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You sank my battleship!” You know the game, but have you been aboard a real battleship? There’s one practically in your backyard -- right up the 405 freeway in San Pedro.
She’s the USS Iowa (BB61), the lead ship of the last class of battleships built and deployed by the U.S. Navy during World War II.
These highly capable “battlewagons” served in every American conflict from World War II through the first Gulf War, their armament growing over time from nine 16-inch, 50-caliber main guns in three turrets with a host of secondary batteries, to include modern Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles.
Laid down in the New York Navy Yard and commissioned on Feb. 22, 1943, the USS Iowa fought in the Atlantic and Pacific during World War II. Recommissioned during the Korean War and the Cold War, she served an impressive total of nearly 50 years, receiving nine battle stars during World War II, two more during the Korean Conflict, and four coveted “E” for excellence ribbons as well.
In 1943 the USS Iowa had the honor of transporting President Franklin Delano Roosevelt across the Atlantic to attend the Tehran conference, where he met with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin.
The cabin where FDR stayed during his time aboard remains and is available for viewing if you take the Presidents Tour of the battleship. The area includes a special bathtub that was added to accommodate FDR’s particular needs. The cabin holds another incredible distinction: the initial planning for D-Day was done in this space.
Having welcomed several domestic and foreign commanders-in-chief, the USS Iowa is nicknamed the “Battleship of Presidents.” In addition to FDR, she was also chosen as President Ronald Reagan’s flagship for America’s celebration of the Statue of Liberty bicentennial in 1986. President George H.W. Bush visited the ship and even had his hair cut in her barbershop while he was on board.
The USS Iowa is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and hosts youth, veteran, and community programs. You can even stay aboard overnight.
For more detailed information, visit https://www.pacificbattleship. com.