User:TomStar81/Sandbox

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This page is maintained by User:TomStar81 for purposes of maintaince, experimentation, and article expansion. Please do not delete, alter, or otherwise change the content on this page. Direct all questions and comments about this page to TomStar81's discussion page. Thank you.
—TomStar81 02:05, 3 September 2005 (UTC)

  • Notice: This page does occasionally contain fair use images. If you should happen to notice such images here please check the page history first to ensure that I am not presently engaged in editting the content here; otherwise you may remove the image(s) either by hiding them with <!-- --> tags or text linking them by adding a colon before the word "image." Should you edit this page for fair use compliance please leave a message on my talk page notifing me of the image(s) removed. Thank You. TomStar81 (Talk) 03:27, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

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Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5




Contents

[edit] USS Texas Checklist (Priority)

I gave a pretty thorough copyediting pass to USS Texas (BB-35). I have some thoughts, observations, and questions.

  • Note #13 "BATTLESHIP TEXAS (BB-35)" is a dead link. From the web address, I would surmise that it might not have been considered an RS for eventual FA consideration, but it is the cite for several items in the D-Day sections. #26 "The Sand Pebbles" link might be rejected as a non-RS, also.
  • In note #12, the phrase "German Luftwaffe" is redundant (arguably, at least).
  • In the last paragraph of the "World War I" section, is the 40-mile figure nautical miles, as one would expect? The hard-coded conversion previously in the text treated it as statute miles, so I left it as that.
  • In the "Rehearsal" section and the "D-Day" sections there are two somewhat overlapping lists of ships. I wasn't clear if they were two distinct units with overlapping and/or changing membership (heat-of-battle type shifts) or descriptions of the same unit from, perhaps, two different sources.
  • Also, in the 2nd paragraph of the "D-Day" section, it seems like a similar situation about targets on Omaha beach. Like maybe the same actions are described, again, perhaps, from two different sources.
  • doncram (talk · contribs), at my invitation, added the National Historic Landmark (NHL) information to the article. The NHL infobox he added is somewhat compatible with the ship infobox, so depending on how you want to go with it, it could be incorporated into the ship box, as well.
  • For A-class and FAC, the lead section for the article should probably be expanded to four paragraphs. I might structure it as follows: the first paragraph could be fleshed out with some info on builder (who, where, when); a second paragraph to summarize up through WWI; a third for Interwar and WWII; and then keep the current final paragraph as the fourth and final paragraph of a new lead.
  • I linked to a couple of men mentioned in the article, each of whom later had a USN ship named for them (Grant and McDonnell), even though both are redlinked now.
  • I'm not sure of the significance of the "by hull number" in the last sentence. Is Texas merely the lowest numbered battleship that was made a museum ship, or was she the first (and coincidentally the lowest numbered) made a museum ship. If the former, I honestly don't think thats all that significant; if it's the latter—as seems to be currently indicated in the lead—it need to be reworded for clarity.
  • Unless you have deep-seated reasons for retaining the current reference setup at the end of the article, it would certainly make for a cleaner notes section if the full details of books were listed in a "Reference" section with a citation of something along the lines of "Smith, p. 25." in a "Notes" section. (See USS Siboney (ID-2999), for example, of one way of doing that.)

Any questions – or complaints ;) – just let me know... — Bellhalla (talk) 02:27, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

By the way, I'll leave it to you to strike – or not ;) – from Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Logistics — Bellhalla (talk) 02:50, 18 April 2008 (UTC)
I am sure that I can help you with some of these issues. I'll be back on in a few hours, right now I need a nap (18-hour days are exhausting :) TomStar81 (Talk) 20:54, 18 April 2008 (UTC)
I located the missing cite #13, it can still be accessed through the internet archive. Here is the working link, you can check the info out if you want or simply readd it to the article. The rest I will look more conclusively into tomorrow, time permitting. TomStar81 (Talk) 07:16, 19 April 2008 (UTC)
I added the archive link to the ref, and after poking around the archived site, it would qualify as an RS (for me, at least). — Bellhalla (talk) 10:37, 19 April 2008 (UTC)
I'll be done with school by then, and hopefully will be back in full force (assuming I don't die first). TomStar81 (Talk) 08:03, 22 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] United States Naval Surface Fire Support Debate

To be written

[edit] USS Iowa Turret Explosion


USS Iowa turret explosion
Smoke pours from turret #2 following aninternal explosion aboard the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61)
Smoke pours from turret #2 following an
internal explosion aboard the battleship USS Iowa (BB-61)
Date: April 19, 1989
Place: Caribbean Sea near Puerto Rico
Cause: Theorized as:
static electricity igniting loose powder,
overramming of the powder bags
Result: Gun turret heavily damaged,
47 crewmen killed

The USS Iowa turret explosion occured on 19 April 1989, when gunpowder packs used to propel 16&nsbp;inch shells from the barrels of the 16"/50 caliber Mark 7 guns mounted aboard the U.S. Navy battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) exploded within the turret for undetermined reasons, killing 47 of the turret's crewmen and severely damaged the gun turret itself. The incident is infamous for the resulting scandal in which NCIS investigators attempted to place the blame for the explosion on Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Clayton Hartwig, alleging that he had detonated an improvised explosive device within the turret.

This initial explination set off a firestorm of protests across the United States, culminating with a descion by the United States Congress to force the U.S. Navy to reopen the investigation into the cause of the blast. This second investigation focused on the turret as a whole rather than Clayton Hartwig as an individual, and ultimetely yielded two probable causes for the explosion in the turret: Overramming of the powder bags used to launch the 16 inch shells, or static electricity within the turret igniting loose gunpowder.

