“WTF we dont keep a ready reserve fleet anymore?”
Well, there was a large “reserve fleet” moored in the Sacramento River just upstream from the Benicia Bridge that took up residence after WWII. Probably 40 ships, mostly Llibertys and Victorys. They are all gone now. Even the Glomar Explorer ( the Howard Hughes ship that recovered the Russian nuclear sub) is gone. But this stuff would have been just cannon fodder if put into service today, so it’s nice to have it all gone cause it was an eyesore.
So when the USS Iowa was there that was an eyesore ?