USS IOWA

[AMC-COMMANDO]

Maybe some of you Navy guys can help me out and send an email to the mayor of Stockton,Ca and encourage him to work hard to make sure the USS Iowa has a new home in Stockton,Ca.Here is an email to let him know how important it is! Other wise it may be scrapped or sunk and turned into a reef and we sure don't want that to happen to a fine American treasure and a great piece of history!!! Thanks!!!

Thanks for your encouragement and support! We have high hopes that the Navy will decide to send the USS Iowa to our Port.

Please send an email to Mayor Ed Chavez, at mayor@ci.stockton.ca.us
Indicate where you live, and your willingness to come to visit Stockton, when the USS Iowa comes to dock here!

[tractor12]

It may be ending up in Mare Island or in Concord.

[Mark Tombleson]

First let me say I would love having the USS Iowa in Stockton. I would be a great location and a wonderful asset to the central California area.

The Port Commissioners are another issue.

See here:

http://www.visitstockton.org/USSIowa.htm

It seems the Port, the City of Stockton and the Battleship IOWA Museum/Memorial Foundation are at odds on how to put a plan together and generally saying its nice... but we have other things to do. The City and the Port are worried about money and the Foundation has been only concentrating on the Navy.

http://www.battleshipiowamuseum.org/

Is there anyone on the Forums here that has a clear view of what is going on there?

[tractor12]

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/preserve.htm lists all military ship museums but is outdated. Here is the link to the Iowa museum for Mare Island Vallejo
http://www.battleshipiowa.org/

[Mark Tombleson]

This is interesting the more I look at the different reports and links.

See this forum:

http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/battle ... -reef.html

Some very interesting stuff.

[Joe P.]

How sad. Shame on the City of San Freakingcisco.

Hopefully it will go somewhere other than underwater or a scrapyard.

Maybe they can send it up the Mississippi to Davenport IOWA, or up the Missouri to Council Bluffs/Omaha, or Sioux City....

Joe, who's been on the New Jersey and the Mighty Mo'....

[AMC-COMMANDO]

Yes,can you believe those clowns did not want it? Sure,it will take some cash and some labor to get it up and going,but just look at the revenue that great ship would generate.Personally I would rather see it in Stockton than SF anyways.But I would like to see it any where other than a scrap yard or at the bottom of the sea.

My Dad has been keeping a close eye on this situation.And would love to volenteer to help restore or maintain this ship.Unfortunately his ship,the USS Helena CA75 was scrapped long ago.

Maybe if we voice enough of our opinions,the squeeky wheel will get the grease.

[AROOGA]

Joe,

Your idea might not be too far off. When I first heard of the BS in San Fran about berthing the Iowa, I thought, if there was a feasible way to get it to Iowa, I bet those folks would move on it in a heartbeat. Now, this was about 3 mos. ago, I contacted either NOAA or U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey folks, asking about the navigativability (of Mississippi and waterways) up to Davenport. Next day, an Engnr, comes back and indicates that they guarantee a minimum depth of 30 ft. (I think that was the correct no.) all the way to Davenport. Don't know the draft of the Iowa, but imagine, if tugs push/pull it and it is emptied of fuel, ammo, potable water, personnel,etc. and stripped of nickel/dime stuff - the draft may be OK to make it, especially in a season when rains improve the depth. Now, if the good citizens of Iowa (including Iowa G-brothers) and their politicos really got motivated and the previous was still a non-starter, how about if they remove 1 or 2 or all gun turrets (or just rifle barrels) and barge them separately up the river? Finally, a well engineered flotation collar could be made and strapped around the vessel to lift and further reduce the draft. WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY, I say. I sure would feel the joy if an Iowa citizen picked this up and ran with it. The New Jersey saved my bacon in RVN a couple of times.

Semper Fi,
T.

[tractor12]

The draft is between 38 and 29 depending on which website you go to. But 38 may be fully loaded and 29 empty.

[Pat Walker]

I would rather see it sunk in 100ft of water off sandiego than scrapped. At least then I could dive on it. and it could still be visited. I would rather have that than it turned into toyotas. But if she doesn't find a home surely she will eventually be scraped. But just think to be able to dive on a us Battleship. That would be a great dive.

[AROOGA]

Brothers,

I checked further, the US Army Corps of Engineers guarantees a depth of 30' in the Mississippi River up to St. Louis. The folks in Missouri couldn't overcome inertia in time to keep the USS Missouri, maybe they could move on this with the help of Augie Busch. Plus, Iowa is only approx. 150 mi away from St. Louie (think those folks would like the USS Iowa nearby?). Stand-By and have a Bud, this one may not be done yet.

Semper Fi,
T.

[AROOGA]

G Brothers,

Well, it looks as if the St. Louie idea can't work. Although the Mississippi could handle the draft up to St. Loius, the superstructure/bridge height is to high to clear all the bridges it would have to go under. The cost/effort to reduce the height of the ship just to make the trip is nonfeasible. There's been some effort by the City of St.Louis to acquire a decommisioned nuclear sub, which would be the first monument of that type in the country. A lot of water has to go over the bow before that happens too.

Semper Fi,
T.

[raymond]

You could not get a ship of that draft to Memphis, much less St. Louis or even Iowa. The upper Mississippi River system (Missouri, Mississippi,Illinois Rivers) is only maintained for a 9 foot channel. Even if you could get it to St. Louis, the only lock you could get it through would be the one at Alton Il. as it is the only one long enough. The rest of the locks are too short in length. Longer barges and tows are broken in half above Alton and half are locked at a time and tied back together after locking.

Raymond

[tractor12]

The Iowa is headed to Vallejo as long as they can come up with the money to dredge Mare Island Channel

[oifvet23]

any new news on the iowa?