Owing to the explosion and the subsequent damage in Turret 2 the Navy elected to decommission Iowa earlier, placing her in the mothball fleet ahaed of her sister ships. In 1999 she was reinstated to the Naval Vessel Register, where she remained until being removed in March of 2006. At present the battleship rests in Suisin Bay (outside San Fransisco) while awaiting transfer to a non-for-profit organization for use as a museum ship.

[edit] Background

[edit] Ronald Reagan and the 600-ship Navy

At the conclusion of the Korean War the United States decomissioned all four reactivated Iowa-class battleships and placed them into the United States Navy reserve fleets, better known as the "mothball fleet". With one exception all four battleships would remain in the reserve fleet until the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.[1] As part of his election campaign Reagan had put forth plans for a 600-ship Navy. Among other things, this planned called for older U.S. Navy ships to undergo Service Life Extension Programs (SLEPs) which would enable the ships to stay in service longer.

Reagan's 600-ship Navy plan also called for the reacivation of the Iowa-class battleships for a number of reasons, chief among them the fact that the Des Moines-class heavy cruisers were worn out, while the Iowas had a relatively low mileage count and thus were well suited to fill the offshore bombardment role."[2] The Iowas also provided a counter to the new Soviet Orlan-class large missile cruisers, better known in the West as the Kirov-class battlecruisers.

Shortly after the commisioning of New Jersey in 1982 Iowa was reactivated and moved under tow to the Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans, Louisiana, for modernization. During the modernization Iowa had all of her remaining Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns removed, due to their ineffectiveness against modern jet fighters and enemy anti-ship missiles; additionally, the two 5 in gun mounts located at mid-ship and in the aft on the port and starboard side of the battleship were removed.[3]

Over the next several months the ship was upgraded with the most advanced weaponry available; among the new weapons systems installed were four MK 141 quad cell launchers for 16 AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, eight Armored Box Launcher (ABL) mounts for 32 BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles, and a quartet of Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS) gatling guns for defense against enemy anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft.[3] Missouri also received eight RQ-2 Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, which are remotely controlled drones that replaced the helicopters previously used to spot for her nine 16 in/50 Mark 7 guns.[4] Also included in her modernization were upgrades to radar and fire control systems for her guns and missiles, and improved electronic warfare capabilities.[3] Armed as such, Iowa was formally recommissioned 28 April 1984.

[edit] Personel

  • This is for the discussion of the commanding officeres of the battleship, Fred Moosally and the other guy.

[edit] The Incident

On 19 April 1989, an explosion ripped through the Number Two 16 inch gun turret, killing 47 crewmen. Sailors quickly flooded the #2 powder magazine, likely preventing catastrophic damage to the ship.

[edit] First Investigation and Theory

Cut away of a 16in gun turret aboard an Iowa-class battleship
Cut away of a 16in gun turret aboard an Iowa-class battleship

At first, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) investigators theorized that one of the dead crewmen, Clayton Hartwig, who died in the explosion, had placed an explosive device in the breech in a suicide attempt after the end of an alleged homosexual affair with another sailor. Hartwig had named Kendall Truitt, a fellow shipmate, as the sole beneficiary on a $50,000 life insurance policy, with double indemnity for accidental death. That policy kicked off a Naval criminal investigation that eventually concluded Hartwig was angry at Truitt over a cooling of their relationship, crafted a detonator and set off the blast. This conclusion was strongly disputed by others and this theory was later abandoned and Hartwig cleared.

[edit] Second Investigation and Theories

Extensive tests were later conducted by Sandia National Laboratories and the explosion is thought to have been caused by an "overram" of the ram that moves the shells and propellent into the breech. The use of D846 fast burn propellent in place of normal D845 propellent while firing the larger 2,700 pound projectiles, plus inadequate crew training including a new turret captain were also held to blame, although no official cause has ever been determined.

The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Frank B. Kelso II, publicly apologized to the Hartwig family stating that there was no proof that Hartwig had deliberately detonated the powder bags.[5] As Hartwig was only a last-minute replacement for his duty station the day of the accident, it was deemed that premeditation for causing an explosion was impossible. Independent psychiatrists who analyzed Hartwig's background found no signs of psychosis, paranoia, or clinical depression, concluding that Hartwig was content with his job, anticipating his next assignment in a security role in London, and that the great weight of the evidence ran counter to suicide. [6]

[edit] Aftermath

The #2 Turret was trained forward with its own mechanism after the explosion and superficial repairs were conducted. All the related repair pieces are stored inside the turret, but the turret has never been completely repaired.

Iowa deployed to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea in mid-year. Iowa decommissioned in Norfolk, 26 October 1990. Iowa, as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, was berthed at the Naval Education and Training Center in Newport, from 24 September 1998 to 8 March 2001 when the ship began her journey, under tow, to California. The ship arrived in Suisun Bay near San Francisco on 21 April 2001 and is part of the Reserve Fleet there.

