The U.S.S. Iowa, the forerunner of the Iowa Class Battleship, the last class of mighty-mighty US Navy Battleships; the queens of the fleet.

It is sad that she is looking for a home. And the debate around this is even sadder.

The Iowa had a grand history (From Navy.mil):

The third Iowa (BB-61) was laid down at New York Navy Yard, 27 June 1940; launched 27 August 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Henry A. Wallace, wife of Vice President Wallace, and commissioned 22 February 1943, Capt. John L. McCrea in command.

In the fall, Iowa carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Casablanca, French Morocco, on the first leg of his journey to the Teheran Conference in November. After the conference she returned the President to the United States. As flagship of Battleship Division 7, Iowa departed the United States 2 January 1944 for the Pacific Theatre and her combat debut in the campaign for the Marshalls. From 29 January to 3 February, she supported carrier air strikes made by Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman’s task group against Kwajalein and Eniwetok Atolls in the Marshall Islands.

On 18 March, Iowa, flying the flag of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee, Commander Battleships, Pacific, joined in the bombardment of Mili Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Although struck by two Japanese 4.7″ projectiles during the action, Iowa suffered negligible damage. She then rejoined Task Force 58, 30 March, and supported air strikes which continued for several days against the Palau Islands and Woleai of the Carolines.

From 22 to 28 April 1944, Iowa supported air raids on Hollandia, Aitape, and Wake Islands to support Army forces on Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay in New Guinea. She then joined the Task Force’s second strike on Truk, 29-30 April, and bombarded Japanese facilities on Ponape in the Carolines, 1 May.

In the opening phases of the Marianas campaign, Iowa protected the flattops during air strikes on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Rota, and Pagan, 12 June. Iowa was then detached to bombard enemy installations on Saipan and Tinian, 13-14 June. On 19 June, in an engagement known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Iowa, as part of the battle line of Fast Carrier Task Force 58, helped repel four massive air raids launched by the Japanese Middle Fleet. This resulted in the almost complete destruction of Japanese carrier-based aircraft. Iowa then joined in the pursuit of the fleeing enemy fleet, shooting down one torpedo plane and assisting in splashing another.

Iowa entered Tokyo Bay with the occupation forces, 29 August 1945. After serving as Admiral William F. Halsey’s flagship for the surrender ceremony, 2 September 1945, Iowa departed Tokyo Bay 20 September 1945 for the United States.

Arriving Seattle, Wash., 15 October 1945, Iowa returned to Japanese waters in January 1946 and became flagship of the 5th Fleet. She continued this role until she sailed for the United States 25 March 1946. From that time on, until September 1948, Iowa operated from West Coast ports, on Naval Reserve and at sea training and drills and maneuvers with the Fleet. Iowa decommissioned 24 March 1949.

And that was just World War II.
The Iowa would be recommissioned to serve her country in the Korean War, and would be decomissioned again on February 24, 1958.
She would be recomissioned AGAIN, along with the U.S.S. Wisconsin, the U.S.S. Missouri, and the U.S.S. New Jersey, to serve during a navy buildup. While she did not fight in the first Iraq War, two of her sisters did participate in the action.
But her life was not without tragedy:

On 19 April 1989, an explosion of undetermined cause ripped through her Number Two sixteen-inch gun turret killing 47 crewmen. Iowa was still able to deploy to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea in mid-year. Turret Two remained unrepaired when she decommissioned in Norfolk, Va., for the last time 26 October 1990.

She is currently listed in the Reserve Fleet, but is not expected to see action again.

Currently, the Iowa is mothballing in Suisan Bay, San Francisco (a naval reserve) but is about to be scrapped. [Okay, not really.]

Several Years ago, Diane Feinstein fought to get the U.S.S. Iowa to reside in San Francisco proper, to be a museum. But that has come into some scandal as the City Supervisors have denied the the regal battleship rights to dock in the harbor.

From Des Moines Register:

There’s a wonderful model of the USS Iowa in the rotunda of the state Capitol, holding its place of honor because Iowans are proud of the battleship that carried their state’s name through two wars.

The real one – the 45,000-ton, 887-foot-long ship that was decommissioned 15 years ago – is another story. It seemed destined to become a floating museum on the San Francisco waterfront until a week ago.

That’s when it was shot down by leaders of the Democratic Republic of San Francisco.

They’ve decided the USS Iowa should stay the heck out of their peace-loving city.

It’s a warship, you see, a massive symbol of America’s military, and that gives San Francisco’s mayor and Board of Supervisors the creeps.

They also say the military is hostile to homosexuals, and that’s another reason to ban the Iowa.

Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin is quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle as saying, ” . . . a majority of San Franciscans don’t want to see a warship docked here.”

Another supervisor, Ross Mirkarimi, opposes a USS Iowa museum because he doesn’t “want to sink money into a war museum while we’re stuck in a war I don’t support.”

Supervisor Bevan Dufty said he opposes bringing the Iowa to San Francisco because “It’s very difficult to advocate for some military honor thing when people are being harassed and even killed and are unable to serve in the military because they are gay and lesbian.”

And for the first time in my life, I can agree with Diane Feinstein:

At least one lifelong San Franciscan is disgusted by the supervisors’ decision. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a former San Francisco mayor, called the supervisors’ decision “petty.” Particularly because the country is at war.

“This isn’t the San Francisco that I’ve known and loved and grew up in and was born in,” Feinstein told the Chronicle. “I thought that in view of what’s going on and in view of the loss of lives of our men and women, it was a very petty decision.”

Geraldo Sandoval was interviewed by Fox News’ Hannity and Colmes (the video is captured by Expose the Left) This guy was doing okay, explaining that the ship would be an eyesore, being so big, and that it would not fit in the Waterfront, being a tool of war, and not a tool of peace.
Then Hannity popped the question, “Do you think the United States ought to have a military?”
Sandoval’s responce: “No”
The liberal, Colmes, was livid, and made Sandoval repeat the statement, and was aghast that Sandoval was not just anti-military, he didn’t think that having a military was justifiable in his worldview. What was most disturbing to me was the frankness of Sandoval’s statement; he honestly believed this, and felt that his peers believed the same thing.
At that point, Sandoval’s true motive was displayed. I hate the military, I don’t want it anywhere near my city.

And he will get his wish.

But all is not lost for the Iowa, as Iowa-Voice-dot-com explains:

Iowa will still become a museum, it’s just a question of where? As the editorial says, Stockton seems willing to move heaven and earth to accomodate the ship, so that’s where she should go…as soon as the navy strikes her from the registry and officially ends her career and service life.

So Stockton CA it is.