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Navy to reopen bids for IOWA!

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  • Navy to reopen bids for IOWA!

    The U.S. Navy is re-opening bids to acquire the USS Iowa as a floating museum somewhere in the state of California, telling a Vallejo-based group it has not made sufficient progress in its efforts to berth the ship to the north.

    But the Port of Los Angeles - which is where one competing group wants to bring the ship - will still need convincing if the Iowa is to berthed anywhere along San Pedro's waterfront.

    "We still have the same concerns that we expressed when we did our initial assessment," said port spokesman Phillip Sanfield.

    "The Port of Los Angeles does not have a viable site. We've approved waterfront plans that are not consistent with berthing a battleship ... (and) we're focusing our efforts on delivering the elements of the waterfront plans that have been approved."

    In February, port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz formally quashed further discussion of bringing the Iowa to the port.

    Top among the port's concerns was that the group proposing the site had no official standing with the Navy for the donation of the ship.

    For the past few years, the Navy has been in exclusive negotiations with the Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square for plans to berth the ship in that area.

    But even though that is changing, the port is still not inclined to reconsider, Sanfield said.

    In a letter to Elaine Wong, president of the Vallejo group, Navy Vice Admiral David Architzel said the Navy was
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    re-opening bids to other competing groups.

    "HMSPS has made little progress on completing necessary site agreements with the city of Vallejo ... " the letter states, adding also that the group had so far "not achieved its own fundraising goal and timeline projection."

    In a separate letter dated May 6 and written to Robert Kent of the Pacific Battleship Center, the group advocating for the San Pedro site, another Navy official said the "Navy's objective is to donate ex-Iowa as soon as possible to an organization that will display the ship in California, subject to receipt of an application that fully meets the Navy's minimum requirements for ship donation."

    Kent said the group has been anticipating the re-opening of bids for three months and is ready to approach the port again about a possible location.

    "We are working with a lot of local government people to help us in this effort," he said. "Los Angeles is the best place, no doubt about it."

    The battleship has been in mothballs awaiting donation.

    Built in 1943, the Iowa was used to transport President Franklin D. Roosevelt across the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. It was decommissioned for the last time in 1990 and is the only remaining World War II Iowa class battleship that is not yet a museum. The others - the USS Missouri, USS New Jersey and USS Wisconsin - are all permanent floating museums.

    The USS Iowa by law has been designated to be berthed somewhere in the state of California.

    In his letter to Kent, Glen A. Clark, deputy program manager for the Navy's Inactive Ships Program, indicated the Vallejo group would still be considered but only if it submits an updated application.

    "A new Federal Register Notice will be published within the next 30 days which will formally re-open the competition for the ex-Iowa," Clark wrote.

    Part of the application Kent's group will have to submit needs to specify where the ship will be berthed. Kent said at this point no other locations are being sought, adding that the group still believes the Port of Los Angeles is the best and most logical site.

  • #2
    Hopefully she finds a good home.

    And they dry dock her before to clean, inspect, and paint the hull before being berthed for what will be an extended period of time.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Spence580 View Post

      Part of the application Kent's group will have to submit needs to specify where the ship will be berthed. Kent said at this point no other locations are being sought, adding that the group still believes the Port of Los Angeles is the best and most logical site.
      Then this guy needs to be fired. He is an idiot.

      The City of LA and the Port Authority have both said No. Over and over again. And it sounds like it will continue to do so.

      "We still have the same concerns that we expressed when we did our initial assessment," said port spokesman Phillip Sanfield.

      "The Port of Los Angeles does not have a viable site. We've approved waterfront plans that are not consistent with berthing a battleship ... (and) we're focusing our efforts on delivering the elements of the waterfront plans that have been approved."

      In February, port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz formally quashed further discussion of bringing the Iowa to the port.

      Use the ship for parts to support the three museums. Scrap whats left over.

      They could use her to transform , at least from the outside, the Missouri, to look like she did when the WW2 surrender document was signed.

      Comment


      • #4
        Gun Grape:

        Please, get yourself some sort of education on the subject that you pretend to know so much about..

        The City of LA is actually behind having the Iowa in the Port of LA it is only Geraldine Knatz that opposed it and this was after an empassioned call from Marilyn Wong saying that the Navy had already awarded the ship to her group and how hard she had worked for having the ship at Mare Island, Knatz bought her BS and then did a 180 and made the announcement that she did.

        This is a response that I wrote about another story about the Vallajo group:

        The 4 Million Dollars that M. Wong is claiming to have already raised and spent is the funds that the navy spent to get the Iowa ready for towing to the west cost which included the cost of the tow itself that was allocated for a towing exercise and also included the Panama Canal fees. These funds were allocated by Senator Feinstien. and also included the cost to tow the New Jersey to Philadelphia is a swap to have 2 ships on each coast as required at the time I believe that The organization in San Francisco contacted Sen. Feinstien’s office to get this to happen but as far as actual fundraising, this would be considered a statement of less then truthful proportions.

        It has been reported that all of their fundraising has gone back to them for more fundraising, like trips to Iowa and Norfolk and other places. I do not believe that they can actually show where any funds that they have raised have actually gone to the ship or its proposed location.

        Oh and even if they were to strip the Iowa for the other 3 ships, the Iowa and the Missouri are currently in almost the same configuration. The Iowa can contribute nothing to the Missouri that would help restore her to the Sept-1945 configuration.

