Allied Warships

USS Iowa (BB 61)

Battleship of the Iowa class

USS Iowa as seen in early 1944.

Navy	The US Navy
Type	Battleship
Class	Iowa
Pennant	BB 61
Built by	New York Navy Yard (New York, New York, U.S.A.)
Ordered	1 Jul 1939
Laid down	27 Jun 1940
Launched	27 Aug 1942
Commissioned	22 Feb 1943
End service	26 Oct 1990
History	Brief summary of her wartime service. Damaged by grounding in Casco Bay on 16 July 1943, repaired at Boston. Briefly operated in the North Atlantic to guard against Tirpitz, then carried President Roosevelt to Casablanca, late 1943. Transferred to the Pacific early 1944 and operated in that ocean for the remainder of the war, mainly in support of the fast carrier task forces; also saw some shore bombardment duty. Decommissioned 24 March 1949. Recommissioned 24 August 1951. Decommissioned 25 February 1958. Recommissioned 28 April 1984. Decommissioned 26 October 1990. Stricken 12 January 1995 but retained as a parts source. Reinstated on the Naval Vessels Register and returned to reserve status on 4 January 1999. On 15 October 2001 the Iowa became the state of California Governors Disaster Center in San Francisco Harbor, the Iowa was towed there from the East coast through the Pannama Canal to it's old World War II Homeport.

Commands listed for USS Iowa (BB 61)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

	Commander	From	To
1	T/R.Adm. John Livingstone McCrea, USN	22 Feb 1943	16 Aug 1944
2	T/R.Adm. Allan Rockwell McCann, USN	16 Aug 1944	28 Nov 1944
3	T/R.Adm. James Lemuel Holloway, Jr., USN	28 Nov 1944	25 Jul 1945
4	T/Capt. Charles Wellborn, Jr., USN	25 Jul 1945	Nov 1945

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Notable events involving Iowa include:

The wartime history of USS Iowa as compiled on this page is extracted from her logbooks and action reports.

This page was last updated in February 2017.

24 Mar 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) shifted from the New York Navy Yard to Bayonne, New York where she was docked.

29 Mar 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) was undocked. She then shifted to Gravesend Bay where she anchored.

12 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Gravesend Bay, New York to begin her sea trials. She was escorted by USS Gillespie (Cdr. C.C. Clement, USN), USS Dyson (Cdr. R.A. Gano, USN) and USS Brownson (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Maher, USN).

13 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted sea trials off New York. She was escorted by USS Gillespie (Cdr. C.C. Clement, USN), USS Dyson (Cdr. R.A. Gano, USN) and USS Brownson (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Maher, USN).

14 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed New York for Hampton Roads, Virginia. She was escorted by USS Gillespie (Cdr. C.C. Clement, USN), USS Dyson (Cdr. R.A. Gano, USN) and USS Brownson (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Maher, USN).

15 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

19 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

23 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

29 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

30 Apr 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

3 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

4 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

5 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

6 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

7 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

8 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

9 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

10 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

11 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

12 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

19 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

20 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

23 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Hampton Roads, Virginia for New York. She was escorted by USS Stevenson (Lt.Cdr. F.E. Wilson, USN), USS Stockton (Lt.Cdr. R.E. Braddy, Jr., USN) and USS Ringgold (Cdr. T.F. Conley, Jr., USN).

24 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Bayonne, New York where she was immediately docked.

28 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) was undocked. She then anchored in Gravesend Bay.

31 May 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Gravesend Bay for Casco Bay, Maine. She was escorted by USS Hobby (Cdr. E. Blake, USN), USS Kalk (Cdr. C.T. Singleton, Jr., USN) and USS Gillespie (Cdr. C.C. Clement, USN).

1 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Casco Bay, Maine.

3 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises off Casco Bay, Maine. She was escorted by USS Kidd (Lt.Cdr. A.B. Roby, Sr., USN) and USS Abbot (Cdr. C.E. Carroll, USN).

4 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises off Casco Bay, Maine. She was escorted by USS Kidd (Lt.Cdr. A.B. Roby, Sr., USN) and USS Abbot (Cdr. C.E. Carroll, USN).

5 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises off Casco Bay, Maine. She was escorted by USS Kidd (Lt.Cdr. A.B. Roby, Sr., USN) and USS Abbot (Cdr. C.E. Carroll, USN).

6 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises off Casco Bay, Maine. She was escorted by USS Kidd (Lt.Cdr. A.B. Roby, Sr., USN) and USS Abbot (Cdr. C.E. Carroll, USN).

10 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises off Casco Bay, Maine together with USS Texas (Capt. R. Pfaff, USN). They were escorted by USS Terry (Cdr. G.R. Phelan, USN), USS Walker (Cdr. O.F. Gregor, USN), USS Bulmer (Lt.Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN) and USS Barker (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Miller, USN).

15 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted trials and exercises off Casco Bay, Maine. She was escorted by USS Hobby (Cdr. E. Blake, USN), USS Kalk (Cdr. C.T. Singleton, Jr., USN) and USS Gillespie (Cdr. C.C. Clement, USN). Upon completion of these trials and exercises she departed for New York.

16 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Gravesend Bay, New York. She then started disembarking all aircraft and ammunition.

17 Jun 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) completed de-ammunitioning and then proceeded to the New York Navy Yard for a post shakedown overhaul.

2 Jul 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) was docked at the New York Navy Yard.

5 Jul 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) was undocked.

10 Jul 1943
Having completed her post shakedown overhaul, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), shifted from the New York Navy Yard to Gravesend Bay.

15 Jul 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted a full power trial off New York. During this trial run she was escorted by USS Stevens (Cdr. F.H. Ball, USN), USS Hudson (Cdr. W.R. Smedberg III, USN) and USS Ringgold (Cdr. T.F. Conley, Jr., USN).

16 Jul 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Casco Bay, Maine. Upon arriving there she struck a rock causing some damage to the ships bottom.

20 Jul 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) shifted from Casco Bay to the Boston Navy Yard.

25 Jul 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) was docked at the Boston Navy Yard.

16 Aug 1943
With the repairs to the hull completed, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), was undocked.

28 Aug 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Boston for Argentia, Newfoundland. She was escorted by USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

30 Aug 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Placentia Sound, Argentia, Newfoundland.

6 Sep 1943
During 6 and 7 September 1943, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

16 Sep 1943
From 16 to 20 September 1943, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

28 Sep 1943
During 28 and 29 September 1943, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

1 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

3 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) proceeded to sea to ride out a gale at sea. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

4 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) returned to her anchorage at Little Placentia Bay, Newfoundland.

5 Oct 1943
During 5 and 6 October 1943, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

11 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

12 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

13 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), conducted exercises off Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

21 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Placentia Bay, Newfoundland for Hampton Roads, Virginia. She was escorted by destroyers from DesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

24 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Hampton Roads, Virginia.

25 Oct 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) shifted to Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Viginia.

6 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) shifted to Hampton Roads, Viginia.

7 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

8 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

11 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) conducted exercises in Chesapeake Bay.

13 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Chesapeake Bay for Mers El Kebir, Algeria. She is escorted by USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN), USS William D. Porter (Cdr. W.A. Walter, USN) and USS Young (Cdr. G.B. Madden, USN).

