USS Iowa Begins Final Voyage To Port Of Los Angeles
RICHMOND (CBS) — The USS Iowa left the Port of Richmond Saturday morning for Los Angeles where it will become a floating museum.
Robert Kent, president of the Pacific Battleship Center in Los Angeles, told KCBS' Anna Duckworth, the delay in towing the battleship south due to rough seas along the coast ended up being fantastic timing.
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"We know that the delay was for a reason and what better day to leave then this beautiful Saturday with the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge occurring at the same time. It couldn't be better," he said.
It will take three to four days for the battleship to be towed. It will first be anchored off the coast for cleaning and is expected to dock in Los Angeles on June 2.
The museum will include a tour of the captain's cabin where President Franklin D. Roosevelt stayed for 33 days when he was on board.
Built in 1943 and decommissioned in 1990, the USS Iowa also served in the Korean War and is the country's last World War II-era battleship.
Kent says the center raised $8 million to preserve the battleship so it's rich history can be shared with the public.
