The Legend of the Iowa Class as a teen.
We were there that morning sitting outside the Philly Naval Reserve on the Delaware river. I was approximately 17 at the time. A friend that worked in the yard had told us days before that something big was going to happen there that morning. Then the rumor came to us that they were pulling the battleships Iowa & Wissconsin away from their piers from which they sat for as long as I can remeber (atleast 12 -15 years since i was a child) all the way in the back and pretty much out of sight hidden by the likes of the carriers Forrestal (CVA59) and the Kennedy (CVA67) and Saratoga(CVA60) which were periodically moved in and out for servicing. My father used to tell us stories about the biggest guns in the yard and that they were the pride of the USN yard and certainly worth a war tale or two from my father as we would pass the yard but they were always out of sight out of mind.( from a child's point of view) At one time Philly was home to three of the Iowa class dreadnoughts for a very long time. Missouri (BB63) was mainly stored on the West Coast for these years from what i'm told whether Bremerton WA. or Long Beach CA. As a child the first time I saw them they were very dark and kinnda spooky even more intimidating looking then any other ship in the yard with the coccoons over their guns, the bridges and decks covered being the same color grey they came back from war with (Korean) not to mention the rust trails down the bilges etc that were probably older then me at the time in all they kinnda resembled a mummies tomb. However their solitude and silence told a tale of honor and courage beyond the range of all arrogant ears as if to say "because my country still needs me". Now years later they werent so scary looking anymore they were neat to say the least. We sat and watched them pull them out into the channel one at a time with no less then four tugs on each as soon as the first (Iowa BB61) entered the channel all traffic on the bridges became a parking lot. People watching in amazment snapping pictures pointing, cheering, old salts from the yard mummbling big gun stories and that Reagan finally "took the gloves off" as they tied up to them to prep for tow. You'd be surprised how many old men would call them sweetheart and yell "make us proud wherever you go" and "dont forget your home". We never did realize that they were going to leave us and their home as Ronald Reagan recalled them to active service and never return. Philly navy yard was home to a big majority of the battleships and severl carriers when they came home from conflict (check any vintage pic of the reserve basin youll be surprised). Finally they moored Iowa(BB61) in the river just off League Island (or to Sniper "Penny Island") and began to work on Whiskey (BB64). To see a 900 foot battleship being manuvered by tugs in such a tight area and be able to watch is impressive to say the least and like i said certainly stops traffic while she spanned the Delaware. They moored her (BB64) beside Iowa (BB61) surrounded them with oil skimmer booms then posted a guard. The two sisters would be reunited again after a 33 year long sleep. We were looking at ghosts from an era long past . The local radio staion was giving a little history about them (they knew very little) as they reported the traffic was stopped on the bridges and everbody would just have to wait until it cleared. Figure about 30 years or so (Korea) since they had seen any kind of movement in the yard or for that much the light of day. I felt as I was witness to a moment in history that i only heard stories about but would never witness and it was really truelly awesome. We came back a few times later that day to see different views of them but the Navy was very strict about letting anybody around them and told us they would be leaving for their assigneed dry docks by tommorow sometime. Well seems as though I worked on the river and had an excellent vantage point to watch them leave from so thats just what i did. Their (Iowas) sillowette against the setting sun the day after was a loss for words from me. I kinnda felt like a kid who had to give my toys back and got nothing in return..lol. But to my surprise some 20 years later another sister and former home town girl the New Jersey (BB62) would return home to us to stay for good. A fitting tribute to a once great Naval Yard. She may be in N.J. per say but shes in view of her real home..The Philadelphia Navy Yard.. The same people who built her as well as USS Washington (BB56) and Wisconnsin (BB64) and a few others just to name a few. From that day on always i've been a fan will always be a fan of the Battleships no matter what they say or even when they are gone. I was just happy to be as fortunate as to live in such a cool place for a kid growing up.
