We Got the IOWA

[blackzz28]

so you know where they are but cant get them at this point ??

[Dreadnought]

If the Navy has it, I'll bet they will say that they will maintain it. The PBC just need to keep what they have IAW the agreement. In case of reactivation (yea right) they will install said gear during the refit.

The argument against Dreads," It will be see by taxpayers and upkeep funded through the tour cost", is Upkeep is already funded through taxpayers, and our museum is free for them to view it. We also get more visitors......

Well, One could argue that having a constant 70-80 degree temperature would bring many all year round so that comparrison is a moot point.

Further, I'm going to wager that the two missing Helms are right under their noses.

Since the Helm is a "trick" wheel it had to have been indexed at either of the two points since the other two steering positions do not allow any Mk 1 eyeball view for steerage. They would have been locked dead straight ahead so they had to function before her tow.

I'm thinking that they are probably being stored somewhere upon the ship in a lower compartment or perhaps where the Iowas trophies and perhaps her Silver set are being held.

They were probably just removed to prevent scavangers and souvenier hunters for taking them while she sat in the reserve.

Here's a hint, contact the very last Captain or XO aboard Iowa just prior to her retirement and you may get a lead if they are not already aboard.

[RustyBattleship]

You do NOT need the helmsman's wheel to lock the rudders. The rudders are locked in their aft steering gear room. The cross beam is secured very strongly.

Just as the propeller shafts are locked by bolting a steel plate to one of the section flanges and welding that plate to an adjoining structure such as a bulkhead.

Oh, there is one more item missing. A Lube Oil pump from one of the engine rooms (the ONLY piece of machinery missing). It's motor is there, the motor foundation is there but the pump is missing. There was a rumor that the machinery spaces had been stripped to supply spare parts to the AOE's that used the Kentucky's engines. In our 2006 inspection I turned our electronics engineer into a mechanical engineer, handed him a copy of the POG (Propulsion Operating Guide) and it took him almost the whole week to inspect both Emergency Diesel Generator rooms, all four boiler rooms and all four engine rooms. Only that one pump was missing.

Two months later at another inspection, I had the former main propulsion NAVSEA Program Manager for the 1980's BB reactivation come out and he reconfirmed our findings that only that one pump was missing.

But that does not alter the fact that the computer and helms were removed from the ship against regulations to keep her intact for possible reactivation. At least, those are the rules we are required to go by.

[blackzz28]

sorry about all the questions , but i figure you guys know the answers lol:wors:
but what shape are the Hydraulic line in the main battery turrets i have heard & read that the lines on the iowa leaked really bad & needed to be replaced especiallly in turret #3 & how is the electrical?? did it get all overhaul how it was needed to be ?? i just want to know what true & what isnt , thanks guys

[tbm3fan]

I'm sure Rusty will let you know but when I was with him during an inspection she looked very very good inside. I'm sure electrical is working fine since our HORNET was retired in 1970 and when we got her we started to run some systems. Pumps, ventilation, lights, radar, bomb elevators, aircraft elevators, escalator and anchor windlass all worked. Some things needed rebuilding, some needed thousands of gallons of hydraulic fluids but the electrical never failed us.

[Dreadnought]

You do NOT need the helmsman's wheel to lock the rudders. The rudders are locked in their aft steering gear room. The cross beam is secured very strongly.

Just as the propeller shafts are locked by bolting a steel plate to one of the section flanges and welding that plate to an adjoining structure such as a bulkhead.

Oh, there is one more item missing. A Lube Oil pump from one of the engine rooms (the ONLY piece of machinery missing). It's motor is there, the motor foundation is there but the pump is missing. There was a rumor that the machinery spaces had been stripped to supply spare parts to the AOE's that used the Kentucky's engines. In our 2006 inspection I turned our electronics engineer into a mechanical engineer, handed him a copy of the POG (Propulsion Operating Guide) and it took him almost the whole week to inspect both Emergency Diesel Generator rooms, all four boiler rooms and all four engine rooms. Only that one pump was missing.

Two months later at another inspection, I had the former main propulsion NAVSEA Program Manager for the 1980's BB reactivation come out and he reconfirmed our findings that only that one pump was missing.

But that does not alter the fact that the computer and helms were removed from the ship against regulations to keep her intact for possible reactivation. At least, those are the rules we are required to go by.

Hi Dick, I didnt mean to imply that that was the only way. I completely agree with the strong back between the rams for towing. The reason I mentioned it was because the 04 and the 08 helms are an easy access from the main deck (as well you said the 04 conn was sealed but the 08 as you well know is not that far of a climb away and and easy scout for souvenier hunters.) It would have been much easier to set the helm at dead 0 from the conn and then seal it instead of using the smaller wheels in the rudder room itself. One would assume they would have had to have hydraulic power from the ships systems or portable to move the rams manually.

I still think either they are aboard or they are together in storage along with other things. Iowa was towed from Philly along with the Wisconsin. The question is where did Iowa stop on the way to the reserve fleet on the West coast. You need to find the guys that run the "closet" spaces.

Was she inspected when she arrived before mooring with the reserve fleet? If so who was aboard and who was in charge? There has to be some sort of record for such things as inspection of the dehumidifires etc as in the New Jerseys case.

Perhaps your pump found its way to one of the other two that retired after Iowa and New Jersey as a spare or was sent out and rebuilt but not installed and sitting either in a warehouse or aboard one of the other two.

I know this sounds stupid but Im thinking someplace below that securable and I would definately find out where the silver set is and her trophies, as I mentioned prior it may give you a lead as to the people and the timeframe theses and maybe the helms were removed.

[USSWisconsin]

Is this pump very large? Could a new one be built? Perhaps machined from a custom made casting? Just an idea, I don't know if its practical, but if it is relatively small - it seems possible.