Iowa had on board President Roosevelt, Secretary of State Cordell Hull, Chief of Staff Admiral William D. Leahy, Chief of Staff of the Army General George C. Marshall, Chief of Naval Operations Ernest King, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces Henry Arnold, Harry Hopkins to Mers El Kébir, Algeria, This was the first leg of their journey to the Tehran Conference.

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

15 Nov 1943
Around 0900 hours, USS Hall (Cdr. J.F. Delaney, Jr., USN), USS Halligan (Cdr. C.E. Cortner, USN) and USS Macomb (Cdr. J.C. South, USN) took over the escort of USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN).

17 Nov 1943
Around 1345 hours, USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN) took over the escort of USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN).

19 Nov 1943
Around 1100 hours, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) and her escort; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN) joined USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and her escort; USS Trippe (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Edison (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN), HMS Troubridge (Capt. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Teazer (Lt.Cdr. A.A.F. Talbot, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Tyrian (Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN). In the afternoon USS Ellson, USS Rodman and USS Emmons were detached.

20 Nov 1943
The battleship USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Mers El Kebir where her 'passengers' left the ship.

She departed Mers El Kebir later the same day to proceed to Bahia, Brazil.

At sea she (re-)joined the light cruiser USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and the destroyers USS Trippe (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Edison (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN), HMS Troubridge (Capt. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Teazer (Lt.Cdr. A.A.F. Talbot, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Tyrian (Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN). The light cruiser HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.T. Addis, RN) had also departed Mers-el-Kebir and joined them.

21 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) passed Gibaltar Straits westbound into the Atlantic.

Around 0540 hours, HMS Sheffield, departed the formation.

Around 0820 hours, USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN) arrived to take over the escort of USS Iowa and USS Brooklyn (Capt. R.W. Cary, Jr., USN) and her escort; USS Trippe (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Williams, USN), USS Edison (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Pearce, USN), HMS Troubridge (Capt. C.L. Firth, MVO, RN), HMS Teazer (Lt.Cdr. A.A.F. Talbot, DSO and Bar, RN) and HMS Tyrian (Cdr. C.W. Greening, RN) departed the formation and set course for Gibraltar.

25 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) refuelled her escorting destroyers at sea.

29 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Bahia, Brazil.

30 Nov 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Bahia, Brazil for Freetown, Sierra Leone. Again she was escorted by ComDesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

3 Dec 1943
Around 1500 hours, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) and her escort, was joined by ComDesRon 51; USS Hall (Cdr. J.F. Delaney, Jr., USN), USS Halligan (Cdr. C.E. Cortner, USN) and USS Macomb (Cdr. J.C. South, USN).

4 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone.

6 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Freetown, Sierra Leone for Dakar, Senegal, French West Africa. Yet again she was escorted by ComDesRon 10; USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

9 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Dakar where the President of the United States and his party joined for passage back the U.S.A.

Iowa departed later the same day with her destroyer escort.

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

11 Dec 1943
Around 2230 hours USS Hall (Cdr. J.F. Delaney, Jr., USN), USS Halligan (Cdr. C.E. Cortner, USN) and USS Macomb (Cdr. J.C. South, USN) took over the escort of USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) from USS Ellyson (Lt.Cdr. E.W. Longton, USN), USS Rodman (Cdr. J.F. Foley, USN) and USS Emmons (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Billingsley, USN) which were then detached.

13 Dec 1943
Around 1715 hours USS Halsey Powell (Cdr. W.T. McGarry, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), USS Wadleigh (Cdr. W.C. Winn, USN) took over the escort of USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) from USS Hall (Cdr. J.F. Delaney, Jr., USN), USS Halligan (Cdr. C.E. Cortner, USN) and USS Macomb (Cdr. J.C. South, USN) which were then detached.

16 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Hampton Roads, Virginia where the President and his party left the ship.

18 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) shifted to Naval Operating Base Norfolk.

20 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) shifted to the Norfolk Navy Yard.

24 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) is docked at the Norfolk Navy Yard.

30 Dec 1943
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) is undocked and then proceeded to Hampton Roads.

2 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Hampton Roads, Virginia for the Panama Canal Zone. Iowa is proceed to the Pacific.

Passage was made together with sister ship USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN). The battleships were escorted by ComDesDiv 38; USS Welles (Cdr. D.M. Coffee, USN), USS Gillespie (Cdr. J.S. Fahy, USN), USS Hobby (Cdr. G.W. Pressy, USN) and USS Kalk (Lt.Cdr. H.D. Fuller, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

6 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived in the Panama Canal Zone. She passed the Gatun Locks and then anchored in Gaton Lake.

7 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) completed the transit of the Panama Canal and arrived at Balboa.

8 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Balboa for the South Central Pacific Operating Area. She was still in company with USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) and still escorted by ComDesDiv 38; USS Welles (Cdr. D.M. Coffee, USN), USS Gillespie (Cdr. J.S. Fahy, USN), USS Hobby (Cdr. G.W. Pressy, USN) and USS Kalk (Lt.Cdr. H.D. Fuller, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

12 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) and USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) refuelled their escorting destroyers at sea.

16 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) and USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) refuelled their escorting destroyers at sea.

20 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) and USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) refuelled their escorting destroyers at sea.

22 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Funafuti Atoll.

23 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Funafuti Atoll for operation FLINTLOCK, the invasion of the Marshall Islands.

Iowa was part of the cover force for the attacks / landings and was part of Task Force 58 which was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 58.1
Aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (Capt. M.B. Gardner, USN), USS Yorktown (Capt. J.J. Clark, USN), light carrier USS Belleau Wood (Capt. A.M. Pride, USN), battleships USS Massachusetts (Capt. T.D. Ruddock, Jr., USN), USS Indiana (Capt. J.M. Steele, USN), USS Washington (Capt. J.E. Maher, USN), light cruiser USS Oakland (Capt. W.K. Phillips, USN) and the destroyers USS Clarence K. Bronson (Lt.Cdr. J.C. McGoughran, USN), USS Cotten (Cdr. F.T. Sloat, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. W.J. Miller, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (Cdr. F. Virden, USN).

This task force attacked Maloelap on 29 January 1944 and Kwajalein from 30 January to 3 February 1944.

Task Group 58.2
Aircraft carriers USS Essex (Capt. R.A. Ofstie, USN), USS Intrepid (Capt. T.L. Sprague, USN), light carrier USS Cabot (Capt. M.F. Schoeffel, USN), battleships USS South Dakota (Capt. A.E. Smith, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. F.D. Kirtland, USN), USS North Carolina (Capt. F.P. Thomas, USN), light cruiser USS San Diego (Capt. L.J. Hudson, USN), destroyers USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), USS Miller (Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. C.H. Crichton, USN), USS Hickox (Cdr. W.M. Sweetser, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. C.H. Lyman, 3rd, USN), USS Sterett (Lt.Cdr. F.J.L. Blouin, USN) and USS Stack (Lt.Cdr. P.K. Sherman, Jr., USN).

This task force attacked Roi from 29 January to 3 February.

Task Group 58.3
Aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill (Capt. J.J. Ballentine, USN), light carriers USS Monterey (Capt. L.T. Hundt, USN), USS Cowpens (Capt. R.P. McConnell, USN), battleships USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), heavy cruiser USS Wichita (Capt J.J. Mahoney, USN), destroyers USS Izard (Cdr. E.K. van Swearingen, USN), USS Charrette (Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN), USS Conner (Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Bell (Cdr. L.C. Petross, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. D.T. Eller, USN), USS Bradford (Cdr. R.L. Morris, USN), USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN), USS Cowell (Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN), USS Wilson (Lt.Cdr. C.K. Duncan, USN).

