The USS
Iowa
(BB-61) was the lead ship in the United States Navy's last, and most battle-worthy, battleship class, which also included the
New Jersey
,
Wisconsin
, and
Missouri
. This volume explores
Iowa'
s design, construction, launching, and commissioning, as well as its extensive wartime activities in both World War II and Korea. Also covered are its post-Korea years in the reserve "mothball fleet," recommissioning in 1984, and coverage of the tragic 1989 turret explosion that killed forty-seven sailors. The carefully researched photos, many of which have never before been published, are reproduced in remarkable clarity, and coupled with descriptive and informative captions, this book puts the reader on the deck of this historic warship throughout her history.