Battleship Iowa Being Put in Mothballs Again
The Navy decommissioned the battleship Iowa on Friday, retiring the World War II-era ship that became a casualty of Pentagon budget cuts after an April, 1989, gun turret explosion that killed 47 crewmen.
The Iowa, decommissioned for the third time, is being mothballed six years after a $348.7-million renovation returned it to active duty.
Also being retired is the battleship New Jersey, based in Long Beach, Calif. It is slated to be taken out of service in February. Retirement of the vessels will leave the United States with two active Iowa-class battleships, the Wisconsin and the Missouri.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
