If non-profit group Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square has its way, Vallejo Baylink Ferry riders may soon be treated to views of the battleship USS Iowa as they arrive at the Vallejo ferry building.
By James Fisher
Published: August, 2006
If non-profit group Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square has its way, Vallejo Baylink Ferry riders may soon be treated to views of the battleship USS Iowa as they arrive at the Vallejo ferry building. The group has been working to obtain the IOWA to create a museum for the last 10 years, and is now backing a proposal to berth the IOWA at the now closed Mare Island Naval Shipyard, just across the Mare Island channel from downtown Vallejo.
IOWA was originally slated to go to San Francisco, but plans changed when the San Francisco City Council declined support for berthing the ship. Historic Ships Memorial then selected Vallejo as the preferred location for the IOWA. The City of Stockton is also preparing a proposal to submit to the Navy to berth the Iowa.
Supporters of the museum plan believe Mare Island, Vallejo is the ideal site due to its central Bay Area location, which is within easy reach of San Francisco (by ferry), Marine World Vallejo and Napa Wine Country. Also, Vallejo is uniquely qualified due to its proximity to IOWA’s current location in the Benicia mothball fleet and, more importantly, to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard with its rich Naval heritage.
According to Merylin Wong, President and Director of Historic Ships, the IOWA would stimulate the Bay Area economy, provide educational opportunities with various institutions including the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, and could serve as a command center in the event of a disaster.
Support for berthing the IOWA in Vallejo has come from the Vallejo City Council, residents of the Bay Area who have signed petitions and civic and veteran’s groups throughout surrounding Bay Area counties. No tax dollars are involved in the proposal. Funding will come from private and corporate donations and admission fees to the museum.
In July 2006, Mark Mazzaferro, public information officer/spokesman, City of Vallejo, sent an email in response for comment on behalf of Vallejo Mayor Anthony J Intintoli. It stated that Vallejo enthusiastically supports the museum plan but was not in the position to offer financial support, now, in the foreseeable future.
Having an historic symbol such as the Iowa at Mare Island would be a wonderful addition to the tourism opportunities already in place in the City and the region, Inintoli said, The rich naval history of Mare Island makes for a perfect setting for a highly decorated ship. Hopefully, the Historic Ships effort will result in significant fund-raising needed to make bringing the Iowa to Vallejo a reality, and we applaud their efforts.
USS IOWA is the namesake of the most powerful and fastest class of battleships ever built by the American people. It has teak decks and armor plating 16 inches thick, is three football fields long, and has a displacement of 58,000 tons. Built in 1943 at a cost of $120 million, the ship served as the Air Force One of its day, transporting our nation’s only four-term and handicapped President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, to the Tehran Conference to meet with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. The IOWA is the only U.S. Naval ship with a bathtub, installed to accommodate President Roosevelt on his historic cruise.
USS IOWA was present at the ceremony marking the end of World War II and communicated the events of that day when world peace was achieved. The Roosevelt Institute has named USS IOWA its newest FDR site. Vallejo would be the only city with a floating Presidential site at its waterfront.
During her six decades of service, USS IOWA came to the Bay Area for a variety of reasons – repairs, maintenance, overhaul, dry-dock, decommissioning and recommissioning ceremonies.
On April 20, 2001, USS IOWA arrived in the Bay Area to join the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet (a.k.a. Mothball fleet), in Benicia, where it is today, awaiting a final call of duty.