This task force attacked Eniwetok from 30 January to 2 February.

Task Group 58.4
Aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (Capt. J.H. Cassady, USN), light carriers USS Princeton (Capt. G.R. Henderson, USN), USS Langley (Capt. W.M. Dillon, USN), heavy cruisers USS Boston (Capt. J.H. Carson, USN), USS Baltimore (Capt. W.C. Calhoun, USN), light cruiser USS San Juan (Capt. G.W. Clark, USN), destroyers USS Maury (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Koenig, USN), USS Craven (Lt.Cdr. R.L. Fulton, USN), USS Gridley (Cdr. J.H. Motes, Jr., USN), USS McCall (Cdr. E.L. Foster, USN), USS Dunlap (Cdr. C. Iverson, USN), USS Fanning (Cdr. R.M. MacKinnon, USN), USS Case (Cdr. C.M. Howe, 3rd, USN) and USS Cummings (Cdr. P.D. Williams, USN).

This task force attacked Wotje on 29 January, Maloelap on 30 and 31 January and Eniwetok from 3 to 6 February.

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this operation see the map below.

25 Jan 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) fuelled at sea from USS Platte (Cdr. C.H. Cigel, USNR).

4 Feb 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Majuro Atoll.

12 Feb 1944
Task Force 58 departed Majuro Atoll for operation HAILSTONE, a raid against the Japanese base at Truk Atoll.

Task Force 58 was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 58.1
Aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (Capt. M.B. Gardner, USN), USS Yorktown (Capt. R.E. Jennings, USN), light carrier USS Belleau Wood (Capt. A.M. Pride, USN), light cruisers Santa Fé (Capt. J. Wright, USN), Mobile (Capt. C.J. Wheeler, USN), Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN), USS Oakland (Capt. W.K. Phillips, USN) and the destroyers USS Clarence K. Bronson (Lt.Cdr. J.C. McGoughran, USN), USS Cotten (Cdr. F.T. Sloat, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. W.J. Miller, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (Cdr. F. Virden, USN).

Task Group 58.2
Aircraft carriers USS Essex (Capt. R.A. Ofstie, USN), USS Intrepid (Capt. T.L. Sprague, USN), light carrier USS Cabot (Capt. M.F. Schoeffel, USN), heavy cruisers USS Wichita (Capt J.J. Mahoney, USN), USS Baltimore (Capt. W.C. Calhoun, USN), heavy cruiser USS San Francisco (Capt. H.E. Overesch, USN), light cruiser USS San Diego (Capt. L.J. Hudson, USN), destroyers USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), USS Miller (Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. C.H. Crichton, USN), USS Hickox (Cdr. W.M. Sweetser, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. C.H. Lyman, 3rd, USN), USS Stembel (Cdr. W.L. Tagg, USN) and USS Stack (Lt.Cdr. R.E. Wheeler, USN).

Task Group 58.3
Aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill (Capt. T.P. Jeter, USN), light carriers USS Monterey (Capt. L.T. Hundt, USN), USS Cowpens (Capt. R.P. McConnell, USN), battleships USS North Carolina (Capt. F.P. Thomas, USN), USS Massachusetts (Capt. T.D. Ruddock, Jr., USN), USS South Dakota (Capt. A.E. Smith, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. F.D. Kirtland, USN), USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), heavy cruisers USS Minneapolis (Capt. R.W. Bates, USN), USS New Orleans (Capt. S.R. Shumaker, USN), destroyers USS Izard (Cdr. E.K. van Swearingen, USN), USS Charrette (Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN), USS Conner (Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Bell (Cdr. L.C. Petross, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. D.T. Eller, USN), USS Bradford (Cdr. R.L. Morris, USN), USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN), USS Cowell (Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN), USS Wilson (Lt.Cdr. C.K. Duncan, USN), USS Sterett (Lt.Cdr. F.J.L. Blouin, USN) and USS Lang (Cdr. H. Payson, Jr., USN).

12 Feb 1944

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during operation HAILSTONE see the map below.

16 Feb 1944
The first airstrikes were launched against Truk by Task Force 58. They did quite some damage but also reported that four enemy cruisers were making an escape to the north.

USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) together with sister ship USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), heavy cruisers USS Minneapolis (Capt. R.W. Bates, USN), USS New Orleans (Capt. S.R. Shumaker, USN), destroyers USS Charrette (Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. D.T. Eller, USN), USS Izard (Cdr. E.K. van Swearingen, USN) and USS Bradford (Cdr. R.L. Morris, USN) were detached to intercept and engage these ships.

They did not find the reported enemy cruisers but engaged a Japanese convoy instead.

This convoy had just departed Truk of Yokusuka and was made up of the Japanese armed merchant cruiser Akagi Maru (7366 GRT, built 1936). She was escorted by light (training) cruiser Katori, destroyers Maikaze and Nowaki and minesweeping trawler Shonan Maru No.15.

Akagi Maru was sunk by aircraft from the carriers. The aircraft also torpedoed and damaged Katori. Destroyer Maikaze was also damaged.

Early in the afternoon the American ships came across Katori, Maikaze and Shonan Maru No.15. They take the Japanese ships under fire. Katori meanwhile fired torpedoes against USS Iowa but missed. Maikaze also fired torpedoes but these passed between USS Iowa and USS New Jersey. Iowa then sank Katori with gunfire and New Jersey did the same with Shonan Maru No.15. USS Minneapolis and USS New Orleans meanwhile took care of Maikaze and sent her to a watery grave.

After the action all ships re-joined Task Group 58.3 the following morning.

The following is an extract from the action report of USS Iowa.
1118 hours - Detached with the ship mentioned above to destroy crippled enemy vessels reported to be escaping to sea from Truk through North Pass.

1205 hours - The group was now in position 08°10'N, 152°56'E.

1318 hours - While Iowa was under a heavy black cloud when suddenly a Japanese Zeke plane dove towards and dropped a light bomb which hit the water about 100 to 200 feet from the starboard side of the ship abreast turret 1. No casualties or damage resulted. The plane then attacked again stafing the ship but again no damage was caused. After this second attack the attacker was shot down by American fighters.

1414 hours - Sighted an unidentified burning ship bearing 270°(T).

1449 hours - USS New Jersey reported two light cruisers and one destroyer bearing 270°(T) at a range of 25 nautical miles. A plane reported that one of the cruisers was dead in the water and that there was an additional target between our formation and those enemy ships.

1452 hours - USS Izards reported smoke on the horizon dead ahead.

1500 hours - By now three targets were visible, a cruiser bearing 233°(T), range 33000 yards, a cruiser (or destroyer) bering 260°(T) and a small ship bearing 270°(T), range 22000 yards.

1510 hours - Our destroyers on both bows opened fire on the small vessel which was thought to be an auxiliary but later was thought to be a minelayer.

1512 hours - Went to 30 knots.

1516 hours - The light cruiser (or destroyer) ahead, now bearing 260°(T) at a range of 28800 yards was observed to stand away to the westward at high speed. The main battery was trained on her and was reported ready. The enemy made off on course 318°(T) at a speed of 24 knots.