Section 1011 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 required the United States Navy to reinstate to the Naval Vessel Register two of the Iowa-class battleships that had been struck by the Navy in 1995; these ships were to be maintained in the United States Navy reserve fleets (or "mothball fleet"). The Navy was to ensure that both of the reinstated battleships were in good condition and could be reactivated for use in the Marine Corp's amphibious operations.[7] Due to Iowa’s damaged Turret 2 the Navy selected New Jersey for placement into the mothball fleet, even though the training mechanisms on New Jersey’s 16 in guns had been welded down. The cost to fix New Jersey was considered less than the cost to fix Iowa;[3] as a result, New Jersey and Wisconsin were reinstated to the Naval Vessel Register and placed back in the reserve fleet.[7]

New Jersey remained in mothball fleet until the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 passed through the United States Congress 18 October 1998. Section 1011 required the United States Secretary of the Navy to list and maintain Iowa and Wisconsin on the Naval Vessel Register, while Section 1012 required the Secretary of the Navy to strike New Jersey from the Naval Vessel Register and transfer the battleship to a non-for-profit entity in accordance with section 7306 of Title 10, United States Code. Section 1012 also required the transfree to locate the battleship in the State of New Jersey.[8] The Navy made the switch in January 1999, reinstating Iowa to the naval vessel register in accordance with the National Defense Authoization Act of 1996. Iowa remained in the reserve fleet until her removal on 17 March 2006. She is currently awaiting transfer for use as a museum ship. [9]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The exception was the battleship New Jersey, which was recalled for action in 1968 to back up the naval fire support group fighting in Vietnam.
  2. ^ The 10 Greatest Fighting Ships in Military History. The Discovery Channel. Web page: Top Ten Fighting Ships Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d BB-61 IOWA-class (Specifications). Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
  4. ^ The Warfighter's Encyclopedia: Aircraft - RQ-2 Pioneer.
  5. ^ Ten years after Iowa tragedy, only evidence left is memories
  6. ^ The Navy's Scapegoats, Gerald Posner, Penthouse, January 1990
  7. ^ a b National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 1996(Subtitle B-Naval Vessels and Shipyards (pdf). National Institute of Standards and Technology (1996-02-10). Retrieved on 2005-05-26.
  8. ^ Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 (Subtitle B-Naval Vessels and Shipyards) (pdf) pp. 200–201. 105th Congress, United States Senate and House of Representatives. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
  9. ^ This citiation was included to split the citations up so that those belonging to sperate section below this one would not be included with the count for the article above this one. This is not an actual reference.

[edit] Printed media

  • Conahan, Frank C. (1990). Battleships, issues arising from the explosion aboard the USS Iowa. The Office of the Distributor. ASIN B00010DRDG. 
  • Diehl, Alan E. (2003-01-27). Silent Knights: Blowing the Whistle on Military Accidents and Their Cover-Ups. Potomac Books. ISBN 1574885448. 
  • Milligan, Richard D. (1989). Investigation to inquire into the explosion in number two turret on board USS Iowa (BB 61) which occurred in the vicinity of the Puerto Rico operating area on or about 19 April 1989. Secretary of the Navy. ASIN B00071T0DU. 
  • Schwoebel, Richard L. (2001). Explosion Aboard the Iowa. Diane Pub Co. ISBN 0756765838. 
  • Shilts, Randy (2005). Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U.S. Military. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 0312342640. 
  • Thompson II, Charles C. (1999). A Glimpse of Hell: The Explosion on the USS Iowa and Its Cover-Up. W. W. Norton. ISBN 0393047148. 
  • Garzke Jr., William H.; Robert O. Dulin Jr. (April 1995). Battleships: United States Battleships, 1935-1992. US Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1557501742. 

[edit] Web

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Military of the United States Portal

[edit] Other media

  • (2001). History Undercover: USS Iowa Explosion. A & E Home Video.
  • Salomon, Mikael (Director). (2001). A Glimpse of Hell [Television production]. 20th Century Fox Television.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iowa turret explosion}} [[Category:1989 disasters]] [[Category:1989 in the United States]] [[Category:Accidental explosion disasters in the United States]] [[Category:Maritime incidents in 1989]] [[Category:Military history of the United States 1900-1999]] [[Category:Non-combat accidents involving military]] [[Category:Ship fires]] [[Category:United States Navy]]

[edit] USS Iowa (BB-61)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Iowa.
USS Iowa
USS Iowa fires a full broadside of 16 in (406 mm) guns
Career (US) United States Navy ensign
Name: USS Iowa
Ordered: 1 July 1939
Laid down: 27 June 1940
Launched: 27 August 1942
Commissioned: 22 February 1943
Decommissioned: 26 October 1990
Struck: 17 March 2006
Nickname: "The Big Stick"
Honors and
awards:		 11 battle stars
Status: Stricken, available for donation as a museum and memorial
General characteristics
Class and type: Iowa-class battleship
Displacement: 45,000 tons
Length: 887 ft 3 in (270 m)
Beam: 108 ft 2 in (32.9 m)
Draft: 37 ft 2 in (11.3 m)
Speed: 33 knots (61 km/h)
Complement: 151 officers, 2637 enlisted
Armament: 1943:
9 x 16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns
20 × 5 in (127 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns
80 x 40 mm 56 cal. anti-aircraft guns
49 x 20 mm 70 cal. anti-aircraft guns
1982:
9 x 16 in (406 mm) 50 cal. Mark 7 guns
12 × 5 in (127 mm) 38 cal. Mark 12 guns
32 x BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles
16 x RGM-84 Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles
4 x 20 mm/76 cal. Phalanx CIWS
Armor: Belt: 12.1 in (307 mm)
Bulkheads: 11.3 in (287 mm)
Barbettes: 11.6 to 17.3 in (295 to 439 mm)
Turrets: 19.7 in (500 mm)
Decks: 7.5 in (190 mm)

USS Iowa (BB-61) ("The Big Stick") was the lead ship of her class of battleship, and was the fourth ship of in the United States Navy to be named in honor of the 29th state. Among the Iowa-class battleships, Iowa is notable for being the only ship of the class to have served a combat tour in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II, and for the notourious circumstances surrounding the explosion inside her #2 gun turret in April of 1989.

