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I've wanted to dedicate a thread to The Iowa Class Fast Battleships for a long time, so here goes.
Initially there were plans for 6 ships but only 4 were ever built. The keels were laid for the Illinois and Kentucky but they were never finished. The Iowa, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Missouri were finished and served our country admirably.
This class of battleships was the last of the great fighting ships. Battleships have basically been the most powerful Naval ships for centuries, in different configurations and until Aircraft Carriers came upon the world stage.
The Iowa Class has served the longest of any Naval fighting ships, transcending over 50 years and 4 wars: World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War and the First Gulf War.
They initially were outfitted to carry two aircraft but with their 1980's retrofit.....this was adapted by using helicopters and/or drone aircraft.
The original design was 57,000 tons(standard load) displacement. With a main armament of nine 16 inch guns capable of hurling a shell up to 24 miles. Firing Armor Piercing Shells of 2,700 pounds or High Explosive Shells of 1,900 pounds and/or 15 to 20 Kiloton Nuclear Tipped Projectiles.
The ships were decomissioned and reactivated numerous times. During the 1980's retrofit they were upgraded to counter the Soviet Union's Kirov Class Battle Cruisers. To be used as the centerpiece ships in 4 Battleship Battle Groups consisting of one Ticonderoga Class Cruiser, one Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer, one Spruance Class Destroyer and 3 Oliver Hazard-Perry Class Frigates, along with other support and supply ships.
During this upgrade The Iowas were armed with Harpoon Antiship Missiles, Tomahawk Long Range Land Attack Missiles, Phalanx Self Defense CIWS, new electronics, as well as new aircraft, along with other improvements.
The Japanese Empire surrendered on the USS Missouri, ending World War II and all four ships have been spared scrapping and are to be used as museums.
These four ships will live in our hearts and minds as they continue to serve our country in peace as well as they served during war. Long live the Iowas and their brave and valiant crews!
to be honest the battleship were great till japan brought in their aircraft carriers which changed the face of naval warfare after the attack on pearl harbour.
today a Nimitz class super carrier is the modren version of a Iowa Class main battleship either way past or present you don't mess with the U.S. Navy or marines unless you want to get you butt kicked
I have to admit those 16-inch main guns had pretty in your face don't mess around badass thing going for it.
To Pittson2sarasota: Thank you for your interesting thread and the amount of trouble you obviously went to in gathering all the information. Several years ago I took the self-guided tour of the battleship USS Alabama at Mobile, Alabama. Can you tell me how much larger the Iowa class ships were? And also how much smaller were they than the two giant Japanese battleships, Musashi (sp.?) and Yamato, both sunk during World War II? The essentially suicide mission of the Yamato during the battle for Okinawa shows, I think, the level of desperation to which the Japanese were reduced at that stage of the war (April/May of 1945).
To Pittson2sarasota: Thank you for your interesting thread and the amount of trouble you obviously went to in gathering all the information. Several years ago I took the self-guided tour of the battleship USS Alabama at Mobile, Alabama. Can you tell me how much larger the Iowa class ships were? And also how much smaller were they than the two giant Japanese battleships, Musashi (sp.?) and Yamato, both sunk during World War II? The essentially suicide mission of the Yamato during the battle for Okinawa shows, I think, the level of desperation to which the Japanese were reduced at that stage of the war (April/May of 1945).
Since all 4 of the Iowa class ships survive, and you can tour 3 of them so far, you could travel to where they are and make a personal comparison.
The Missouri is berthed in Pearl Harbor.
The New Jersey is in the Delaware River, between Philadelphia and Camden, NJ.
The Wisconsin is in the Elizabeth River at Norfolk, VA.
The Iowa is still in the mothball fleet in Suisun Bay, CA, but there are plans to move her to Stockton, CA in the future. As you pass by the anchored fleet on I-680, you can spot her distinctive prow poking out from among a line of other ships.
As a side note, there are other battleships also in museum status, the most unique of which is the USS Texas, berthed at the San Jacinto Battlefield east of Houston, TX.
It is the last surviving Dreadnought style battleship anywhere in the world.
Since all 4 of the Iowa class ships survive, and you can tour 3 of them so far, you could travel to where they are and make a personal comparison.
The Missouri is berthed in Pearl Harbor.
The New Jersey is in the Delaware River, between Philadelphia and Camden, NJ.
The Wisconsin is in the Elizabeth River at Norfolk, VA.