A fourth target was now sighted near the position the cruiser had been lying to. This was thought to be a Fubuki class destroyer dead in the water and smoking.

1530 hours - Fire was now opened on the cruiser with 16" and 5". This cruiser was already under fire from USS Minneapolis and USS New Orleans.

Iowa fired 8 salvos with the main battery. All were straddles. After the fourth salvo the cruiser was suddenly seen to take a heavy list to port.

1541 hours - The bow of the cruiser rose about 30 feet out of the water and she sank stern first.

While Iowa fired her first salvo torpedo wakes were seen heading towards Iowa. One of the torpedoes passed close aboard the port side.

1547 hours - Iowa now opened fire on a destroyer that was seen retiring from the scene. Five main battery salvos were fired from a opening range of of 35700 yards. Fire was ceased when the range was 39000 yards.

26 Feb 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) returned to Majuro Atoll.

17 Mar 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Majoro Atoll as part of Task Group 50.10 which was to bombard Milli Island. The other ships of the task force were battleship USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) and destroyers USS Dewey (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Copeland, USN), USS Hull (Lt.Cdr. C.W. Consolvo, USN), USS MacDonough (Cdr. J.W. Ramey, USN) and USS Phelps (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Martineau, USN). Air cover was provided by fleet carrier USS Lexington (Capt. F.B. Stump, USN) escorted by destroyers USS Bancoft (Cdr. R.M. Pitts, USN), USS Meade (Cdr. J. Munholland, USN) and USS Edwards (Cdr. P.G. Osler, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this operation see the map below.

18 Mar 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) bombarded Milli Atoll. During this bombardment Iowa was hit twice by enemy gunfire from shore batteries but damage was not severe.

The following is an extract from the action report of USS Iowa.

0540 hours - Went to action stations.

0554 hours - Milli Atoll was now 40000 yards away bearing 001 degrees.

0704 hours - Opened fire with the main battery from a range of approximately 20000 yards. During the period 0704 - 0906 hours USS Iowa and USS New Jersey alternately bombarded targets on Milli Atoll. Range had been closed to approximately 15000 yards and now also the 5" battery was used for the bombardment.

0907 hours - Enemy coast defence guns now opened fire on the battleships and their screen. Counter fire employing both main battery and the 5" battery was immediately started.

0940 hours - Iowa was hit by enemy gunfire about 18" above the top of the barbette on the left side plate of No.2 turret. The enemy gunfire was believed to be 6" caliber.

0956 hours - Iowa was hit again, this time in the hull, port side, near frame 134, about four feet below the main deck. No fires resulted from either hit.

1000 hours - Ceased firing as the air groups began their first strike. The Task Unit now retired from the area.

1120 hours - New Jersey reported a periscope and wake about 4000 yards off her port beam. The task Unit commenced an emergency turn to the right and at 1136 hours commenced zig-zagging.

In all a total of 180 rounds of 18" and 852 rounds of 5" had been expended.

19 Mar 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) returned to Majoro Atoll.

22 Mar 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Majuro Atoll for operation DESECRATE, a raid against the Japanese bases at Palau (30 and 31 March), Yap (31 March) and Woleai (1 April).

Iowa was part of Task Force 58 which was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 58.1 (that sailed from Esperitu Santo)
Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (Capt. M.B. Gardner, USN), light carriers, USS Belleau Wood (Capt. A.M. Pride, USN), USS Cowpens (Capt. R.P. McConnell, USN), light cruisers USS Santa Fe (Capt. J. Wright, USN), USS Mobile (Capt. C.J. Wheeler, USN), USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN), USS Oakland (Capt. W.K. Phillips, USN), destroyers (DesRon 50), USS Clarence K. Bronson (Lt.Cdr. J.C. McGoughran, USN), USS Cotten (Cdr. F.T. Sloat, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. W.J. Miller, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (Cdr. F. Virden, USN).

Task Group 58.2
Aircraft carriers, USS Bunker Hill (Capt. T.P. Jeter, USN), USS Hornet (Capt. M.R. Browning, USN), light carriers USS Monterey (Capt. L.T. Hundt, USN), USS Cabot (Capt. M.F. Schoeffel, USN), battleships USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), heavy cruisers USS Wichita (Capt J.J. Mahoney, USN), USS San Francisco (Capt. H.E. Overesch, USN), USS Minneapolis (Capt. R.W. Bates, USN), USS New Orleans (Capt. S.R. Shumaker, USN), destroyers (DesRon 52) USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), USS Miller (Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Hickox (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), (DesRon 1) USS Dewey (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Copeland, USN), USS Phelps (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Martineau, USN), USS MacDonough (Cdr. J.W. Ramey, USN), USS McDermut (Cdr. P.L. Wirtz, USN), USS Farragut (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Ferguson, USN), USS Monaghan (Lt.Cdr. W.F.A. Wendt, USN), USS Dale (Cdr. C.W. Aldrich, Sr., USN), USS Aylwin (Cdr. R.O. Strange, Sr., USN).

Task Group 58.3
Aircraft carriers USS Yorktown (Capt. R.E. Jennings, USN), USS Lexington (Capt. F.B. Stump, USN) light carriers USS Princeton (Capt. W.H. Buracker, USN), USS Langley (Capt. W.M. Dillon, USN), battleships USS Massachusetts (Capt. T.D. Ruddock, Jr., USN), USS North Carolina (Capt. F.P. Thomas, USN), USS South Dakota (Capt. R.S. Riggs, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. F.D. Kirtland, USN), heavy cruisers USS Louisville (Capt. S.H. Hurt, USN), USS Portland (Capt. T.G.W. Settle, USN), USS Indianapolis (Capt. E.R. Johnson, USN), USS Canberra (Capt. A.R. Early, USN), light cruiser USS San Juan (Capt. G.W. Clark, USN), destroyers (DesRon 6) USS Maury (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Koenig, USN), USS Craven (Lt.Cdr. R.L. Fulton, USN), USS Gridley (Cdr. J.H. Motes, Jr., USN), USS McCall (Cdr. E.L. Foster, USN), USS Case (Cdr. C.M. Howe, 3rd, USN), (DesDiv 28) USS Bancroft (Cdr. R.M. Pitts, USN), USS Caldwell (Lt.Cdr. G. Wendelburg, USN), USS Edwards (Cdr. P.G. Osler, USN), USS Frazier (Cdr. E.M. Brown, USN), USS Meade (Cdr. J. Munholland, USN) (DesRon 23) USS Stanly (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Morland, USN), USS Charles Ausburne (Lt.Cdr. L.K. Reynolds, USN), USS Dyson (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Babb, USN), USS Converse (Cdr. J.B. Colwell, USN), USS Spence (Cdr. H.J. Armstrong, Jr., USN), USS Thatcher (Cdr. L.R. Lampman, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this operation see the map below.

26 Mar 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) fuelled at sea from USS Atascosa (Cdr. H.L. de Riviera, USN).

(The log of USS Atascosa mentions that she only fuelled destroyers on this day but the log of Iowa mentions that she fuelled from the Atascosa).

6 Apr 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) returned to Majoro Atoll.

13 Apr 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Majuro Atoll to provide cover for the following landing operations RECKLESS (Hollandia) and PERSECUTION (Aitape). These operations were completed in the evening of 28 April 1944.