During World War II Iowa served in Atlantic fleet as countermeasure against the German Battleship Tirpitz. When transfered to the Pacific fleet in 1944 Iowa shelled beacheads in advance of Allied amphibious landings and screened aircraft carriers from Japanese aircraft. During the Korean War Iowa was involved in raids up and down the North Korean coast, after which she was decomissioned into the United States Navy reserve fleets, better known as the mothball fleet. 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 of 1989 an explosion of undetermined origin wrecked her #2 gun turret, killing 47 sailors.

Iowa was decommissioned for the last time in 1990, and was initially struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1995; however, she was reinstated to the NVR in 1999 to allow her sister ship New Jersey to be donated to her namesake state for use as a museum. Iowa is currently berthed with the Suisun Bay reserve fleet near San Fransisco, California, and is awaiting donation to a non-for-profit entity for use as a museum ship. At present Iowa is the only member of her class not open to public.

[edit] Construction

Main articles: Iowa class battleship and Armament of the Iowa class battleship

Iowa was the lead ship of her class of "fast battleship" designs planned in 1938 by the Preliminary Design Branch at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. she was launched on 27 August 1942 sponsored by Ilo Wallace (wife of Vice President Henry Wallace), and commissioned on 22 February 1943 with Captain John L. McCrea in command. She was the first of the Iowa class, and the last lead of any battleship class commissioned by the US Navy.[citation needed]

Iowa’s main battery consisted of nine 16 inch (406 mm)/50 caliber Mark 7 naval guns, which could hurl 2,700 lb armor piercing shells some 24 nautical miles (44 km). Her secondary battery consisted of twenty 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns in twin turrets, which could fire at targets up to 9 miles (14 km) away. With the advent of air power and the need to gain and maintain air superiority came a need to protect the growing fleet of allied aircraft carriers; to this end, Iowa was fitted with an array of Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns to defend allied carriers from enemy airstrikes. When reactivated in 198x Iowa had her 20 mm and 40 mm AA guns removed, and was outfitted with Phalanx CIWS mounts for protection against enemy missiles and aircraft, and Armored Box Launchers and Quad Cell Launchers designed to fire Tomahawk missiles and Harpoon missiles, respectively.[1]

Her keel was laid down on 27 June 1940 at the New York Navy Yard;

[edit] World War II

[edit] Shakedown and service with the Atlantic Fleet

On 24 February 1943, Iowa put to sea for shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast. She got underway on 27 August for Argentia, Newfoundland to neutralise 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 Tehran Conference in November. After the conference she returned the President to the United States.

On 12 November, she departed Norfolk and the following day rendezvoused with Iowa (BB-61). That battleship was on her way to North Africa carrying President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Cairo and Teheran Conferences. During battle drills on the afternoon of the 14th, William D. Porter inadvertently fired a live torpedo at Iowa. However, the destroyer signaled Iowa in plenty of time to allow the battleship to turn hard to starboard, parallel to the torpedo's wake. According to eyewitnesses, President Roosevelt asked his wheelchair be moved to the rail so he could see the torpedo headed for the battleship. The torpedo exploded some 3,000 yards astern of the Iowa. William D. Porter completed her part in the mission and steamed west to Bermuda, where she arrived on 16 November. Following this incident, ships would routinely greet the "Willie D." with "Don't shoot! We're Republicans!"

[edit] Service with Battleship Division 7, Admiral Lee

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 Marshall Islands. 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. 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. On 21 February, she was underway with the Fast Carrier Task Force (TF 58 or TF 38, depending on whether it was part of 5th Fleet or 3rd Fleet) while it conducted the first strikes against Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam in the Mariana Islands.

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 inch projectiles during the action, Iowa suffered negligible damage. She then rejoined Task Force 58 on 30 March, and supported air strikes against the Palau Islands and Woleai of the Carolines which continued for several days.

From 22 April to 28 April 1944, Iowa supported air raids on Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura), Aitape, and Wakde Islands to support Army forces on Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay in New Guinea. She then joined the Task Force's second strike on Truk, 29 April and 30 April, and bombarded Japanese facilities on Ponape in the Carolines on 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 on 12 June. Iowa was then detached to bombard enemy installations on Saipan and Tinian on 13 June and 14 June. On 19 June, in an engagement known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Iowa, as part of the battle line of TF 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 Third Fleet, and helped support the landings on Peleliu on 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 Ryukyu Islands and Formosa. She then supported air strikes against Luzon on 18 October and continued this vital duty during General Douglas MacArthur's landing on Leyte on 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 William "Bull" Halsey to believe that this force had been ruined as an effective fighting group. Iowa, with TF 38, steamed after the Japanese Northern Force off Cape Engaño, 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 in the Battle off Samar had already caused the Japanese to retire and Iowa was denied a surface action. Following the Battle of 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, California, on 15 January 1945, for overhaul. She sailed 19 March for Okinawa, arriving 15 April. Commencing 24 April, 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 Kyūshū from 25 May to 13 June. Iowa participated in strikes on the Japanese homeland 14 July and 15 July and bombarded Muroran, Hokkaidō, destroying steel mills and other targets. The city of Hitachi on Honshū was given the same treatment on the night of 17 July to 18 July. Iowa continued to support fast carrier strikes until the cessation of hostilities on 15 August.

