Posted on 08/20/2005 10:25:19 AM PDT by Jet Jaguar
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The USS Iowa joined in battles from World War II to Korea to the Persian Gulf. It carried President Franklin Roosevelt home from the Teheran conference of allied leaders, and four decades later, suffered one of the nation's most deadly military accidents.
Veterans groups and history buffs had hoped that tourists in San Francisco could walk the same teak decks where sailors dodged Japanese machine-gun fire and fired 16-inch guns that helped win battles across the South Pacific.
Instead, it appears that the retired battleship is headed about 80 miles inland, to Stockton, a gritty agricultural port town on the San Joaquin River and home of California's annual asparagus festival.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a former San Francisco mayor, helped secure $3 million to tow the Iowa from Rhode Island to the Bay Area in 2001 in hopes of making touristy Fisherman's Wharf its new home.
But city supervisors voted 8-3 last month to oppose taking in the ship, citing local opposition to the Iraq war and the military's stance on gays, among other things.
"If I was going to commit any kind of money in recognition of war, then it should be toward peace, given what our war is in Iraq right now," Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi said.
Feinstein called it a "very petty decision."
"This isn't the San Francisco that I've known and loved and grew up in and was born in," Feinstein said.
San Francisco's maritime museum already has one military vessel - the USS Pampanito, an attack submarine that sank six Japanese ships during World War II and has about 110,000 visitors a year.
Officials in Stockton couldn't be happier. They've offered a dock on the river, a 90,000-square-foot waterfront building and a parking area, and hope to attract at least 125,000 annual visitors.
After the Korean war, the Iowa was decommissioned and placed in reserve in a Philadelphia shipyard for three decades. In 1988, it was recalled to duty escorting oil supply ships safely in and out danger in the Persian Gulf. In 1989, 47 sailors were killed in an explosion that tore through a gun turret during a training exercise.
The warship, decommissioned by the Navy in 1990, is currently anchored with a mothballed fleet in Suisun Bay, near the mouth of the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta.
San Francisco's rejection of such a storied battleship is a slap in the nation's face, said Douglass Wilhoit, head of Stockton's Chamber of Commerce.
"We're lucky our men and women have sacrificed their lives ... to protect our freedom," Wilhoit said. "Wherever you stand on the war in Iraq ... you shouldn't make a decision based on philosophy."
Rep. Richard W. Pombo, R-Calif., has sponsored legislation authorizing the ship's permanent move to Stockton. Feinstein has countered with a bill to open bidding to any California city.
The two versions will have to be reconciled by a House-Senate conference committee considering the Pentagon spending bill.
AP-ES-08-20-05 1219EDT
don't want to pick a fight, so I'm out. I'll read any reply you poster later on. Best wishes.
Having fun, are you? :-)
wonder what the efective range of those 16in guns is?
I'll just name one. People come from all over California and Nevada, and special trains are run that week from all over the bay area: The Annual Asparagus Festival.
It is also the gateway to the Gold Country, the Wine Country and the Sacramento River Delta.
Yes, Downtown has changed considerably in the last 7 years (that I have experienced).
How long did you work in Stockton? I came here for a large project in 1998, liked what I saw and moved from Marin County. Now there's an infamous place with world-class tourist attractions!
Ok. That's COOL.
"I've only lived in Stockton 7 years."
I lived 8-years in Stockton and found it to be a pretty good place to live. A lot better than San Francisco, that's for sure. I am happy for the city and now have a reason to visit my old stomping grounds.
The best toursist attraction in the area is that mini-mart in French Camp that is done up to look like a flying saucer has crashed into it. My kids ALWAYS want to stop there when we go by.
They don't respect our vets? Cut off federal funds.
Cut off funds now!
OMG, that is a GREAT picture. Just fabulous!
They tossed a 2000 lbs projectile up to 30 miles.
They tossed a 2000 lb projectile up to 30 miles.
http://www.ussalabama.com/
Stop in and see this if you are ever passing down this way.....lots to see....not sure if the SR-71 Blackbird is still there...i think it is...that is awesome to see. The old diesel sub is a hoot also.
2,000 lb projectile 30 miles, wow. thats gotta make an impression.
thanks for the info
Good
Thanks for the link! I will.
LOL!
I haven't managed to find that one yet.
But I do get tons of entertainment commuting up and down I-5 watching the cropdusters at work.
The Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds have nothing over these daredevils (High voltage tower lines, fences, I-5 traffic, trees, cell phone towers radio-TV towers).
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