C&T Publications REVOLUTIONS II - April 2015 | Page 88

When transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1944, Iowa shelled beachheads at
Kwajalein and Eniwetok in advance of Allied amphibious landings and
screened aircraft carriers operating in the Marshall Islands. She also
served as the Third Fleet flagship, flying Adm. William F. Halsey's flag at
the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay. During the Korean War, Iowa was
involved in raids on the North Korean coast, after which she was
decommissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets, better known
as the "mothball fleet."

Kwajalein after shelling.

Eniwetok after shelling.

She was reactivated in 1984 as part of the 600-ship Navy plan and operated in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets to counter the
recently expanded Soviet Navy. In April 1989, an explosion of undetermined origin wrecked her No. 2 gun turret, killing 47 sailors.
Iowa was decommissioned for the last time in 1990, and was initially stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in 1995. She was
reinstated from 1999 to 2006 to comply with federal laws that required retention and maintenance of two Iowa-class battleships. In
2011 Iowa was donated to the Los Angeles–b ased non-profit Pacific Battleship Center and was permanently moved to Berth 87 at
the Port of Los Angeles in 2012, where she was opened to the public as the USS Iowa Museum.
For more information please visit: http://www.pacificbattleship.com/?gclid=CKWqlKex6cECFQVffgodJpEA-Q
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