Iowa entered Tokyo Bay with the occupation forces on 29 August. After serving as Admiral Halsey's flagship for the surrender ceremony on 2 September, Iowa departed Tokyo Bay 20 September for the United States.

Arriving Seattle, Washington on 15 October, Iowa returned to Japanese waters in January 1946 and became flagship of the Fifth Fleet. She continued this role until she sailed for the United States on 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.

[edit] The Korean War

USS Iowa firing a 16-inch shell towards a North Korean target in 1952.
USS Iowa firing a 16-inch shell towards a North Korean target in 1952.

When the Korean War necessitated an expansion of the active fleet, Iowa was recommissioned on 25 August 1951 with 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 P. Briscoe, Commander, Seventh 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, Seventh Fleet. Vice Admiral Joseph J. Clark, the new commander, continued to use Iowa as his flagship until 17 October 1952. Iowa departed Yokosuka, Japan on 19 October 1952 for overhaul at Norfolk, Virginia, and training operations in the Caribbean Sea.

[edit] 1953 to 1958

The USS Iowa firing during target exercises near Vieques, Puerto Rico
The USS Iowa firing during target exercises near Vieques, Puerto Rico

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 Edmund T. Wooldridge, commanding the Second 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, Atlantic Fleet.

From January to April 1955, Iowa made an extended cruise to the Mediterranean Sea as the first battleship regularly assigned to Commander, Sixth Fleet. Iowa departed on a midshipman training cruise 1 June 1955 and upon her return, she entered Norfolk for a four-month overhaul. Following refit, Iowa continued intermittent training cruises and operational exercises, until 4 January 1957 when she departed Norfolk for duty with the Sixth 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, Virginia, on 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 on 22 October 1957. She was decommissioned 24 February 1958 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia.

[edit] Reactivation

USS Iowa in drydock undergoing modernization
USS Iowa in drydock undergoing modernization

As part of President Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman’s effort to create a 600-ship Navy, Iowa was reactivated and moved under tow to Avondale Shipyards near New Orleans, Louisiana for modernization in advance of her planned recomissioning.[2] During the modernization Iowa had all of her remaining Oerlikon 20 mm and Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft guns removed, due to their ineffectiveness against modern jet fighters and enemy anti-ship missiles; additionally, the two 5 in gun mounts located at mid-ship and in the aft on the port and starboard side of the battleship were removed.[3]

Over the next several months the battleship was upgraded with the most advanced weaponry available; among the new weapons systems installed were four MK 141 quad cell launchers for 16 AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, eight Armored Box Launcher (ABL) mounts for 32 BGM-109 Tomahawk missiles, and a quartet of Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS) gatling guns for defense against enemy anti-ship missiles and enemy aircraft.[3] Iowa was the first battleship to receive the RQ-2 Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, a remotely controlled drone that replaced the helicopters previously used to spot for her nine 16 in/50 Mark 7 guns,[4][5] and Iowa could carry up to eight of the UAVs at a time.[6] Also included in her modernization were upgrades to radar and fire control systems for her guns and missiles, and improved electronic warfare capabilities.[3] Armed as such, Iowa was formally recommissioned on 28 April 1984.

The ship went to European waters in 1985, 1986 and 1987 through 1988, with the latter cruise continuing into the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. During that cruise, the Iowa participated in Operation Earnest Will, escorting Kuwaiti gas and oil tankers "reflagged" as US merchant ships from the Persian Gulf through the Straits of Hormuz. During the 1980s, the Navy proposed to create a "homeport" at Stapleton, Staten Island in New York City, which would be the base for Iowa and several other ships, but the project was canceled before its completion.

[edit] "A Glimpse of Hell"

Heavy smoke pours from Turret #2 following an internal explosion 19 April 1989
Heavy smoke pours from Turret #2 following an internal explosion 19 April 1989

On 19 April 1989, an explosion ripped through the Number Two 16 inch gun turret, killing 47 crewmen. Sailors quickly flooded the #2 powder magazine, likely preventing catastrophic damage to the ship. At first, the NCIS investigators theorized that one of the dead crewman, Clayton Hartwig, had detonated an explosive device in a suicide attempt after the end of an alleged homosexual affair with another sailor. This theory was later abandoned and Hartwig cleared. The cause of the explosion, though never determined with certainty, is generally believed to have been static electricity igniting loose powder.

Testing at Dalhgren, Virginia Naval Surface Warfare Center of powder in the same lot was able to reproduce spontaneous combustion of the powder, which had been originally milled in the 1930's and stored during a 1988 dry-docking of the Iowa in a barge at the Navy's Yorktown, Virginia Naval Weapons Station. Gun powder gives off ether gas as it degrades; the ether is highly flammable, and could be ignited by a spark.

The captain of the Iowa, Fred Moosally, was severely criticized for his handling of the matter, and the Navy changed the powder-handling procedures. Iowa deployed to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea in mid-year. Turret Two remained unrepaired when she decommissioned in Norfolk for the last time, 26 October 1990.

Iowa, as part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, was berthed at the Naval Education and Training Center in Newport, from 24 September 1998 to 8 March 2001 when the ship began her journey, under tow, to California. The ship arrived in Suisun Bay near San Francisco on 21 April 2001 and is part of the Reserve Fleet there.

Due to the damage in Turret 2, the Navy put New Jersey into the mothball fleet, even though the training mechanisms on New Jersey’s 16 inch guns had been welded down. The cost to fix New Jersey was considered less than the cost to fix Iowa; however, the Strom Thurmond National Defense Authorization Act of 1999 demanded that the Navy substitute Iowa for New Jersey; additionally, the Navy was to arrange for New Jersey’s donation for use as a museum ship. The Navy made the switch in January 1999, paving the way for Camden, New Jersey, to acquire USS New Jersey.

