This LA museum ship survived the Navy’s most embarrassing friendly fire incident

USS Iowa’s Secret Presidential Mission and Pacific Battles

USS Iowa wasn’t just any warship. In 1943, she took President Roosevelt on a top-secret trip to meet Churchill and Stalin.

During the voyage, a US destroyer fired a live torpedo at Iowa by mistake. The crew turned fast, and the torpedo blew up in her wake.

FDR, stuck in his wheelchair, asked to watch the whole thing.

Later, Iowa moved to the Pacific, where she blasted Japanese bases from the Marshall Islands to the home islands. Through typhoons and major battles, she fought on.

By war’s end, Iowa stood proud in Tokyo Bay as Japan gave up. The Battleship USS Iowa Museum now shows off FDR’s special cabin, complete with his custom bathtub.

America’s Mightiest Battleship Joined the Fleet in 1943

The USS Iowa joined the Navy on February 22, 1943, as the first Iowa-class battleship. The Navy built these fast ships to keep up with aircraft carriers, reaching speeds up to 33 knots.

Iowa packed nine 16-inch guns in three turrets, the biggest guns in the American fleet.

After workers built her at New York Navy Yard, she spent weeks in Chesapeake Bay for her shakedown cruise, where crews tested all systems before she went to war.

FDR Sailed Across the Atlantic on a Secret Mission

The Navy picked Iowa for a secret job in November 1943: carrying President Roosevelt across the Atlantic. Workers quickly added features for Roosevelt’s wheelchair, including an elevator and special bathtub.

The battleship left Chesapeake Bay on November 13 with the President aboard, surrounded by heavy security.

Roosevelt stayed in the admiral’s cabin during the trip, making Iowa the only battleship to carry a sitting president during wartime.

A Friendly Destroyer Almost Torpedoed the President

During training near Iowa, the destroyer USS William D. Porter made a big mistake.

The Porter fired a live torpedo straight at the battleship carrying President Roosevelt. The destroyer sent urgent radio warnings, letting Iowa’s crew make a sharp emergency turn.

The torpedo blew up about 3,000 yards behind the ship.

Roosevelt, curious about the commotion, asked to be moved in his wheelchair to the ship’s rail to watch the near-miss.

The Tehran Conference Changed the Course of WWII

Iowa safely brought Roosevelt to Oran, Algeria, finishing the first part of his trip to the Tehran Conference. From there, the president flew to meet Churchill and Stalin for their first three-way meeting of the war.

The battleship waited in Mediterranean waters while the Allied leaders planned the D-Day invasion and talked about the post-war world. Roosevelt came back to Iowa for his trip home in December 1943.

The Mighty Warship Shifted to Pacific Combat

Iowa moved to the Pacific in January 1944, ready to fight Japanese forces.

She became the flagship of Battleship Division 7 under Rear Admiral Lee, joining the huge American fleet pushing across the central Pacific.

Her first combat came during the Marshall Islands campaign, where she fired on enemy positions.

At Kwajalein and Eniwetok, Iowa’s big guns hit Japanese defenses while she protected the aircraft carriers from enemy attacks.

Massive Guns Destroyed Japanese Ammo Dumps

Iowa joined Operation Forager in June 1944, the American campaign to take the Mariana Islands. Her 16-inch guns fired on Japanese positions on Saipan and Tinian, helping Marine landings.

During one attack, Iowa’s gunners hit a Japanese ammunition dump, creating a huge explosion that destroyed an enemy supply cache.

The battleship’s big guns softened enemy defenses before American troops stormed the beaches.

Turkey Shoot Proved Iowa’s Worth as Carrier Escort

Iowa played a key role in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on June 19-20, 1944, known as the “Marianas Turkey Shoot. ”

As part of Task Group 58.4, she protected American aircraft carriers from Japanese air attacks. The battleship’s anti-aircraft guns shot down several enemy planes coming toward the fleet.

Throughout this battle, Iowa served as a protector of aircraft carriers rather than fighting other ships.

Halsey’s Controversial Decision Drew Iowa Away From Beaches

During the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, Iowa sailed with Admiral Halsey’s Task Force 38. When Japanese carriers showed up to the north, Halsey ordered his entire force, including Iowa, to chase them.

This choice left American landing beaches open to other Japanese naval units.

The chase showed Iowa’s importance in major fleet actions, though military historians still argue about Halsey’s decision to take his powerful battleships away.

The Ship Weathered a Killer Storm That Sank Three Destroyers

Iowa faced a fierce storm on December 17-18, 1944, when Typhoon Cobra hit the Third Fleet. Winds topped 100 knots and huge waves hit the ships.

While three destroyers flipped and sank with nearly 800 sailors lost, Iowa’s size helped her survive the storm. The battleship handled these extreme conditions well.

After the typhoon passed, Iowa kept working while many other ships needed fixes from the storm’s damage.

Iowa’s Guns Brought War to Japan’s Doorstep

In July 1945, Iowa joined the first surface attack on the Japanese home islands.

Her massive guns targeted factories in Muroran and Hitachi, destroying buildings crucial to Japan’s war effort. The battleship’s shells wrecked multiple plants and infrastructure.

The attack brought the war directly to Japan’s shores, showing that American naval power could strike the Japanese homeland at will, a significant psychological blow to Japanese leadership.

Halsey Chose the Mighty Battleship as His Final Flagship

Admiral Halsey selected Iowa as his flagship during the final stages of the Pacific War. The battleship sailed into Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, for the formal Japanese surrender ceremony.

While the signing took place aboard USS Missouri, Iowa stood nearby as a symbol of American naval might. Her presence at this historic moment marked the end of her World War II service.

From presidential transport to Pacific combat, Iowa had played a pivotal role throughout the global conflict.

Visiting Battleship USS Iowa Museum

The Battleship USS Iowa Museum at 250 S. Harbor Blvd in San Pedro is open daily 10am to 4pm.

You need a General Access Pass for self-guided tours, plus there’s a special Presidents Tour about FDR’s secret mission. It’s the only West Coast battleship open to visitors.

Check out Victory “Vicky” the Dog who went with FDR to Tehran, plus Dr. Robert Ballard’s Lost at Sea shipwreck exhibit.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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