Senate Resolution 19 - Introduced PAG LIN S.R. ________ H.R. ________ 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY KIBBIE, GRONSTAL, and McKINLEY 1 3 A Resolution to protect and preserve the battleship 1 4 USS Iowa. 1 5 WHEREAS, in the late 1930s grave threats emerged to 1 6 America's seapower, as the Nazis began construction of 1 7 the 50,000=ton Bismarck and the Empire of Japan began 1 8 construction of a 71,000=ton leviathan, the Yamato; 1 9 and 1 10 WHEREAS, America countered those threats with the 1 11 45,000=ton "Iowa" class of fast battleships, the 1 12 ultimate in the evolution of the capital ship and also 1 13 its last hurrah; and 1 14 WHEREAS, BB=61, the USS Iowa, was built when a 1 15 generation of Americans, including many Iowans, united 1 16 in an enormous mission == to stop the forces of 1 17 tyranny in World War II; and 1 18 WHEREAS, the battleship was completed in 1943, 1 19 serving our nation for over five decades in almost 1 20 every major deployment of our armed services, and was 1 21 President Franklin D. Roosevelt's personal battleship, 1 22 outfitted with a Presidential cabin; and 1 23 WHEREAS, the USS Iowa completed her World War II 1 24 service in the Pacific theater anchored in Tokyo Bay 1 25 as part of the Japanese surrender ceremonies in 1945, 1 26 and later served in the Korean War; and 1 27 WHEREAS, the USS Iowa earned nine battle stars for 1 28 World War II service and two for Korean War service; 1 29 and 1 30 WHEREAS, the venerable ship was decommissioned for 2 1 the last time in 1990 and is currently berthed with 2 2 the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay, near 2 3 San Francisco, California; and 2 4 WHEREAS, the State of Iowa has formally expressed 2 5 its support for the preservation of the USS Iowa, and 2 6 the Iowa and California congressional delegations have 2 7 worked to assure that the USS Iowa is placed at a 2 8 location that is in the best interest of our nation; 2 9 and 2 10 WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of the Navy has 2 11 declared the proposal of Historic Ships Memorial at 2 12 Pacific Square, a nonprofit corporation, to berth the 2 13 USS Iowa in the San Francisco Bay Area at historic 2 14 Mare Island, Vallejo, California, to be the sole 2 15 remaining viable bid for preserving the USS Iowa as a 2 16 museum and memorial; and 2 17 WHEREAS, former Governors Robert D. Ray and Terry 2 18 E. Branstad and former Governor and current United 2 19 States Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack 2 20 serve as honorary chairpersons of efforts to preserve 2 21 the USS Iowa as a national museum and memorial, truly 2 22 a source of pride for all Iowans; and 2 23 WHEREAS, those efforts include restoration of the 2 24 USS Iowa and future service as an educational museum 2 25 and tourist attraction, and perhaps, with her many 2 26 facilities still intact, service as an emergency 2 27 response center; and 2 28 WHEREAS, the restoration and preservation of the 2 29 USS Iowa will honor all veterans of the State of Iowa, 2 30 inspire youth, and educate the public; NOW THEREFORE 3 1 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 3 2 supports current efforts to restore and preserve the 3 3 USS Iowa as a museum ship and a living memorial to all 3 4 those who served on her, and urges all Iowans to join 3 5 in these efforts. 3 6 LSB 2697SS 83 3 7 jr/rj/5.1