Iowa was maintained in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 until 2006, when the Secretary of the Navy struck Iowa and placed the ship on donation hold to allow transfer for use as a museum ship. But that plan has encountered resistance from those who believe that there is still a place for battleships in a modern Navy.

[edit] Reserve Fleet and Museum Ship preparations (1990-present)

The USS Iowa, laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet
The USS Iowa, laid up in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet

For several years plans had been under way to berth the Iowa in San Francisco, California, opening the battleship there as a museum; however, in 2005 San Francisco’s city council, citing opposition to the Iraq War and the military's policies regarding homosexuals, voted 8-3 against maintaining Iowa in the city, paving the way for other California communities to bid for the battleship. Vallejo, site of the former Mare Island Navy Shipyard and Stockton are competing for the vessel. The organization, Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square (HSMPS), that attempted to place the ship in San Francisco is now working with the Mare Island, Vallejo, site. Both communities have identified berthing piers and have submitted proposals to the Department of the Navy to open the vessel to tourists and educational groups as a memorial and museum. Prior to her arrival in California, Iowa was temporarily docked at Naval Station Newport, Newport, RI as she awaited her fate as a Naval Museum. She was docked for some time, in Newport, next to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal.

The 2006 Defense Appropriations Act authorized the Secretary of the Navy to strike Iowa and Wisconsin from the NVR, clearing the way for them to be donated as museum ships. Acting on this authority the navy officially struck USS Iowa from the Naval Vessel Register (NVR) 17 March 2006. This is likely the first step in preparing Iowa for her ultimate transfer for use as a museum ship. Although Iowa has been struck from the NVR she has yet to be transferred to any memorial association, although that will likely change when the navy completes its evaluation of the two leading proposals. Currently, Iowa is the only ship of her class not open to the public as a museum.

The 2007 House Defense Bill (Battleship transfer) conference report (H. Rept. 109–360) accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2006, the committee included instructions regarding the transfer of the battleships USS Wisconsin and USS Iowa to the Commonwealth of Virginia and State of California, respectively, and the President’s reversion authority pursuant to a national emergency. The committee seeks to clarify that the battleships USS Wisconsin and USS Iowa must be regarded as potential mobilization assets and both the recipients and the U.S. Navy are instructed to treat them as such. The committee notes that the following measures should be taken:

  1. The ships must not be altered in any way that would impair their military utility;
  2. The ships must be preserved in their present condition through the continued use of cathodic protection and dehumidification systems and any other preservation methods as needed;
  3. Spare parts and unique equipment such as 16 inch gun barrels and projectiles, be preserved in adequate numbers to support the two ships, if reactivated; and
  4. The Navy must prepare plans for the rapid reactivation of the two battleships should they be returned to the Navy in the event of a national emergency.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and the absence of a perceived threat to the United States came drastic cuts in the defense budget. The high cost of maintaining and operating battleships as part of the United States Navy's active fleet became uneconomical; as a result, Iowa was decommissioned on and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register (NVR) on 12 January 1995[citation needed].

Iowa was named as one of two US Navy battleships that were to be maintained in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996 (the other was Iowa).[7] Both battleships were maintained in the United States Navy reserve fleets for use as shore bombardment vessels since their 16-inch (405 mm) guns are capable of firing 2,700 lb (1,200 kg) projectiles approximately 24 nautical miles (44 km) inland; However, Iowa is now over 60 years old and would require extensive modernization to return to the fleet since most of her technology dates back to World War II, and the missile and electronic warfare equipment added to the battleship during her 1980s modernization are now considered obsolete.[3] In addition, the cost of modernizing Iowa and Wisconsin is estimated to be somewhere around $500 million for reactivation and $1.5 billion for a full modernization program.[8]

On 17 March 2006 the Secretary of the Navy exercised his authority to strike Iowa and Wisconsin from the NVR, which has cleared the way for both ships to be donated for use as museums; however, the United States Congress remains "deeply concerned" over the loss of naval surface gunfire support that the battleships provided, and has noted that "...navy efforts to improve upon, much less replace, this capability have been highly problematic."[9] Partially as a consequence the US House of Representatives has asked that the battleships be kept in a state of readiness should they ever be needed again.[10] Congress has asked that the following measures be implemented to ensure that, if need be, Iowa can be returned to active duty:

  1. Iowa must not be altered in any way that would impair her military utility;
  2. The battleship must be preserved in her present condition through the continued use of cathodic protection, dehumidification systems, and any other preservation methods as needed;
  3. Spare parts and unique equipment such as the 16-inch (406 mm) gun barrels and projectiles be preserved in adequate numbers to support Iowa, if reactivated;
  4. The Navy must prepare plans for the rapid reactivation of Iowa should she be returned to the Navy in the event of a national emergency.[10]

These four conditions closely mirror the original three conditions that the Nation Defense Authorization Act of 1996 laid out for the maintenance of Iowa while she was in the Mothball Fleet.[3][7] It is unlikely that these conditions will impede the current plan to turn Iowa into a permanent museum ship.

