Congratulations to you and your Father Dakotan.
I am SO Jealous!
But it sounds like he deserves it.
Battleships and Nuclear Missiles are the Most Complex Instruments ever created by Humans.
Your Father must be one Hell of Man to both Manned them and created them both.
Did he Fight in WW2, Korea or the 80's?
The Iowa Class has had such an extensive History once should not assume.
Here is most of the Pictures we took in Suisun Bay.
I still can't get over how BIG that ship was.
As You can see those Years in Storage weren't kind to her.
I bet your Father was pleased that she has been restored to a more proper state reflecting a ship of her status.
I'd bet your Father would like this Documentary about Battleships. I practically modeled my whole life around it when I was a kid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4F_2GKSOOE
Thank you for your kind words. In reward thereof, I'll share some photos of the
inside of the Iowa. These spaces are still off limits to the general public, but as I mentioned we had unlimited access. Pacific Battleship staff provided a flashlight, and a few words of advice, like "don't touch anything that looks like it could carry current". Also, "don't push
any buttons!"
Here goes.
Here is my father looking out from the bridge. 60 years ago the same eyes stood watch looking out the same windows.
Here's my son (his grandson) at his last station for GQ
I was impressed with how the Navy mothballed the ship and the condition of every item aboard. Everything was tied down where it belonged, and everywhere there are boxes and boxes of books. They are all the manuals on how each piece of equipment is to be restored or operated.
In CIC, much (most) of the equipment came online when it was powered up. Note the plywood covers over the glass screens.
Shell handling equipment. Neatly packed, just waiting for someone to re-arm the ship. Note the plastic ducts for dry air circulation.
The boiler rooms are well preserved too. The most interesting part of the day for me was to listen to other crew members talk. Here a former Chief Electrician's Mate is telling his sons how to bring a turbo generator on line. Step by step - from memory.
One of the main engine control stations. Note the brown anti-corrosive paint and all the tags. If a plug had to be removed or valve opened to drain a boiler or tank, it was wired in place with a card telling who had done it and why. 
Cheers!