Note: BB-53 was laid down as IOWA at Newport News Shipbuilding
& Drydock Co., 17 May 1920, but on 8 Feb 1922, work was
suspended when the ship was 31.8 percent complete. Construction
was cancelled 17 August 1923 in accordance with the terms of the
Washington Treaty limiting Naval armaments. She was sold for
scrap 8 November 1923.
From: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, James L.
Mooney, ed., Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy,
Washington, DC., 1968
IOWA BB-61
displacement. 45,000 t.
length. 887'3"
beam. 108'2"
draft. 37'9"
speed. 33 k.
complement. 2,800
armament. 9 16", 20 5"
class. IOWA
The third IOWA (BB-61) was laid down at New York Navy Yard, 27
June 1940; launched 27 August 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Henry A.
Wallace, wife of Vice President Wallace, and commissioned 22
February 1943, Capt. John L. McCrea in command.
On 24 February, IOWA put to sea for shakedown in Chesapeake Bay
and along the Atlantic coast. She got underway, 27 August for
Argentia, Newfoundland to neutralize the threat of German
Battleship Tirpitz which was reportedly operating In Norwegian
waters.
In the fall, IOWA carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to
Casablanca, French Morocco on the first leg of the journey to
the Teheran Conference in November. After the conference she
returned the President to the United States.
As Flagship of Battleship Division 7, IOWA departed the United
States 2 January 1944 for the Pacific Theatre and her combat
debut In the campaign for the Marshalls. From 29 January to 3
February, she supported carrier air strikes made by Rear Admiral
Frederick C. Sherman's task group against Kwajalein and Eniwetok
Atolls in the Marshall Islands. Her next assignment was to
support
air strikes against the Japanese Naval base at Truk, Caroline
Islands. IOWA, in company with other ships was detached from the
support group 16 February, 1944 to conduct an anti-shipping
sweep around Truk to destroy enemy naval vessels escaping to the
north. n 21 February, she was underway with Fast Carrier Task
Force 58 while it conducted the first strikes against Saipan,
Tinian, Rota, and Guam in the Marianas.
On 18 March, IOWA, flying the flag of Vice Admiral Willis A.
Lee, Commander Battleships, Pacific, joined in the bombardment
of Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands Although struck by two
Japanese 4.7 " projectiles during the action, IOWA suffered
negligible damage. She then rejoined Task Force 58, 30 March,
and supported air strikes against the Palau Islands and Woleai
of the Carolines which continued for several days.
From 22 to 28 April 1944, IOWA supported air raids on Hollandia,
Aitape, and Wakde Islands to support Army forces on Aitape,
Tanahmerah Bay, and Humbolt Bay in New Guinea. She then joined
the Task Force's second strike on Truk, 00 April, and bombarded
Japanese facilities on Ponape in the Carolines, 1 May.
In the opening phases of the Marianas campaign, IOWA protected
the flattops during air strikes on the islands of Saipan,
Tinian, Guam, Rota, and Pagan, 12 June. IOWA was then detached
to bombard enemy installations on Saipan and Tinian, 13-14 June.
On 19 June, in an engagement known as the Battle of the
Philippine Sea, IOWA, as part of the battle line of Fast Carrier
Task Force 58, helped repel four massive air raids launched by
the Japanese Middle Fleet. This resulted in the almost complete
destruction of Japanese carrier-based aircraft. IOWA then joined
In the pursuit of the fleeing enemy Fleet, shooting down one
torpedo plane and assisting in splashing another.
Throughout July, IOWA remained off the Marianas supporting air
strikes on the Palaus and landings on Guam. After a month's
rest, IOWA sortied from Eniwetok as part of the 3d Fleet, and
helped support the landings on Peleliu, 17 September. She then
protected the carriers during air strikes against the Central
Philippines to neutralize enemy air power for the long awaited
invasion of the Philippines. On 10 October, IOWA arrived off
Okinawa for a series of air strikes on the Ryukyus and Formosa.
She then supported air strikes against Luzon, 18 October and
continued this vital duty during General MacArthur's landing on
Leyte 20 October.
