USS Iowa

Since our planes did not leave until the afternoon, we had a bit of time once we got off the cruise boat. We took a walk around the pier and then toured the USS Iowa when it opened.

Stuffing all the bags in a locker.

USS Iowa with the Quantum of the Seas right behind it.

Picture of the USS Iowa from the Oct 30, 1944 LIFE magazine.

Me with the anchors at the bow (front) of USS Iowa.

16 inch projectile

Me holding a powder bag.

We went on the President's tour where we got to see some behind-the-scenes places including where FDR lived when on the USS Iowa. It ended up being just Cheryl-Lynn and Me on the tour which was nice. The USS Iowa transported FDR to Algeria in 1943 en route to the Tehran Conference.

Some pictures from when FDR was on the battleship.

Me and CL at the dining table.

Replica of FDR's wheelchair

List of those on the boat with FDR.

Admiral William D. Leahy

General George C. Marshall

Admiral Ernest J. King

General Henry H. Arnold

Harry L. Hopkins

Franklin D. Roosevelt

This is our guide, Phillip Browning. He was a wealth of information and very enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge.

The living area in FDR's quarters. They removed the bottom part of the doors to accommodate the wheelchair.

Bosun's chair used to get FDR on and off the USS Iowa.

The one bathtub on a naval ship.

FDR's bed

Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill at the Tehran Conference.

USS Iowa's travels

 Me on the bridge

Bunks of enlisted men. They were not super comfortable and so men often slept on the outside decks.

CL getting her food.

Me in the cafeteria

Cheryl-Lynn and Me with a naval helicopter

Our guide had told us about a model of the USS Iowa we would see as we toured the boat. Except we did not see it. When we asked a worker about it, he told us the area was closed to tourists due to the renovations. He then asked us if we wanted to see it. So we got our own private tour of a closed off part of the boat. Plus the man studied archaeology and so was a wealth of information if Megan decides to go into that field.

USS Iowa model

We went to the Long Beach airport where we got some lunch. We then flew home.

Me at Long Beach airport

It was a nice trip. I am glad I got to spend some good time with my sister (and parents at Disney).