P.S. If San Francisco doesnt want that proud ship the USS Iowa give her back to us you ungratefull morons we will always appreciate her and she will always have a home here in Philly with us :)
We were there that morning sitting outside the Philly Naval Reserve on the Delaware river. I was approximately 17 at the time. A friend that worked in the yard had told us days before that something big was going to happen there that morning. Then the rumor came to us that they were pulling the battleships Iowa & Wissconsin away from their piers from which they sat for as long as I can remeber (atleast 12 -15 years since i was a child) all the way in the back and pretty much out of sight hidden by the likes of the carriers Forrestal (CVA59) and the Kennedy (CVA67) and Saratoga(CVA60) which were periodically moved in and out for servicing. My father used to tell us stories about the biggest guns in the yard and that they were the pride of the USN yard and certainly worth a war tale or two from my father as we would pass the yard but they were always out of sight out of mind.( from a child's point of view) At one time Philly was home to three of the Iowa class dreadnoughts for a very long time. Missouri (BB63) was mainly stored on the West Coast for these years from what i'm told whether Bremerton WA. or Long Beach CA. As a child the first time I saw them they were very dark and kinnda spooky even more intimidating looking then any other ship in the yard with the coccoons over their guns, the bridges and decks covered being the same color grey they came back from war with (Korean) not to mention the rust trails down the bilges etc that were probably older then me at the time in all they kinnda resembled a mummies tomb. However their solitude and silence told a tale of honor and courage beyond the range of all arrogant ears as if to say "because my country still needs me". Now years later they werent so scary looking anymore they were neat to say the least. We sat and watched them pull them out into the channel one at a time with no less then four tugs on each as soon as the first (Iowa BB61) entered the channel all traffic on the bridges became a parking lot. People watching in amazment snapping pictures pointing, cheering, old salts from the yard mummbling big gun stories and that Reagan finally "took the gloves off" as they tied up to them to prep for tow. You'd be surprised how many old men would call them sweetheart and yell "make us proud wherever you go" and "dont forget your home". We never did realize that they were going to leave us and their home as Ronald Reagan recalled them to active service and never return. Philly navy yard was home to a big majority of the battleships and severl carriers when they came home from conflict (check any vintage pic of the reserve basin youll be surprised). Finally they moored Iowa(BB61) in the river just off League Island (or to Sniper "Penny Island") and began to work on Whiskey (BB64). To see a 900 foot battleship being manuvered by tugs in such a tight area and be able to watch is impressive to say the least and like i said certainly stops traffic while she spanned the Delaware. They moored her (BB64) beside Iowa (BB61) surrounded them with oil skimmer booms then posted a guard. The two sisters would be reunited again after a 33 year long sleep. We were looking at ghosts from an era long past . The local radio staion was giving a little history about them (they knew very little) as they reported the traffic was stopped on the bridges and everbody would just have to wait until it cleared. Figure about 30 years or so (Korea) since they had seen any kind of movement in the yard or for that much the light of day. I felt as I was witness to a moment in history that i only heard stories about but would never witness and it was really truelly awesome. We came back a few times later that day to see different views of them but the Navy was very strict about letting anybody around them and told us they would be leaving for their assigneed dry docks by tommorow sometime. Well seems as though I worked on the river and had an excellent vantage point to watch them leave from so thats just what i did. Their (Iowas) sillowette against the setting sun the day after was a loss for words from me. I kinnda felt like a kid who had to give my toys back and got nothing in return..lol. But to my surprise some 20 years later another sister and former home town girl the New Jersey (BB62) would return home to us to stay for good. A fitting tribute to a once great Naval Yard. She may be in N.J. per say but shes in view of her real home..The Philadelphia Navy Yard.. The same people who built her as well as USS Washington (BB56) and Wisconnsin (BB64) and a few others just to name a few. From that day on always i've been a fan will always be a fan of the Battleships no matter what they say or even when they are gone. I was just happy to be as fortunate as to live in such a cool place for a kid growing up.
P.S. If San Francisco doesnt want that proud ship the USS Iowa give her back to us you ungratefull morons we will always appreciate her and she will always have a home here in Philly with us :)
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