The Iowa is still in the mothball fleet in Suisun Bay, CA, but there are plans to move her to Stockton, CA in the future. As you pass by the anchored fleet on I-680, you can spot her distinctive prow poking out from among a line of other ships.
As a side note, there are other battleships also in museum status, the most unique of which is the USS Texas, berthed at the San Jacinto Battlefield east of Houston, TX.
It is the last surviving Dreadnought style battleship anywhere in the world.
Thanks for the info about where they are located Stillkit ..... as i had forgotten about the Wisconsin up in downtown Norfolk as i really like to tour it if i can get up that way later on this year hopefully.
To Pittson2sarasota: Thank you for your interesting thread and the amount of trouble you obviously went to in gathering all the information. Several years ago I took the self-guided tour of the battleship USS Alabama at Mobile, Alabama. Can you tell me how much larger the Iowa class ships were? And also how much smaller were they than the two giant Japanese battleships, Musashi (sp.?) and Yamato, both sunk during World War II? The essentially suicide mission of the Yamato during the battle for Okinawa shows, I think, the level of desperation to which the Japanese were reduced at that stage of the war (April/May of 1945).
You're welcome Naval ships and military weaponry are 2 of my favorite subjects and thankyou for the kind words.
I made an error on the IOWAs, the 57,000 ton displacement was the FULLY LOADED displacement NOT the standard displacement.
The Alabama was a South Dakota Class Fast Battleship and had 3 sister ships: South Dakota, Indiana and Massachusetts.
This class replaced the North Carolina Class Fast Battleships of which there were only two built: North Carolina and Washington.
The North Carolinas displaced about 46,000 tons fully loaded. While the South Dakotas displaced 45,000 tons with a full load.
The South Dakota Class was 680 feet long and had a beam of 108 feet with nine 16 inch guns.
The North Carolinas were 728 feet long and also had a beam of 108 feet; they too possessed nine 16 inch guns as their main offensive armament.
The Iowa Class was approximately 890 feet long and had the same beam width as the previous 2 classes of Fast Battleships.
The Montana Class Battleships were the next generation but were never built....they were to have twelve 16 inch guns and thicker armor etc....rivaling the Yamato Class Battleships of Japan.
Fully loaded they would have been 71,000 tons displacement with a length of 920 feet and a beam of 121 feet.
The Yamato Class Battleships were 72,000 tons fully loaded with a length of 862 feet and a beam of 127 feet. Five ships were planned and three completed. They possessed nine 18 inch guns capable of firing a 2,998 pound shell over 26 miles. These were the largest Naval guns ever fitted to a warship.
Yamato and Musashi were both sunk during the war; while the third(Shinano) was converted to an Aircraft Carrier and also sunk during the conflict.
To Pittson2sarasota: Thank you for your interesting thread and the amount of trouble you obviously went to in gathering all the information. Several years ago I took the self-guided tour of the battleship USS Alabama at Mobile, Alabama. Can you tell me how much larger the Iowa class ships were? And also how much smaller were they than the two giant Japanese battleships, Musashi (sp.?) and Yamato, both sunk during World War II? The essentially suicide mission of the Yamato during the battle for Okinawa shows, I think, the level of desperation to which the Japanese were reduced at that stage of the war (April/May of 1945).
The Yamato didn't serve so admirably during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Japanese had overpowering numbers, largely aided by the uncomparable Yamato. My uncle served on the American destroyer who, captained by a Cherokee Indian, charged the Yamato. Now that was a suicide mission.
One giant shell from the Yamato essentially cut the American destroyer in half and it quickly sank. But the Yamato had already started bugging out of there before it was able to sink the destroyer.
I'm certain there were many factors that affected the decision to bug out but history credits the bold move of the destroyer with the ultimate move.
Half of the surviving crew of the destroyer were to meet their demise over the next three days. Leyte Gulf was the largest shark fest in recorded history. With all of the blood in the water, it was mostly a matter of time before a shark started tugging on exposed bodies.
The survivors met every year, I assume they continue to do so though attendance surely shrinks due to the eternal tug of time.
Yes....my uncle and the rest of the survivors were quite proud of their participation in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. I believe it was the largest naval battle of WWII. The Japs managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It was essentially the last time they matched up on a par.
Ensign Randy Brown was his name and he was one of my favorite uncles, he was the Best Man at my fathers wedding. The fires of war often produce the calmest of men.
Last edited by JohnHAdams; 02-15-2011 at 01:04 PM..
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