the teak deck by far and that wasn't mentioned in the news article. On a scale from 1-5 with 5 being a rust bucket the Iowa is a 2- and I think that is accurate given the amount of rust buckets I have walked across.

Probably the worst looking thing on the ship and it is surface rust followed by a shot with light cancer seen around the perimeter.

**dmwnc1959** · 28 May 12,, 08:29

Nice picture from the Associated Press

**qaz14595** · 30 May 12,, 02:52

Saw this shared on PBC's FB page & thought why not share it here - Photos: USS Iowa Near Channel Islands – - The Daily Breeze Media Center

**Dreadnought** · 01 Jun 12,, 00:06

Originally Posted by tbm3fan

Not quite since I have been on the ship 6 times since 2009 and once with Rusty for an inside tour. Walked over the entire outside and up higher than I will admit to. Peeling paint was minimal. Surface rust in places is not an issue as it cleans up easily. Rust out only on the main deck in areas with 1/4" plate steel used to form the base for winches and the like. Also some in the drains which clog up with debris. The biggest issue was the teak deck by far and that wasn't mentioned in the news article. On a scale from 1-5 with 5 being a rust bucket the Iowa is a 2- and I think that is accurate given the amount of rust buckets I have walked across.

Probably the worst looking thing on the ship and it is surface rust followed by a shot with light cancer seen around the perimeter.

I recognize that picture well, Starboard side aft. Surprised the winch has rusted so badly but then again...salt air and time.

Appreciate all of the new pics.

**Ken_NJ** · 01 Jun 12,, 12:23

Found these pictures online.

**RustyBattleship** · 01 Jun 12,, 17:41

Re: The photo of the rusted Refueling-at-Sea winch. When Iowa was last decommissioned, all those exterior winches had Dehumidification huts put over them. Then some time between her decommissioning and tow to California the D/H huts were removed. Even the 5"/38 gun directors had meticulously built D/H enclosures that was later removed.

By whom, when or where will probably never be known.

**Daniel_B** · 01 Jun 12,, 18:55

Originally Posted by RustyBattleship

Re: The photo of the rusted Refueling-at-Sea winch. When Iowa was last decommissioned, all those exterior winches had Dehumidification huts put over them. Then some time between her decommissioning and tow to California the D/H huts were removed. Even the 5"/38 gun directors had meticulously built D/H enclosures that was later removed.

By whom, when or where will probably never be known.

Well, I can tell you the where, and approximately the when. It was here in RI. I have pictures I took of her showing the coverings in place over the Mk 37s and Harpoon launchers in May of '99, and more taken in May of '00 where they'd been removed. Why they did it? No clue, but considering the effort involved, they must've (thought they) had a good reason--especially getting to the ones on the starboard side, since that was tucked up right against the Forrestal at the time. Getting to 'em with a crane must've been fun.

**Ken_NJ** · 02 Jun 12,, 01:49

From the Facebook page...

The hull cleaning performed by Muldoon Marine was successful and IOWA has received clearance to proceed to Port of Los Angeles layberth on Saturday, June 2. It is estimated that IOWA will pass Angels Gate sometime between 0800 and 0900. We encourage small boaters to keep a safe distance and be aware of other vessels in the area. Please be aware that the berth will be closed to the public and accessibility within the area will be limited. Those interested in more information should go to the Outreach Center located at 437 W. 6th Street, San Pedro, to see exhibits, talk history, meet the crew, and purchase souvenirs. We thank you for your continued support!

Pacific Battleship Center | Facebook

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