While some people will head to the theaters to watch the movie Battleship there is an opportunity to see a real live one.
This weekend marks the end of an era in United States Naval History.
The USS Iowa, also known as The Big Stick, will head of of San Francisco Bay and head south to San Pedro where it will become a museum. This will be the last time a battleship will ever sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Iowa, namesake for the last class of battleships built by the US Navy, is a huge part of the history of the US Navy and the United States itself. It was the ship that carried FDR to Yalta, the ship that hosted Ronald Reagan for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Statue of Liberty, and it is the last battleship to be retired.
For the last year it has been undergoing rehabilitation and repair at the port of Richmond.
Recently I had the great pleasure of touring the vessel with museum curator Tom Way and was amazed at the way the ship has been (and is being) restored. From the bridge to the engine room there were areas that looked like the crew just stepped away for a short break.
As we passed by crew berths I couldn’t help thinking of the many men who have served on board over the years and the amazing history that took place there. David was an amazing source of information, pointing out the little details you might otherwise miss.
The ship will open as a permanent museum in San Pedro this summer but this weekend you have a great chance to see history in the making.
For those in the area, the USS Jeremiah O’Brien will be hosting a champagne cruise as they escort the Iowa under the Golden Gate bridge. The ticket sales will all benefit the Jeremiah O’Brien museum.
The O’Brien itself is a piece of history, one of only two liberty ships left and the only one to return to D-Day for anniversary celebrations.
If you don’t want to spend the money on the cruise there will be plenty of places to view the ship as it sails out of the bay, or if you aren’t local I would expect the news networks to cover the voyage.
If you want to check out more details on the future museum check out the site here