Course was then set towards the Truk area for a two day raid agains this Japanese base. These air raids took place on 29 and 30 April 1945.

Also on 30 April 1945 heavy cruisers Louisville, Portland, Wichita, Baltimore, Boston, Canberra, New Orleans, Minneapolis, San Francisco and the destroyers Bradford, Conner, Izard, Boyd, Brown, Cowell, Charrette, Burns bombarded the Satawan Islands to the south-east of Truk.

The next day the battleships Iowa, New Jersey, North Carolina, Indiana, Massachusetts, South Dakota, Alabama and the destroyers Miller, Owen, The Sullivans, Stephen Potter, Tingey, Converse, Thatcher, Pritchett, Cassin Young, Bell bombarded Ponape.

Iowa was part of Task Force 58 which was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 58.1
Aircraft carrier USS Hornet (Capt. M.R. Browning, USN), light carriers, USS Belleau Wood (Capt. J. Perry, USN), USS Cowpens (Capt. R.P. McConnell, USN), USS Bataan (Capt. V.H. Schaeffer, USN), light cruisers USS Santa Fe (Capt. J. Wright, USN), USS Mobile (Capt. C.J. Wheeler, USN), USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN), USS San Juan (Capt. G.W. Clark, USN), USS Oakland (Capt. W.K. Phillips, USN), destroyers (DesRon 46) USS Izard (Cdr. E.K. van Swearingen, USN), USS Charrette (Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN), USS Conner (Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Bell (Lt.Cdr. J.S.C. Gabbert, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. D.T. Eller, USN), USS Bradford (Cdr. R.L. Morris, USN), USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN), USS Boyd (Cdr. U.S.G. Sharp, Jr., USN), USS Cowell (Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN), (DesDiv 28) USS Bancroft (Cdr. R.M. Pitts, USN), USS Caldwell (Lt.Cdr. G. Wendelburg, USN), USS Meade (Cdr. J. Munholland, USN), USS Edwards, (Cdr. P.G. Osler, USN), (DesRon 6, joined at sea on 18 April, DesRon 6 had been escorting the oilers of Task Group 50.17 and had left Majuro on 11 April) USS Maury (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Koenig, USN), USS Gridley (Cdr. J.H. Motes, Jr., USN), USS McCall (Cdr. E.L. Foster, USN), USS Craven (Lt.Cdr. R.L. Fulton, USN), USS Case (Cdr. C.M. Howe, 3rd, USN).

Task Group 58.2
Aircraft carriers, USS Bunker Hill (Capt. T.P. Jeter, USN), USS Yorktown (Capt. R.E. Jennings, USN), light carriers USS Monterey (Capt. S.H. Ingersoll, USN), USS Cabot (Capt. M.F. Schoeffel, USN), battleships USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), heavy cruisers USS Baltimore (Capt. W.C. Calhoun, USN), USS Boston (Capt. J.H. Carson, USN), USS Wichita (Capt. D.A. Spencer, USN), USS San Francisco (Capt. H.E. Overesch, USN), USS New Orleans (Capt. S.R. Shumaker, USN), USS Minneapolis (Capt. R.W. Bates, USN), destroyers (DesRon 52) USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), USS Miller (Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Hickox (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. C.H. Crichton, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN) (DesRon 1) USS Dewey (Lt.Cdr. R.G. Copeland, USN), USS MacDonough (Cdr. J.W. Ramey, USN), USS Farragut (Lt.Cdr. E.F. Ferguson, USN), USS Monaghan (Lt.Cdr. W.F.A. Wendt, USN), USS Dale (Cdr. C.W. Aldrich, Sr., USN), USS Aylwin (Cdr. R.O. Strange, Sr., USN), USS Hull (Lt.Cdr. C.W. Consolvo, USN).

Task Group 58.3
Aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (Capt. M.B. Gardner, USN), USS Lexington (Capt. E.W. Litch, USN), light carriers USS Princeton (Capt. W.H. Buracker, USN), USS Langley (Capt. W.M. Dillon, USN), battleships USS Massachusetts (Capt. W.W. Warlick, USN), USS North Carolina (Capt. F.P. Thomas, USN), USS South Dakota (Capt. R.S. Riggs, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. F.D. Kirtland, USN), heavy cruisers USS Louisville (Capt. S.H. Hurt, USN), USS Portland (Capt. T.G.W. Settle, USN), USS Canberra (Capt. A.R. Early, USN), destroyers (DesRon 23) USS Charles Ausburne (Lt.Cdr. L.K. Reynolds, USN), USS Albert W. Grant (Cdr. T.A. Nisewaner, USN), USS Dyson (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Babb, USN), USS Converse (Cdr. J.B. Colwell, USN), USS Spence (Cdr. H.J. Armstrong, Jr., USN), USS Thatcher (Cdr. L.R. Lampman, USN) (DesRon 50) USS Clarence K. Bronson (Lt.Cdr. J.C. McGoughran, USN), USS Cotten (Cdr. F.T. Sloat, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. W.J. Miller, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (Cdr. F. Virden, USN). On 29 April 1944 battleship USS Indiana (Capt. T.J. Keliher, USN) and destroyers USS Cassin Young (Cdr. E.T. Schreiber, USN) and USS Prichett (Cdr. C.T. Caulfield, USN) joined Task Force 58.3 at sea.

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

13 Apr 1944

Operations of Task Force 58 from 13 April 1944 to 4 May 1944.

Providing (air) cover for operations Reckless and Persecution the landings at Hollandia and Aitape.

Also Attacks on Truk, Satawan and Ponape afterwards.

Task Force 58 (under Vice-Admiral M.A. Mitscher, USN) provided cover for the landings, it was made up of the following Task Groups;
Task Group 58.1 which was made up of Task Units.
Task Unit 58.1.1 under Rear-Admiral J.J. Clark, USN, was made up of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (T/Capt. M.R. Browning, USN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral J.J. Clark, USN) and the light carriers USS Belleau Wood (T/Capt. J. Perry, USN), USS Cowpens (T/Capt. R.P. McConnell, USN) and USS Bataan (T/Capt. V.H. Schaeffer, USN).
Task Unit 58.1.2 under Rear-Admiral L.T. DuBose, USN, was made up of the light cruisers USS Santa Fe (Capt. J. Wright, USN), flying the flag of Rear-Admiral L.T. DuBose, USN), USS Mobile (Capt. C.J. Wheeler, USN), USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN) and the AA cruiser USS San Juan (Capt. G.W. Clark, USN).
Task Unit 58.1.3 under T/Capt. W.K. Phillips, USN, was made up of the AA cruiser USS Oakland (T/Capt. W.K. Phillips, USN) and the destroyers USS Izard (T/Cdr. E.K. van Swearingen, USN, with COMDESRON 46, T/Capt. C.F. Espe, USN on board), USS Charrette (T/Capt. E.S. Karpe, USN), USS Conner (T/Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Bell (T/Cdr. J.S.C. Gabbert, USN), USS Burns (T/Cdr. D.T. Eller, USN), USS Boyd (T/Cdr. U.S.G. Sharp, Jr., USN , with COMDESDIV 92, T/Capt. W.M. Sweetser, USN on board), USS Bradford (T/Cdr. R.L. Morris, USN), USS Brown (T/Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN), USS Cowell (T/Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN), USS Bancoft (T/Cdr. R.M. Pitts, USN, with COMDESDIV 28, T/Capt. E.L. Beck, USN on board), USS Meade (T/Cdr. J. Munholland, USN), USS Caldwell (T/Cdr. G. Wendelburg, USN), USS Frazier ( T/Cdr. F.O'C. Fletcher, Jr., USN), USS Edwards (T/Cdr. P.G. Osler, USN), USS Maury (T/Cdr. J.W. Koenig, USN, with COMDESRON 6, T/Capt. E.G. Fullinwider, USN on board), USS Gridley (T/Cdr. J.H. Motes, Jr., USN), USS Craven (T/Cdr. R.L. Fulton, USN), USS McCall (T/Cdr. E.L. Foster, USN) and USS Case (T/Cdr. C.M. Howe, 3rd, USN).