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        • #5
          Robert Kent said the Navy would release the ship back in January and everyone said that would never happen. Robert kent was right - It did happen.

          HSMPS said they have the exlusive right and a berth site. Robert Kent said they didn't and again the Navy letter to HSMPS confirmed what he said was right.

          So maybe you might have a little more faith in his abilities because he probably knows alot more than any of us.

          I should know. I'm a member of the board in charge of all technical repairs, restorations, modifications, etc. I have about two dozen Battleship experts in my Table of Organization from riggers to divers to machinists to shipfitters to engineers and to specialized technicians (one of them WROTE THE BOOK on Navy paint procedures).

          I have tried to resist from answering as I do not want to make any enemies on this board (especially a Marine). But your first paragraph insulting Robert blew me away. I know him personally and his abilities as to his expertise as an administrator and engineer though he did not work at LBNSY.

          However, I and all my team have worked there. So have faith all ye doubters. Long Beach Naval Shipyard was the Planning Yard for the Battleships since 1968. And ---- WE'RE BAAAAACK.
          Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

          Comment


          • #6
            When was the last time IOWA was in dry dock? It's been a while for NEW JERSEY and WISCONSIN as well, hasn't it? I wonder if the Navy will help pay the costs as they did with MISSOURI.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
              Then this guy needs to be fired. He is an idiot.

              The City of LA and the Port Authority have both said No. Over and over again. And it sounds like it will continue to do so.




              Use the ship for parts to support the three museums. Scrap whats left over.

              They could use her to transform , at least from the outside, the Missouri, to look like she did when the WW2 surrender document was signed.
              Scrap her?

              I thought, (hoped), the point was to save her.

              Comment


              • #8
                Four Score

                This group may need to create a special award for those who tour all four - Iowa's when they all get cleaned up and displayed? ;)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by blidgepump View Post
                  This group may need to create a special award for those who tour all four - Iowa's when they all get cleaned up and displayed? ;)
                  Heck! I've been ON all four during their reactivations, underneath 3 of them in Dry Docks and to sea on two of them.
                  Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
                    Heck! I've been ON all four during their reactivations, underneath 3 of them in Dry Docks and to sea on two of them.
                    and I've only re-enlisted on one of them...(wheres' the flag waving smiley at dang it)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Awards Committee

                      Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
                      Heck! I've been ON all four during their reactivations, underneath 3 of them in Dry Docks and to sea on two of them.
                      Obviously with such distinquished service by many, oak leaf clusters and stars may need to be added to the yet designed ribbon and medal...... :))

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                      • #12
                        Don't know the man personally. But, When the port authority has said No, more than once, and he still says there are no other options than he is acting like an idiot.

                        He may believe that the LA is the place to be, but they don't think so. Sure keep working on them, but find another location, at least, as a back up plan.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          They need to release the Iowa from California and let any state bid on it (any state it can get to anyway).
                          "If a man does his best, what else is there?"
                          -General George Patton Jr.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Gun Grape View Post
                            Don't know the man personally. But, When the port authority has said No, more than once, and he still says there are no other options than he is acting like an idiot.

                            He may believe that the LA is the place to be, but they don't think so. Sure keep working on them, but find another location, at least, as a back up plan.
                            Unfortunately, you are basing your opinion on headline grabbing newspaper articles. They have highly miss-quoted or twisted some facts around. People keep sending me copies of those news articles. I don't even print them out or put them in a save file.

                            The correspondence I do save and print are the official letters and the Navy procedures to request the ship and my responses and drawings that fall under my jurisdiction such as towing, mooring, water supply, waste discharges, mast repair, dedicated air conditioning (not using the ships duplex units), tour routes, decking repair/replacement, paint procedures, etc.

                            I have enjoyed reading many of your postings. But this one has me totally confused. Just what is it you have against the ship?
                            Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
                              Unfortunately, you are basing your opinion on headline grabbing newspaper articles. They have highly miss-quoted or twisted some facts around. People keep sending me copies of those news articles. I don't even print them out or put them in a save file.

                              The correspondence I do save and print are the official letters and the Navy procedures to request the ship and my responses and drawings that fall under my jurisdiction such as towing, mooring, water supply, waste discharges, mast repair, dedicated air conditioning (not using the ships duplex units), tour routes, decking repair/replacement, paint procedures, etc.

                              I have enjoyed reading many of your postings. But this one has me totally confused. Just what is it you have against the ship?
                              I have nothing against the ship.

                              But if the facts are presented correctly., the Port Authority said No then I stand by my original assessment. The guys view of the forest is being obscured by the trees.

                              The Navy wants to get rid of her. He needs to think widely vice his laser beam thought process now. If L.A. doesn't take the ship, what is the backup plan?

                              I don't know if those types of discussions are taking place. I hope they are. But by the sounds of the article its not happening.

                              As for my suggestion of using her for parts. Whats wrong with that idea? I would rather have 2 or 3 ships in really good shape than 4 that are in a state of disrepair with no spares.

                              And I know she is in the same configuration as the Mo. My suggestion of using her to put the Mo back to WW2 looks was more about stripping the Mo of all the 80s stuff. Using the 5/38 mounts from Iowa, to be put in the proper place. Even if just surface mounted. I'm not wanting these areas to be open for tours. She represents the closing of WW2. I think she should look like she did back then. Get rid of the flight deck .Fab a pair of catapults and replace the crane. Make her a true memorial to WW2 vets.
                              Last edited by Gun Grape; 17 May 10,, 02:46.

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