Community Corner
Stately Exit for USS Iowa – It Really Did Leave This Time
The historic battleship USS Iowa finally made its exit from Richmond, leaving the dock in the late morning and proceeding under the Golden Gate Bridge on its way to become a permanent museum in Los Angeles.
By Bay City News Service
The USS Iowa took its final trip through the Golden Gate Saturday as it set sail on its final voyage from Richmond to the port of Los Angeles.
The World War II battleship is being relocated by the Pacific Battleship Center, which plans to convert it to a museum.
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The ship's voyage was initially slated for May 20, but had to be postponed due to a storm off the southern California coast, according to center officials.
The four-day trip to Los Angeles began today with an official escort by U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sockeye and the San Francisco fire boat Phoenix, which saluted the ship with a spray of water from its hoses. The San Francisco Yacht Club also honored the ship as it passed with a gun salute and signal flag message reading "Farewell My Dear Friend."
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The USS Iowa is more than 15 stories high, 887 feet long and weighs more than 45,000 tons. It has hosted presidents including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
The USS Iowa will be moved to its permanent home at Berth 87 in the Port of Los Angeles on June 9, and host a reunion of Iowa veterans July 2-6.
It will open to the public on July 7. Information on the Pacific Battleship Center and tickets for the USS Iowa are available at www.pacificbattleship.com.
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