Task Group 58.2 which was made up of Task Units.
Task Unit 58.2.1 under Rear-Admiral A.E. Montgomery, USN, was made up of the aircraft carriers USS Bunker Hill (T/Capt. T.P. Jeter, USN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral A.E. Montgomery, USN), USS Yorktown (T/Capt. R.E. Jennings, USN) and the light carriers USS Monterey (T/Capt. S.H. Ingersoll, USN) and USS Cabot (T/Capt. M.F. Schoeffel, USN).
Task Unit 58.2.2 under Rear-Admiral O.M. Hustvedt, USN, was made up of the battleships USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN, flying the flag of COMBATDIV 7, Rear-Admiral O.M. Hustvedt, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) and the heavy cruisers USS Boston (Capt. J.H. Carson, USN, flying the flag of COMCRUDIV 10, Rear-Admiral L.H. Thebaud, USN), USS Baltimore (Capt. W.C. Calhoun, USN), USS New Orleans (Capt. S.R. Shumaker, USN, also acting COMCRUDIV 6), USS Minneapolis (Capt. R.W. Bates, USN), USS San Francisco (Capt. H.E. Overesch, USN) and USS Wichita (Capt. D.A. Spencer, USN).
Task Unit 58.2.3 under T/Capt. G.R. Cooper, USN was made up of the destroyers USS Owen (T/Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN, with COMDESRON 52, T/Capt. G.R. Cooper, USN on board), USS Miller (T/Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), USS The Sullivans (T/Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Stephen Potter (T/Cdr. C.H. Crichton, USN), USS Tingey (T/Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Hickox (T/Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN, with COMDESDIV 104, T/Capt. H.B. Bell, Jr., USN on board), USS Hunt (T/Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (T/Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (T/Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), USS Dewey (T/Cdr. R.G. Copeland, USN, with COMDESRON 1, T/Capt. E.R. McLean, Jr., USN on board), USS MacDonough (T/Cdr. J.W. Ramey, USN), USS Hull (T/Lt.Cdr. C.W. Consolvo, USN), USS Farragut (T/Lt.Cdr. E.F. Ferguson, USN, with COMDESDIV 2, T/Capt. T.H. Tonseth, USN on board), USS Monaghan (T/Cdr. W.F.A. Wendt, USN), USS Dale (T/Cdr. C.W. Aldrich, USN) and USS Aylwyn (T/Cdr. R.O. Strange, Sr., USN).

Task Group 58.3 which was made up of Task Units.
Task Unit 58.3.5 under Rear-Admiral J.W. Reeves, Jr. USN, was made up of the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (T/Capt. M.B. Gardner, USN, with Rear-Admiral J.W. Reeves, Jr. USN on board), USS Lexington (T/Capt. E.W. Litch, USN, with COMFASTCARTASKFORPAC, Vice-Admiral M.A. Mitscher, USN, on board), light carriers USS Langley (Capt. W.M. Dillon, USN) and USS Princeton (T/Capt. W.H. Buracker, USN).
Task Unit 58.3.1 was the Support Unit under Vice-Admiral W.A. Lee, Jr., USN, was made up of the following Task Units;
Task Unit 58.3.12 was made up of the battleships USS Massachusetts (Capt. W.W. Warlick, USN, USN, flying the flag of COMBATDIV 8, Rear-Admiral G.B. Davis, USN), USS North Carolina (Capt. F.P. Thomas, USN, flying the flag of COMBATPAC, Vice-Admiral W.A. Lee, Jr., USN), USS South Dakota (T/Capt. R.S. Riggs, USN, flying the flag of COMBATDIV 9, Rear-Admiral E.W. Hanson, USN) and USS Alabama (Capt. F.D. Kirtland, USN).
Task Unit 58.3.13 was made up of the heavy cruisers USS Louisville (T/Capt. S.H. Hurt, USN, flying the flag of COMCRUDIV 4, Rear-Admiral J.B. Oldendorf, USN), USS Portland (T/Capt. T.G.W. Settle, USN) and USS Canberra (Capt. A.R. Early, USN).
Task Unit 58.3.4 was made up of the destroyers USS Charles Ausburne (T/Cdr.L.K. Reynolds, USN, with COMDESRON 23, T/Capt T.B. Dugan, USN on board), USS Albert W. Grant (T/Cdr. T.A. Nisewaner, USN), USS Dyson (T/Cdr. J.D. Babb, USN), USS Converse (T/Cdr. J.B. Colwell, USN, with COMDESDIV 46, T/Capt. R.W. Cavenaugh, USN on board), USS Spence (T/Cdr. H.J. Armstrong, Jr., USN), USS Thatcher (T/Cdr. L.R. Lampman, USN), USS Clarence K. Bronson (T/Cdr. J.C. McGoughran, USN, with COMDESRON 50, T/Capt. S.R. Clark, USN on board), USS Cotten (Cdr. F.T. Sloat, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Cogswell (T/Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN, with COMDESDIV 100, T/Cdr. J.F. Chillingworth, Jr., USN on board), USS Caperton (T/Cdr. W.J. Miller, USN), USS Ingersoll (T/Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (T/Cdr. F. Virden, USN).

Chronology.

Around 0800Y/12, the destroyer USS McCall got underway from Majuro for Green Island (Nissan Island).

Around 1500Y/12, Task Group 50.17, the oiler group for the 5th fleet, departed Majuro for the first fuelling rendezvous near position 00°01'S, 150°00'E. Task Group 50.17 was made up of the tankers USS Caliente (Cdr. H.J. Schroeder, USNR, with COMTASKGR 50.17, T/Capt. E.E. Pare, USN on board), USS Guadalupe (T/Capt. H.A. Anderson, USN), USS Platte (Cdr. F.S. Gibson, USNR), USS Sabine (Lt.Cdr. H.C. von Weien, USNR), USS Lackawanna (T/Cdr. A.J. Homann, USN), USS Neosho (T/Capt. D.G. McMillan, USN), USS Monongahela (T/Cdr. F.J. Ilsemann, USN), USS Neshanic (Capt. A.C. Allen, USNR) and USS Cahaba (Cdr. E.H. Danesi, Sr., USNR). They were escorted by the destroyers USS Maury, USS Gridley, USS Craven, USS Case [These four destroyers were to join Task Force 58.1 after fuelling], USS Porterfield (T/Cdr. J.C. Woelfel, USN, with COMDESRON 55, T/Capt. C.R. Todd, USN on board), USS Laws (T/Cdr. Lester Orin Wood, USN), USS Longshaw (T/Cdr. R.H. Speck, USN), USS Morrison (T/Cdr. W.H. Price, USN), USS Callaghan (T/Cdr. F.J. Johnson, USN) and the destroyer escorts USS Swearer (Lt. K.H. Hannan, USNR, with COMCORTDIV 44, T/Cdr. E.C. Woodward, USN on board), USS Samuel S. Miles (Cdr. G.B. Coale, USNR) and USS Riddle (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Cramer, USNR).

