Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

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turlock
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Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by turlock »

Some important news for all you other Dreadnought lovers on this forum. It appears that Iowa and Wisconsin may soon no longer be available mobilization assets.
A certain Congressman named Pombo from California eveidently has succeeded in passing a bill that orders the Secretary of the Navy to turn over battleship Iowa to the city of Stockton, California to become a museum. The Government Accounting Office released a report in November stating the Navy had no plans to resurrect Iowa or Wisconsin in the future, just like they said in the '60's before New Jersey came back. I surmise that Stocton is in Pombo's election district because San Francisco very much wanted Iowa.
While the death knell of the Iowas has sounded falsely here before, after 30 years of following the ups and downs of the Class, this time they may really be gone. Keep in mind however that there was a Congressionally mandated regulation in place that demanded that the Navy have a suitable gunfire platform to replace the Iowas with. There is a drive to replace them with a rediculous vessel called DDX, a destroyer with a 155mm gun. Such a vessel would not be available for some years to come, and at a staggering cost.
Recent studies have claimed that the range of the 406mm gun could be greatly enhanced in the near future. This DDX project to me just reeks of conspiracy to kill off the BB's so that fat contracts can be awarded for an extremely expensive, and much less surviveable platform whose damage control capabilities would be something akin to a Coke can. You all probably know that the spare barrels for the Iowa's are gone. Six were scrapped a few years ago.
When Wisconsin first became a mothballed museum there was info in the article about it that stated that if the Navy did not recall her in five years, then her interior would most likely be opened up. Museum ships normally are de-militarized, and in the case of the BB's that would probably mean wrecking the training gear and/or the breeches. Wisconsin had to go to a Navy dock for a few weeks to have her guns elevated 30 degrees so as to appear more impressive, (which they do), but evedently there is some fear that some persons may move the ammunitionless and powerless guns and threaten Norfolk, just like they thought New Jersey was going to do to Philadelphia. Such absurdity.
Anyway, over the years I've seen much contrdictory news come out about the fate of the Iowas. With possible conflicts in Iran and North Korea looming in the near future, I can hardly think of a worse time to permanently cripple ships that in the past have helped save many American lives. I'll send on updates as they become available.
Finally a plea to my European brethren. Please don't think all Americans enjoy the way our foreign policy has been going. Many of us are not swayed by the propaganda and prefer peace to war.
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Patrick McWilliams
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by Patrick McWilliams »

Hi,

I suppose the greatest concern to BB enthusiasts would be the preservation of these great ships, either as floating museums or in active service.

While the latter option should undoubtedly convince sceptics of their value for money and firepower, there would certainly be those who would point to the cost of reactivation and potential for saving money if they were scrapped (God forbid).

A Catch-22 situation, maybe?

Patrick
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RF
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by RF »

It really depends how they are preserved as museum pieces. In Britain there is still great affection for example for HMS Belfast.
If necessary could these US battleships be recalled to service?
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MJQ
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by MJQ »

turlock wrote: A certain Congressman named Pombo from California eveidently has succeeded in passing a bill that orders the Secretary of the Navy to turn over battleship Iowa to the city of Stockton, California to become a museum. The Government Accounting Office released a report in November stating the Navy had no plans to resurrect Iowa or Wisconsin in the future, just like they said in the '60's before New Jersey came back. I surmise that Stocton is in Pombo's election district because San Francisco very much wanted Iowa.
There was a group who wanted to place the Iowa in San Francisco, but the city council didn't want the Iowa there - that's why she may end up Stockton.
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Karl Heidenreich
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by Karl Heidenreich »

Isn´t it true that the US Congress demanded that at least two of the Iowa Class BBs be maintained in a certain degree of readiness so, if need arise, they could be commisioned? If that´s true, which ones were chosen?

Best regards.
lwd
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by lwd »

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_class ... ce_history
In 1996, the National Defense Authorization Act led Iowa and Missouri to be struck from the Naval Vessel Register. Missouri was donated to the Missouri Memorial Association of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for use as a museum ship. Iowa was set to be donated with Missouri, but was reinstated to the Naval Vessel Register after the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 allowed New Jersey to be donated as a museum ship.[37] The last two Iowa-class battleships were removed from the mothball fleet in 2006, and are currently awaiting transfer for use as museum ships.[30][38][39]
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RF
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by RF »

How long can museum ships be capable of being recommissioned - they must surely reach a point where they would be incapable of further active military service?
lwd
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by lwd »

It depends on what you want them for and how much it's worth. At some point it's clearly cheaper to build new. However that may not have the symbolism needed. Operating the BBs was very expensive both in dollars and crew. That's the big reason they were decommissioned.
Bgile
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Re: Goodbye Iowa and Wisconsin

Post by Bgile »

The battleships were the only USN ships still using boilers to heat steam. All other steam powered ships have reactors.
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