SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

Remembering 9/11

There isn't much we can say about the day twenty-three years ago that shocked the world and reshaped America as we knew it.

Anyone who was old enough to experience in some way the events of that day remembers exactly where they were when they first learned of the attacks.

IOWA, of course, was decommissioned then, but she was built in New York and made multiple appearances there over the years. Members of her current crew have strong ties to that day - including one first responder who was sent to the World Trade Center site hours after the towers fell.

For them and all those directly affected by those tragedies, we remember...

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01 Deck Project Update

More Battleship Archaeology

Our favorite battleship archaeologist, Chief Dave Moser, and the Ops team are hard at work on the 01 deck restoration and the port side is yielding some interesting finds.

For example, the area had 40 mm gun mounts in the 1940s. They would have looked similar to this one near Turret 3.

View of a battleship deck with sailors standing in formation; a large American flag flies at the stern. Echoing moments preserved by archaeology, a yellow arrow points to a specific gun turret or area on the ship’s superstructure.

When our team pulled up the teak that covered the steel structure on the 01 port, they found the outline of the mount that was there during World War II.

A large yellow arrow is painted on a rusty metal deck of a ship, pointing left. The deck is weathered, evoking an atmosphere of industrial archaeology, with railings and equipment visible along the edge by the water.

A rusty, weathered metal surface with a faint circular imprint in the center evokes a sense of archaeology. A yellow arrow points at the mark, and part of a metal structure and rope bench are visible in the upper corners.

Remnants of gun emplacement and splinter shield

A rusty metal surface with many bolts and corrosion, possibly part of an old ship deck or dock, evokes a sense of archaeology in action, with water and a white railing visible in the background.

Close up of where gun mount would have been

In the center of the half circle that is the outline you can see a set of smaller circles (photo above left). Those mark the spot where the guns and splinter shield would have been attached.

Stay tuned for further pictures and updates as more of the deck is cleaned and details reveal themselves.

Checking In With "Dr. Wood"

We also caught up with Stan "Dr. Wood" Sato. He's saving as much of that incredible teak as he can and even he is finding fascinating things.

In the photo below right, he holds a piece of oakum - the substance used to "caulk" the seams between planks. We're trying to determine which era of the ship's service lives it would have come from. It's entirely possible this oakum is from the original deck!

A stack of rough, weathered wooden boards with uneven edges and visible grain, piled outdoors in sunlight, evokes a sense of archaeology—each board bearing the marks and textures that hint at stories from the past.

Person wearing a name badge and knee pads holds a rusty metal beam with a piece of rope tied through a hole, possibly as part of an archaeology project. Other beams and construction materials are visible in the background.

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Blood Drive At IOWA

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be on the dock by Battleship IOWA this Saturday, Sept. 14th from 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM.

If you'd like to give blood, click the button below the photo to sign up.

You can make a difference!

Our annual Freedom of the Seas Awards take place October 19th, 2024. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Contact Development Director Kyle Aube for details.

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A 9/11 Tribute and More Battleship Archaeology