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Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square

USS Iowa is poised to become a national icon and attraction in an unprecedented manner at the West Coast's oldest naval facility, Mare Island, Vallejo. Mare Island and Vallejo witnessed some of the most intensive naval ship building in history through WWI, WWII, the Cold War. USS IOWA at this intact naval facility promises to be one of America's most potent time capsules. USS Iowa at Mare Island promises to be a uniquely educational and moving experience.

Visitors will be allowed to tour virtually every aspect of the USS Iowa. Nearly three football fields long, USS Iowa is one of the largest floating objects in San Francisco Bay. Tours will be both self-guided and guided. Visitors will be amazed as they walk the nearly 46,000 square feet of teak decks. Guests will visit USS Iowa's enormous engine rooms, tour her huge galley that fed 3,000 sailors a day, sit inside her sophisticated gunnery and fire control rooms and, of course, visit the huge guns that could hurl a 2,700 pound shell almost 24 miles, and climb inside turrets within an armor belt over 16-inches thick. Everything about the battleship is enormous. Overnight programs and re-enactments will make history come alive. Extensive museum exhibits will add yet another exceptional educational dimension. A tour aboard the USS Iowa is a exploration and learning experience powered by one of the most enduring, powerful and sophisticated ships ever conceived.

NOW EVERYONE CAN HELP IN THE EFFORTS TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE…
TOUR OF THE NAVY RESERVE FLEET (Temporary home of the USS IOWA)

Now you can see the U.S.S. Iowa (BB-61) moored at the inactive ship facility in Suisun Bay, California by taking a boat tour with HSMPS staff and former IOWA crewmembers that take these trips to the IOWA, answering questions about the battleship and her future here in the Bay Area. This is a real chance to hear first hand, stories from former crew members about President Roosevelt's trip aboard IOWA, the surrender ceremony marking the end of World War II when IOWA steamed alongside sister ship MISSOURI, or what is was like being on the gun line during the Korean War. Want to know how it felt to fire IOWA's main battery and serve our nation in some of its most defining and historic moments? This may be an opportunity to learn from those who were served on the IOWA. Hear how the IOWA was brought to Suisun Bay.
These hour and 45 minute trips aboard the 40 foot M/V JOURNEY take you to within 500 feet of the battleship. During these cruises, you get a great view of one of America's most historic and powerful ships. As you linger off the starboard side of the IOWA, the breath and majesty of the BB-61 are simply staggering to behold and the photographic opportunities outstanding. This is definitely one of the best ways to see the IOWA, which is not open to the public yet. While viewing the battleship, you are also treated to a tour of one of the largest reserve fleet sites on the West Coast, destroyers, cruisers, oilers, merchant ships--an amazing fleet of almost 100 vessels.

For more information on the PUBLIC TOURS of the navy reserve fleet
Click here!

For more information on PRIVATE GROUP TOURS of the navy reserve fleet
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To learn more about how you can help with the iowa/mare island project
Go to the hsmps website by clicking here