A Tour of the USS Iowa: San Pedro’s Military Relic
Our USS Battleship helicopter tour gives you a taste of the Queen Mary’s glory, but the real gem is the USS Iowa! After cruising over both Huntington Beach and Seal Beach, you’ll head up to the main leg of the tour to a World War II vessel with decades of history. Let’s dive in and learn more about what makes the USS Iowa so incredible!
The USS Iowa (BB-61) got her start on July 1, 1939 before officially launching on August 27, 1942. Over the course of 50 years, she was commissioned three separate times until 1990 for WWII, Korean War, and Cold War operations. It wasn’t until decades later in 2012 that the USS Iowa arrived at the Port of Los Angeles by tugboats. At her permanent home, she now hosts daily tours, occasional television shoots, military ceremonies, special exhibits and a lot more – a far cry from the helicopters, floatplanes and 2,700-person crew of her past.
When we cruise over the USS Iowa, you can see her in all her glory! Although smaller than her neighbor the Queen Mary, the USS Iowa packs a big punch and features NINE of the massive 16”/50 cal Mark 7 guns.
Length: 887 feet, 3 inches
Beam: 108 feet, 2 inches
Standard Displacement: 45,000 tons
33 knots (38 mph)
And THE BIG GUNS, including:
Nine x 16”/50 cal Mark 7 guns
Mass: 267,904 lb
Barrel Length 66”8’
Muzzle Velocity: Up to 2,690 ft/s