On the following day, the 13th, Task Groups 58.1 (minus Desron 6, see above), 58.2 and 58.3 departed Majuro for the operations area to the north of New Guinea.

On 17 April, USS Sabine, USS Lackawanna and USS Cahaba from Task Force 50.17 fuelled ships of their screen. USS Sabine fuelled USS Maury, USS Gridley, USS Craven and USS Riddle. USS Cahaba fuelled USS Laws, USS Longshaw, USS Case and USS Swearer.

Also on 17 April, USS McCall arrived at Green Island to pick up four passengers, photographs, grid charts and mail which she was to transport to Task Force 58. She departed to join Task Force 58 later the same day. She joined TF 58 the following day when her passengers and cargo were transferred to USS Lexington.

In the early afternoon of 18 April 1944, the three Task Force 58 Task Groups joined Task Group 50.17 from which they were the fuel the following day.

On 19 April 1944, USS Guadalupe, USS Platte and USS Sabine temporarily joined Task Force 58.1 and fuelled the following ships; USS Guadalupe fuelled USS Izard, USS Belleau Wood, USS Boyd, USS Santa Fe, USS Conner, USS Cowell, USS Bell and USS Edwards. USS Platte fuelled USS Cowpens, USS Bancroft, USS Frazier, USS Oakland, USS Caldwell, USS Meade and USS Mobile. USS Sabine fuelled USS Maury, USS Bataan, USS Gridley, USS Craven, USS Case, USS Biloxi, USS McCall, USS Brown and USS San Juan.

USS Caliente, USS Monongahela and USS Cahaba temporarily joined Task Force 58.2 and fuelled the following ships; USS Caliente fuelled USS Owen, USS Miller, USS The Sullivans, USS Stephen Potter, USS Tingey, USS Hunt, and possibly USS San Francisco, USS Wichita, USS Hickox and USS Marshall. USS Monongahela fuelled USS Dewey, USS Boston, USS Hull, USS Baltimore, USS MacDonough and USS Monaghan. USS Cahaba fuelled USS New Orleans, USS Monterey, USS Minneapolis, USS Cabot and USS Farragut. USS Aylwin fuelled from USS Cabot. USS Dale fuelled from USS Minneapolis, USS Lewis Hancock fuelled from USS Baltimore.

USS Lackawanna, USS Neosho and USS Neshanic temporarily joined Task Force 58.3 and fuelled the following ships; USS Lackawanna fuelled USS Spence, USS Princeton, USS Dyson, USS Louisville, USS Albert W. Grant and USS Charles Ausburne. USS Neosho fuelled USS Capeton, USS Ingersoll, USS Knapp, USS Langley, USS Converse and USS Cogswell. USS Neshanic fuelled USS Canberra, USS Portland, USS Cotton, USS Gatling, USS Healy and USS Clarence K. Bronson.

On completion of fuelling Task Group 50.17 was reformed (minus DESRON 6) and set course for Seeadler Harbour, Manus Island where it arrived the following afternoon.

At 1326K/19, the Combat Air Patrol from USS Cowpens reported having shot down a Japanese Betty reconnaissance aircraft 20 miles on the starboard quarter of Task Force 58.

On 20 April, all Task Force 58 Task Groups topped off their destroyers from the bigger ships and then set course towards position 01°10'S, 139°00'E. The CAP from USS Cowpens shot down another Betty around 1013K/20.

On 21 April, Task Force 58 arrived in the operations area and air strikes were launched against Hollandia and Wadke. Main targets of the air strikes were enemy air fields and the aircraft based on them. Following the air attacks Task Force 58 retired to the northward for the night.

At 2150K/21, Task Unit 58.1.6, under Rear-Admiral L.T. DuBose, USN, made up of the light cruisers USS Santa Fe, USS Mobile, USS Biloxi and the destroyers USS Izard, USS Charette, USS Conner, USS Bell and USS Burns parted company to bombard Wadke and Sawar airstrips.

At 0109K/22, fire was opened on Wadke airstrip. No fires were seen ashore and no opposition was encountered.

At 0156K/22, fire was opened on Sawar airstrip. Again no fire was seen ashore other then one which was already raging as a result of the air attacks earlier in the day. Again no enemy opposition was encountered.

Around 0711K/22, Task Unit 58.1.6 rejoined Task Group 58.1.

On 22 April, Task Force 58 returned towards New Guinea and air operations were commenced against target in the Tanahmerah Bay and Humboldt Bay areas.

On completion of the days operations Task Group 58.1 parted company to proceed towards position 00°25'S, 146°00'E and make rendezvous with Task Group 50.17 to refuel on 23 April 1944.

Around 1830K/22, Destroyer Division 45, made up of USS Charles Ausburne, USS Albert W. Grant and USS Dyson parted company with Task Force 58.3 to proceed to a point 30 nautical miles west of Cape Touch Merak. They then swept about 9 miles from the coast to the eastwards as far as to the west of Cape Sarmi but with negative results. They rejoined Task Group 58.3 around 0525K/23.

On 23 April, Task Groups 58.2 and 58.3 conducted air operations in support of Task Force 77 operations. On completion of the air strikes Task Force 58.2 proceeded eastwards to rendezvous with Task Group 50.17 to fuel.

Around 1826K/15, Destroyer Division 45, made up of USS Charles Ausburne, USS Spence and USS Dyson parted company with Task Group 58.3 to proceed to Seeadler Harbour, Manus where they arrived around 0800K/25.

Task Group 58.1, made rendezvous with Task Group 50.17 around 0800K/23 and commenced refuelling which continued . Task Group 50.17, now made up of the tankers (FuelDiv 2 and FuelDiv 3) USS Caliente, USS Monongahela, USS Cahaba, USS Lackawanna, USS Neosho and USS Neshanic. They were escorted by DesRon 55, made up of the destroyers USS Porterfield, USS Laws, USS Longshaw, USS Morrison and USS Callaghan. They had departed Seeadler Harbour (Manus) around 1200K/22.

On 23 April, USS Caliente [no names mentioned in her war diary, so there might be ships missing] fuelled USS Cowpens, USS Izard, USS Conner and USS Burns. USS Monongahela fuelled USS Edwards, USS San Juan, USS Meade, USS Mobile and USS Bancroft. USS Cahaba fuelled USS Biloxi, USS Maury, USS Case and USS McCall. USS Lackawanna fuelled USS Brown, USS Belleau Wood, USS Charette, USS Bradford, USS Gridley and USS Craven. USS Neosho fuelled USS Cowell, USS Bell, USS Santa Fe, USS Boyd, USS Oakland and USS Caldwell. USS Neshanic fuelled USS Craven, USS Bataan, USS Frazier, USS Hornet and USS Cowell. On completion of fuelling Task Group 58.1 proceeded westwards to join Task Group 58.3 in the operations area.

