I tried "Battleship USS Iowa" which made "Museum of America's greatest warship" itself a museum

Iowa (Iowa), the best American wrestler who afflicted Japan during the Second World War, is moored on Los Angeles Long Beach after retirement. From 2012, I got on Iowa which is open to the public as a museum and tried to experience the history of the US Navy.

Los Angeles Museum | Battleship USS Iowa
https://www.pacificbattleship.com/

The place where Iowa is moored is here. It is Long Beach in southern Los Angeles.


To Iowa anchoring on Long Beach, we decided to go south downtown from the Metro rail blue line.


Eventually I will head to the battleship Iowa by bus, but there are many routes. This time, I got off at the 1st St station and transferred to the bus.


Wait for 142 bus at the bus stop 1 minute on foot from the station.


Such a bus.


Get off at the nearest stop in Iowa and go on foot.


There was a 16-inch cannon on the sidewalk. You can realize that you are approaching Iowa.


When I walked for about 2 minutes, I saw the masses of Iowa.


If you look at the ocean you will notice a giant that will come into your eyes.


The closer you get closer, the more powerful you will gain.


Iowa's total length is 270 meters. Even if you try to take pictures from the bow, only about half of the hull will fit in the frame with a lens of about 28 mm in 35 mm equivalent.


Level that can not be confirmed even if wide angle shooting is done with GoPro.


Overwhelming scale



It tells that three barrels are battleships.



Control Tower


From the time of World War II to the Korean War, "Iowa" with a high calling with the best warship of America's history has already retired and can be viewed as a museum.


This is a ticket sales booth.


Admission is $ 19.95 (about 2200 yen) for adults, $ 11.95 for dwarfs under 11 years old (about 1300 yen), free for children under 5 years old. Credit cards were available for payment.


A pretty cool ticket.


So I will get on Iowa.


An agent is waiting on the deck, and the group also holds a tour to explain the ship's inside.


Directions starting from the deck and going around the ship are indicated by yellow arrows and it is OK according to this. Reverse running is prohibited.


A 50 caliber gun welcoming you first. To overwhelming force, I will be overwhelmed.


Head to the bow with three triple guns aside.


Cannonballs exhibited casually.


The mooring rope is also huge.


Compared with iPhone 6s, the thickness of the rope is obvious.


Iowa seen from the front deck.


The deck had benches in various places and was able to take a break. Given the enormous nature of Iowa, I can not help benches.



A person who receives an explanation in front of a triple gun.


It was closed with a wooden lid.


The caliber is the size that human beings fit comfortably.


The bullet to be launched is also huge.


When I made a U - turn to go around the bow, there was a peep window for reconnaissance.



There are explanatory diagrams at major points, so you can understand their role.


Huge bullets are also placed casually.


Flag bridge seen from the deck.


Walk backward and head for the inside of the ship.


Open door


From here Iwa's onboard boat course started.


First there is a space where a lot of Iowa's photos are displayed.


It seems that 16 inch guns are released. In addition, there was a signature of Mr. Jhon L. McCrea of ​​the first captain of Iowa in this picture.


Besides models and ...


Equipment was exhibited.



The state of dinner.


It seems that a dinner party was held with this long table.


I will go further to the inside of the ship. The Iowa museum can freely go and go inside the ship, except where it is sealed by ropes.


From the first floor to the second floor.


You can see the room for Senior Officer.



Once out of the boat.


Exective Officer's room


There were furniture such as long sofa and fine desk.


I went back to the ship again.


Spacious reception room.


TIME magazine is displayed in a big table.


This is the office used by President Franklin Roosevelt.


The state of the time was reproduced.


Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill The picture of the three leaders.


A desk which the US highest commander would have used.


Photos of President Ronald Reagan and the couple were also displayed.


The bed that the successive president would have used.


There is also a private bus.


When going outside the ship, twin mount with 5 inch / 38 caliber.



Inside is like this.


It seems that it operated with a lot of crew.


Go up the stairs to the Flag Bridge.


Before that is the Conning Tower where the commander was.


There were a lot of handsets for contact.


One of the most scenic places in Iowa.


You can see 3 cannons on the bow.


Go up further ...


Like this.


Fire control system


CIWS Defense System



This huge box ......


AFT missile deck



16 inch fire control system


HARPOON cruise missile



5 inch 38 caliber cannon





At the place where my stomach filled with weapons, I went inside the ship.


A general soldier's bedroom. There is only a width that light hands reach reaching the back wall.



I will go down the steep stairs.


In the corridor ......


Numerous photos.


Iowa's mascot dog "Vicky"


Captain McCrea's dog.


A large amount of food was brought in Iowa to fill the stomach of 2,500 crew members.


834 tons of ingredients for the 119 day voyage.



The front of the two doors is the dining room.


There was also a baking oven in the kitchen.


This is the cafeteria



Sink to wash dishes


There was also an ice cream server.


Beyond the dining hall ...


Exhibition space of various materials.



The hatch cover which brought damage in battle.


It is a fan controller.


Switch for signal


A huge model of USS Missouri (BB - 63) was also exhibited.



The last area of ​​the ship is a souvenir shop.


A lot of Iowa related goods were sold.








When going out to the back deck, helicopter "HUP - 2 RETRIEVER"


There is a huge space behind ... ...


There was a heliport.


View from the back.


A famous kissing photo of a sailor and a nurse "Victory kiss"Iowa show is finished with the model.


While going down the rising slope ......


In retrospect, I was able to feel the enormousness of Iowa anew.