[edit] Awards

Iowa earned nine battle stars for World War II service and two for Korean War service. [11]

[edit] See also

Military of the United States Portal
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[edit] External links

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

{{Iowa_class_battleship}} {{coor title dms|38|04|04|N|122|05|52|W|region:US_type:landmark}} [[Category:Iowa class battleships|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:World War II battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Cold War battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Korean War battleships of the United States|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:Ships at the Japanese Instrument of Surrender|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[Category:United States Navy Iowa-related ships|Iowa (BB-61)]] [[de:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[ms:USS Iowa (BB-61)]] [[ja:アイオワ (戦艦)]] [[pl:USS Iowa (pancernik 1943)]] [[sv:USS Iowa (BB-61)]]

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[edit] That "Thing"

In addition, the Iowa-class battleships have been featured in many military related movies, shows, and games, in particular with regards to the Second World War, where all four battleships actively fought on behalf of the Allied forces operating in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Various members of the class have been featured in alternate history stories and games, such as in the Tom Clancy novel Red Storm Rising and the Real Time Tactic game World in Conflict.

[edit] Table

  1. ^ Johnston, Ian; McAuley, Rob (2002). The Battleships. London: Channel 4, p. 120. ISBN 0752261886. OCLC 59495980. 
  2. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named DANFS
  3. ^ a b c d e BB-61 IOWA-class (specifications). Federation of American Scientists (2000-10-21). Retrieved on 2006-11-26.
  4. ^ The Warfighter's Encyclopedia: Aircraft - RQ-2 Pioneer.
  5. ^ Pike, John (2000-03-05). Pioneer Short Range (SR) UAV. Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved on 2007-03-02.
  6. ^ FactPlace.com USS Missouri (BB-63) Frequently Asked Questions. USS Missouri (BB-63) Frequently Asked Questions. Ben M. Schorr. Retrieved on 2006-12-16.
  7. ^ a b 104th Congress, House of Representatives. National Defense Authorization Act of 1996. Page 237. Accessed December 17, 2006.
  8. ^ Novak, Robert. Losing the battleships. CNN.com December 6, 2005.
  9. ^ 109th Congress, House of Representatives. Report 109–452. National Defense Authorization Act of 2007. Page 193. Accessed November 26, 2006.
  10. ^ a b 109th Congress, House of Representatives. Report 109–452. National Defense Authorization Act of 2007. Page 68. Accessed November 26, 2006
  11. ^ This citiation was included to split the citations up so that those belonging to seperate sections below this one would not be included with the count for the article(s) above this one. This is not an actual reference.

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[edit] External links (for reference)

http://users3.ev1.net/~cfmoore/history/1944normandy.html

http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:WSigs2jXFCgJ:www.sinodefenceforum.com/showthread.php%3Ft%3D1547%26page%3D6+CVN+78+and+Enterprise&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=47

USS William D. Porter (DD-579)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/mmedia/nation/111001-1v.htm

http://web.umr.edu/~rogersda/american&military_history/World%27s%20Fastest%20Battleships.pdf

http://www.eugeneleeslover.com/AMMUNITION/NAVORD-OP-769-APPENDIX-1-GENERAL-TURRET-DATA.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-03-08-san-francisco-battleship_x.htm

http://www.bb62museum.org/photos.html

USS New Jersey Link regarding Marines and the Iowas: http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/6747/21centbattleships.htm

Iowa related material

Second Vinson Act Material (Maybe)

[edit] DYK Link

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Main_Page&oldid=129758756

[edit] Reference change

Armament of the Iowa class battleship

[edit] FA

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[edit] Userpage Overhaul

“ "We have been at considerable risk in naval surface fire support since the retirement of the Iowa-class battleships. This situation will continue until the DD 21-class destroyers join the fleet in strength." ”

—Statement of General James L. Jones (USMC) to House Armed Services Committee, [1]

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[edit] Table

Insignia Description
Rear Admiral (lower half) (RDLH) Formally known as the rank of Commodore, .
Rear Admiral (upper half) (RADM)
Vice Admiral (VADM) Vice Admirals generally command the numbered fleets around the world that make up the naval components of each of the regional unified commands. Of the five numbered US fleets, four have command ships which act as the Vice Admiral's flagship. Vice Admirals fly a blue flag with three white stars as a command flag. In the United States Coast Guard, the Vice Commandant, the Chief of Staff, and the Atlantic and Pacific Area commanders hold the rank of Vice Admiral.
Admiral (ADM) Commands all operations that fall within his geographical area. The Chief of Staff of the Army and the Commandant of the Marine Corps are four-star Generals.
See also: List of United States Navy four-star admirals
Fleet Admiral This rank is only used in time of war where the commanding officer must be equal or of higher rank than those commanding naval forces from other nations. The last officers to hold this rank served during and immediately following World War II. The United States Coast Guard currently does not have this rank.
Admiral of the Navy (Conjectured Insignia) The highest possible general rank in the U.S. Navy, it has only been held by one persons in history, George Dewey. The Air Force and Marines have no equivalent to this rank while the United States Army maintains a similar rank known as General of the Armies. No insignia for Admiral of the Navy has ever been authorized, although a conjectural design was created in 1945.

The Philosopher’s Stone. Those who possess it, no longer bound by the laws of equivalent exchange in alchemy. They gain without sacrifice, create with equal exchange. We searched for it, and we found it.

You under arrest for child cruelty, child endangerment, depriving children of food, selling children as food, and misrepresenting the weight of livestock.

http://www.gao.gov/archive/1999/ns99033.pdf

Wikipedia:Recent additions 214 -- Montana class DYK mention

The Yamato class battleships (大和型戦艦 Yamatogatasenkan?) of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) were a planned class of five large battleships intended to serve as the flagships for the IJN. Two of these battleship were completed in the 1930s, with a third reorder and completed as an aircraft carrier during World War II.