[RustyBattleship]

Hi Dick, I didnt mean to imply that that was the only way. I completely agree with the strong back between the rams for towing. The reason I mentioned it was because the 04 and the 08 helms are an easy access from the main deck (as well you said the 04 conn was sealed but the 08 as you well know is not that far of a climb away and and easy scout for souvenier hunters.) It would have been much easier to set the helm at dead 0 from the conn and then seal it instead of using the smaller wheels in the rudder room itself. One would assume they would have had to have hydraulic power from the ships systems or portable to move the rams manually.

We have searched that ship from stem to stern and from the basement to the attic. We know for a fact that the Washington Navy Yard Museum took the computer because their tag was on the next piece of equipment. I have also been contacted by someone that they know one of the helms was also taken by the museum.

But there was a posting, I believe on THIS board, that as the ship was being decommissioned one of the crewmen admitted taking the other helm as a personal souvenir. As the ship was going into Class B reserve it was still the property of the US Navy. Therefore some wannabe from NIS could charge him with theft of Navy property. But we won't. We will just thank him for saving the helm from scavengers when he returns it.

I still think either they are aboard or they are together in storage along with other things. Iowa was towed from Philly along with the Wisconsin. The question is where did Iowa stop on the way to the reserve fleet on the West coast. You need to find the guys that run the "closet" spaces.

Was she inspected when she arrived before mooring with the reserve fleet? If so who was aboard and who was in charge? There has to be some sort of record for such things as inspection of the dehumidifires etc as in the New Jerseys case.

Perhaps your pump found its way to one of the other two that retired after Iowa and New Jersey as a spare or was sent out and rebuilt but not installed and sitting either in a warehouse or aboard one of the other two.

I know this sounds stupid but Im thinking someplace below that securable and I would definately find out where the silver set is and her trophies, as I mentioned prior it may give you a lead as to the people and the timeframe theses and maybe the helms were removed.

We searched the ship from stem to stern and from basement to attic. We know for a fact that the Washington Navy Yard Museum took our computer (they left their tags on the foundation) and another source told me they also took one of the helms plus and authenticated flage (that was on display at the Officer's Club on the Naval Base) that flew on the Iowa during a specific date.

But I read a posting (I think on this board) that when the ship was being decommissioned he took the other helm as a souvenir. Since the ship was going into Class B reserve, she was still part of the US Navy. Some over exubriant agent from NIS technically could charge him with theft of Navy property. We won't, of course. Instead we will officially thank him for saving that helm from scavengers once it is mounted back on board.

[surfgun]

Since NIS, now NCIS is HQ'd at the Washington Navy Yard, perhaps they could aid in tracking down the missing items?

[RustyBattleship]

Since NIS, now NCIS is HQ'd at the Washington Navy Yard, perhaps they could aid in tracking down the missing items?

Yeah, I forgot the "C" though I watch both shows. It's just that I still have my souvenir patch from NIS when I did some research for them on a fraud case. We got the SOB too.

[blackzz28]

I'm sure Rusty will let you know but when I was with him during an inspection she looked very very good inside. I'm sure electrical is working fine since our HORNET was retired in 1970 and when we got her we started to run some systems. Pumps, ventilation, lights, radar, bomb elevators, aircraft elevators, escalator and anchor windlass all worked. Some things needed rebuilding, some needed thousands of gallons of hydraulic fluids but the electrical never failed us.

thank you for the reply i just dont understand why people spread disinformation , i mean i cant see the iowa being in bad shape, all of the iowa class are beloved by everybody so i know getting a chance to keep them up & working on them when they got reactivated , would have been a labor of love

[Ytlas]

Is this pump very large? Could a new one be built? Perhaps machined from a custom made casting? Just an idea, I don't know if its practical, but if it is relatively small - it seems possible.

If "A Lube Oil pump from one of the engine rooms (the ONLY piece of machinery missing). It's motor is there, the motor foundation is there but the pump is missing." there's a motor there but no pump, my guess would be that it's a lube oil transfer pump and not the steam driven lube oil service pump which provides the main lubrication.

[surfgun]

Yeah, I forgot the "C" though I watch both shows. It's just that I still have my souvenir patch from NIS when I did some research for them on a fraud case. We got the SOB too.

My souvenir is a S&W M66 .357 NIS one of 333 revolvers.

[RustyBattleship]

If "A Lube Oil pump from one of the engine rooms (the ONLY piece of machinery missing). It's motor is there, the motor foundation is there but the pump is missing." there's a motor there but no pump, my guess would be that it's a lube oil transfer pump and not the steam driven lube oil service pump which provides the main lubrication.

You are correct, as usual. Actually I think our identification by the POG is that it is an Auxiliary Pump. Meaning it's a back up pump should the main pump go out.

[Dreadnought]

We searched the ship from stem to stern and from basement to attic. We know for a fact that the Washington Navy Yard Museum took our computer (they left their tags on the foundation) and another source told me they also took one of the helms plus and authenticated flage (that was on display at the Officer's Club on the Naval Base) that flew on the Iowa during a specific date.

But I read a posting (I think on this board) that when the ship was being decommissioned he took the other helm as a souvenir. Since the ship was going into Class B reserve, she was still part of the US Navy. Some over exubriant agent from NIS technically could charge him with theft of Navy property. We won't, of course. Instead we will officially thank him for saving that helm from scavengers once it is mounted back on board.

IMO, It takes some balls of stupidity to take a ships helm as a souvenier. Someone obviously felt entitled. I am glad though that you know where it went. IMO, It should have never left. Ive been abard plenty of ships (many different classes) in reserve including a heavy cruiser, carrier, destroyers etc and all of her helms were still in place.