USS Iowa, the last of the WWII-era battleships, finds a final resting place

After decades of action and several stints in mothballs, the USS Iowa has found a new home in San Pedro, Calif., where she will become a museum. The Iowa, one of America’s last battleships, has a storied past that includes tours in World War II, Korea, and the Cold War.

She was the first of four fast battleships built during World War II, giving the name “Iowa” to her class.  “The Iowas were the fastest U.S. battleships at [40 mph],” said Paul Stillwell, a naval historian who served aboard the New Jersey. And with nine 16-inch guns the Iowas were, in Stillwell’s words, “beautiful, fast, awesome and inspiring.”

July 04, 2012, 11:04pm / 13