Designed to be supior to any vessel the United States would be able to fit through the Panama Canal, the Yamato-class battleship were unquestionably the largest naval vessels of World War II and the largest, heaviest battleships ever constructed to this day, displacing 72,800 metric tons (at full load). The class carried the largest naval artillery ever fitted to any warship - 460 mm (18.1 in) guns which fired 1.36 tonne shells.

Both completed battleships were sunk during combat operations in World War II by enemy aircraft, while the aircraft carrier was lost to an Allied submarine attack. The loss of the worlds largest battleships to air attack alone help to cement the shift in naval combat from naval guns to air supremacy and thus the shift from battleships to aircraft carriers.

War breeds innovation and it seems that only through conflict can we rapidly advance our military technology. --GDI Briefing 26-8/A: The Technological Advancements of the Second Tiberium War (TWII), Presented by First Lieutenant Chandra

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[edit] navsource.com resolution

Hiya. I have an article up at FAC at the moment and have encountered an unexpected setback: navweaps.com, a site I use because I feel it to be reliable, has been called questionable by a participant in the FAC. I asked on the coordinator page for the MILHIST project, and my and one other coordinator are of the opinion that the website is a reliable source becuase of the sources section sited on the individual weapon pages used in the inline citations, such as this one on the main guns of the Iowa and Montana class of battleships (scroll all the way to the bottom and you will see what I mean). I bear the editor (Wackymacs, I believe, is his screen name) no malice for his repeated questioning of the sources, but I need an honest, outside opinion on the website's suitability as a source from a group that is independent of the entire review, and from where I stand that would be this venue since no one here has (to my knowledge) commented on the FAC, nor do I believe anyone here has any plans to. That makes this the most neutral place I can ask this question. All I need to know for sure is whether the site qualifies as reliable by Wikipedia standards, or whether I need to go deeper into the sourcing. TomStar81 (Talk) 05:22, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

Let's start with asking you why you think it is reliable. It's a personal web page, and normally those aren't considered reliable for a purpose like this. There are of course exceptions. A web page on cosmology by Stephen Hawking would be considered reliable, but if he wrote a web page on naval weapons we'd probably call in unreliable in Wikipedia terms. Reliability is not the default. Doug Weller (talk) 06:39, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Two big reasons: one, it agrees with everything I have heard from a volenteer crewman working with the Battleship Missouri Memorial, and two because Tony has cited his sources on all of the pages. For me, that makes the source reliable, but I admit to being bias insofar as having the site ruled reliable works in favor, which is why I have come here for an outside opinion rather then judge for myself or asking MILHIST.


My opinion isn't very weighty, but I believe it to be neutral in relation to this particular case and I'm happy to offer it.
WP:RS says early on that reliable sources are credible published materials with a reliable publication process; their authors are generally regarded as trustworthy or authoritative in relation to the subject at hand. I see that your source describes its publication process here and the process described looks to be to be a careful one with the author/publisher of your source being knowledgeable, experienced, and concerned with fact-checking and accuracy. He lists his on-hand reference sources for vetting new material here. He doesn't seem to be very heavily cited in WP (the query "site:en.wikipedia.org navweaps.com" produces 95 hits with google, 226 with yahoo), but perhaps that is because of the specialized subject matter. Removing the site: qualifier boosts those numbers to 11,100 and 1,010 respectively.
It is a self-published source, however. WP:SPS says that self-published material may, in some circumstances, be acceptable when produced by an established expert on the topic of the article whose work in the relevant field has previously been published by reliable third-party publications. The example item from that source provides cites of "data from" sources as supporting sources for the material in that item. Your source is owned and operated by Tony DiGiulian , and I see him cited as an expert in books published in the relevant field here and here
Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with your source. I wouldn't remove a cite and wouldn't hesitate to cite it myself. One of the Wikipedia:Featured article criteria requires that FACs must be "factually accurate: claims are verifiable against reliable sources, accurately represent the relevant body of published knowledge, and are supported with specific evidence and external citations". That doesn't impose any additional criteria beyond what is expected of all WP, articles — it just says that FACs must meet WP's V and RS criteria. FWIW, my opinion is that this source meets WP's V and RS criteria. -- Boracay Bill (talk) 07:52, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
I agree with Boracay Bill's analysis. Additional support is lent by other high quality book citations to the site: Australian Cruiser: Perth 1939-1942, Exploitation of a Ship's Magnetic Field Signatures, Vietnam Ironclads: A Pictorial History of U. S. Navy River Assault Craft and The History Highway: A 21st Century Guide to Internet Resources. John Z (talk) 09:26, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
I also agree, it is clear that although this is a personal website it meets the qualifications required for a source. (sorry, forgot to sign) Doug Weller (talk) 16:22, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
Thank you for the help. I apreciate it. From here I should be able to handle the rest of the issues with the article's FAC on mine own. Keep up the good work, and thank you for the timely response. TomStar81 (Talk) 19:51, 2 June 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Finding a U.S. Congressional Report

I was wondering if anyone would know where to go to locate a US Congressional issued report. The name is "U.S.S. Iowa tragedy : an investigative failure : report of the Investigations Subcommittee and Defense Policy Panel of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred First Congress, second session, March 5, 1990", if that helps. 129.108.97.112 (talk) 00:14, 11 June 2008 (UTC)

Designated Federal depository libraries have all those publications... AnonMoos (talk) 00:37, 11 June 2008 (UTC)
If you (or someone else) has LexisNexis access, it is available online through LexisNexis Congressional. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 00:56, 11 June 2008 (UTC)