In a last ditch attempt to halt the United States campaign to
recapture the Philippines, the Japanese Navy struck back with a
three-pronged attack aimed at the destruction of American
amphibious forces in Leyte Gulf. IOWA accompanied TF-38 during
attacks against the Japanese Central Force as it steamed through
the Sibuyan Sea toward San Bernardino Strait. The reported
results of these attacks and the apparent retreat of the
Japanese Central Force led Admiral Halsey to believe that this
force had been ruined as an effective fighting group. IOWA, with
Task Force 38, steamed after the Japanese Northern Force off
Cape Engano, Luzon. On 25 October 1944, when the ships of the
Northern Force were almost within range of IOWA's guns, word
arrived that the Japanese Central Force was attacking a group of
American escort carriers off Samar. This threat to the American
beachheads forced her to reverse course and steam to support the
vulnerable "baby carriers." However, the valiant fight put up by
the escort carriers and their screen had already caused the
Japanese to retire and IOWA was denied a surface action.
Following the Battle for Leyte Gulf, IOWA remained in the waters
off the Philippines screening carriers during strikes against
Luzon and Formosa. She sailed for the West Coast late in
December 1944.
IOWA arrived San Francisco, 15 January 1945, for overhaul. She
sailed 19 March 1945 for Okinawa, arriving 15 April 1945.
Commencing 24 April 1945, IOWA supported carrier operations
which assured American troops vital air superiority during their
struggle for that bitterly contested Island. She then supported
air strikes off
southern Kyushu from 25 May to 13 June 1945. IOWA participated
in strikes on the Japanese homeland 14-15 July and bombarded
Muroian, Hokkaido, destroying steel mills and other targets. The
city of Hitachi on Honshu was given the same treatment on the
night of 17-18 July 1945. IOWA continued to support fast carrier
strikes until the cessation of hostilities, 15 August 1945.
IOWA entered Tokyo Bay with the occupation forces, 29 August
1945. After serving as Admiral William F. Halsey's flagship for
the surrender ceremony, 2 September 1945, IOWA departed Tokyo
Bay 20 September 1945 for the United States.
Arriving Seattle, Wash., 15 October 1945, IOWA returned to
Japanese waters in January 1946 and became flagship of the 5th
Fleet. She continued this role until she sailed or the United
States 25 March 1946. From that time on, until September 1948,
IOWA operated from West Coast ports, on Naval Reserve and at sea
training and drills and maneuvers with the Fleet. IOWA
decommissioned 24 March 1949. After Communist aggression in
Korea necessitated an expansion of the active fleet, IOWA
recommissioned 25 August 1951, Captain William R. Smedberg III
in command. She operated off the West Coast until March 1952,
when she sailed for the Far East. On 1 April 1952, IOWA became
the flagship of Vice Admiral Robert T, Briscoe, Commander, 7th
Fleet, and departed Yokosuka, Japan to support United Nations
Forces in Korea. From 8 April to 16 October 1952, IOWA was
involved in combat operations off the East Coast of Korea. Her
primary mission was to aid ground troops, by bombarding enemy
targets at Songjin, Hungnam, and Kojo, North Korea. During this
time, Admiral Briscoe was relieved as Commander, 7th Fleet.
Vice Admiral J. J.
Clark, the new commander, continued to use IOWA as his flagship
until 17 October 1952. IOWA departed Yokosuka, Japan 19 October
1952 for overhaul at Norfolk and training operations in the
Caribbean Sea.
IOWA embarked midshipmen for at sea training to Northern Europe,
July 1953, and immediately after took part in Operation
"Mariner," a major NATO exercise, serving as flagship of Vice
Admiral E. T. Woolfidge, commanding the 2d Fleet. Upon
completion of this exercise, until the fall of 1954, IOWA
operated in the Virginia Capes area. In September 1954, she
became the flagship of Rear Admiral R. E. Libby, Commander,
Battleship Cruiser Force, U. S. Atlantic Fleet.
From January to April 1955, IOWA made an extended cruise to the
Mediterranean as the first battleship regularly assigned to
Commander, 6th Fleet. IOWA departed on a midshipman training
cruise 1 June 1955 and upon her return, she entered Norfolk for
a 4-mouth overhaul. Following refit, IOWA continued intermittent
training cruises and operational exercises, until 4 January 1957
when she departed Norfolk for duty with the 6th Fleet in the
Mediterranean. Upon completion of this deployment, IOWA
embarked midshipmen for a South American training cruise and
joined in the International Naval Review off Hampton Roads,
Va., 13 June 1957.
On 3 September 1957, IOWA sailed for Scotland for NATO Operation
"Strikeback." She returned to Norfolk, 28 September 1957 and
departed Hampton Roads for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 22
October 1957. She decommissioned 24 February 1958 and entered
the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia, where she remains.
(This is from the 1968 version of the "Dictionary". I'll track
down the latest version and update this file when possible. LWJ)
IOWA earned nine battle stars for World War II service and two
for Korean service.
Transcribed and edited by:
Larry W. Jewell
[email protected]