On 24 April, Task Groups 58.1 and 58.3 conducted air operations in support of Task Force 77 operations. On completion of the air strikes Task Force 58.3 proceeded eastwards to rendezvous with Task Group 50.17 to fuel. Task Group 58.1 also proceeded eastwards to cover the fuelling operations of Task Group 58.3 together with Task Group 58.2.

On 24 April, USS Caliente [no names mentioned in her war diary, so there might be ships missing] fuelled USS Bunker Hill, USS Monterey USS Owen and USS Aylwin. USS Monongahela fuelled USS Wichita, USS Hunt, USS Farragut and USS San Francisco. USS Cahaba fuelled USS The Sullivans, USS Minneapolis, USS Steven Potter, USS New Orleans and USS Dewey. USS Lackawanna fuelled USS Yorktown, USS Hickox, USS Dale and USS Cabot. USS Neosho fuelled USS Iowa, USS Miller, USS MacDonough, USS Monaghan and USS New Jersey. USS Neshanic fuelled USS Boston, USS Lewis Hancock, USS Hull and USS Baltimore. USS Tingey and USS Marshall fuelled from the cruisers USS San Francisco and USS New Orleans respectively bofore both cruisers then fuelled from a tanker.

On 25 April 1944, Task Group 58.3 fuelled from Task Group 50.17. Task Groups 58.1 and 58.2 provided cover.

USS Caliente [no names mentioned in her war diary, so there might be ships missing] fuelled USS Lexington, USS Princeton USS Ingersoll and USS Knapp. USS Monongahela fuelled USS Gatling, USS South Dakota, USS Healy, USS Morrison and USS Langley. USS Cahaba fuelled USS Dortch, USS Cotton, USS Porterfield, USS Canberra and USS Alabama. USS Lackawanna fuelled USS Enterprise, USS Thatcher, USS Albert W. Grant, USS Callaghan and USS Louisville. USS Neosho fuelled USS Converse, USS Massachusetts, USS Clarence K. Bronson and USS Longshaw. USS Neshanic fuelled USS Cogswell, USS North Carolina, USS Caperton and USS Portland.

On completion of fuelling Task Force 50.17 set course to proceed to the area to the north of Manus Harbour escorted by Task Group 58.1 which was to fuel from the tankers during 26/27 January 1944.

Task Force 58.2 and 58.3 remained in the area to the north of central New Guinea to be in position to assist the landing forces of the 7th Fleet if required.

On 26 January, USS Caliente [no names mentioned in her war diary, so there might be ships missing or listed in error] fuelled USS Belleau Wood, USS Caldwell and USS Case. USS Monongahela fuelled USS Maury, USS Bataan and USS Edwards. USS Cahaba fuelled USS Biloxi, USS Craven, USS Boyd and USS Santa Fe. USS Lackawanna fuelled USS Mobile, USS Brown and USS Bancroft. USS Neosho did not fuel any ships. USS Neshanic fuelled USS Izard, USS Cowell, USS Meade, USS Frazier, USS Charette and USS Gridley.

On 27 January, USS Caliente [no names mentioned in her war diary, so there might be ships missing or listed in error] fuelled USS Belleau Wood, USS Caldwell and USS Case. USS Monongahela fuelled USS Maury, USS Bataan and USS Edwards. USS Cahaba fuelled USS Biloxi, USS Craven, USS Boyd and USS Santa Fe. USS Lackawanna fuelled USS Mobile, USS Brown and USS Bancroft. USS Neosho did not fuel any ships. USS Neshanic fuelled USS Izard, USS Cowell, USS Meade, USS Frazier, USS Charette and USS Gridley. On completion of the fuelling operations Task Force 50.17 proceeded to Seeadler Harbour arriving there later the same day.

Around 0545K/28, USS Massachusetts parted company with Task Force 58.3 to proceed to Seeadler Harbour escorted by USS Converse and USS Thatcher. They arrived at Seeadler Harbour around 1415K/28. Rear-Admiral G.B. Davis, USN, then transferred his flag to the battleship USS Indiana (Capt. T.J. Keliher, USN).

Around 0845K/28, USS Bataan parted company with Task Force 58.1 to proceed to Seeadler Harbour escorted by USS Caldwell and USS Bancroft. They arrived at Seeadler Harbour just before noon.

Around 1700K/28, USS Bataan departed Seeadler harbour to make rendezvous with and rejoin Task Force 58.1. USS Caldwell and USS Bancroft were still escorting her. They rejoined Task Group 58.1 around 0630K/29.

Around 1745K/28, USS Indiana and USS Massachusetts departed Seeadler harbour to make rendezvous with and join Task Force 58.3. They were escorted by the destroyers USS Converse, USS Thatcher, USS Prichett (T/Cdr. C.T. Caufield, USN) and USS Cassin Young (T/Cdr. E.T. Schreiber, USN). They joined Task Group 58.3 the following morning.

On 29 April 1944, all three Task Groups fuelled from Task Group 50.17, which had departed Seeadler Harbour around 1630K/28. Task Group 50.17 was now made up of the tankers USS Caliente, USS Lackawanna, USS Monongahela, USS Neosho, USS Neshanic and USS Escambia (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Paulsson, USNR). They were escorted by the destroyers USS Porterfield, USS Laws, USS Longshaw, USS Morrison, USS Callaghan and the escort destroyers USS Levy (Lt. B.H. Hallowell, USNR, with COMCORTDIV 11, T/Cdr. F.W. Schmidt, USN, on board), USS Parks (Lt. E.R. Casstevens, USNR), USS Baron (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Stewart, USNR) and USS Acree (Lt.Cdr. C.O. Davidson, USNR).

On 29 April 1944, ships from Task Force 58 fuelled from the tankers. USS Caliente fuelled USS Charette, USS Burns, USS Brown, USS Cowell, USS Frazier, USS Edwards and USS Craven. USS Lackawanna fuelled USS Conner, USS Bell, USS Bradford, USS Boyd, USS Bancroft, USS Gridley, USS Maury and USS Caldwell. USS Monongahela fuelled USS Farragut, USS New Orleans, USS Miller, USS Minneapolis, USS The Sullivans, USS Baltimore and USS Stephen Potter. USS Neosho fuelled USS Dewey, USS Monterey, USS Hull, USS MacDonough, USS Cabot, USS Owen and USS Thatcher. USS Escambia fuelled USS Tingey, USS Hunt, USS Marshall, USS Dale and possibly USS Wichita and USS Boston. USS Cahaba fuelled USS Princeton, USS Cogswell, USS Ingersoll, USS Knapp, USS Prichett, USS Caperton and USS Albert W. Grant. USS Neshanic fuelled USS Langley, USS Gatling, USS Dortch, USS Healy, USS Converse, USS Cassin Young, USS Cotton and USS Clarence K. Bronson. USS Hornet fuelled USS Izard, USS Case, USS Meade and USS McCall. USS Cabot fuelled USS Hickox. USS Minneapolis fuelled USS Lewis Hancock. USS San Francisco fuelled USS Monaghan. USS Wichita fuelled USS Aylwin.

On completion of fuelling Task Force 58 and Task Group 50.17 parted company.

At 2320K/29, USS Escambia parted company with Task Group 50.17. She took USS Levy, USS Parks, USS Baron and USS Acree with her as escorts.

During 29 and 30 April 1944, Task Force 58 conducted air strikes against Truk and Satawan.

On 30 April a bombardment force, made up of all nine heavy cruisers of Task Force 58 (see above) escorted by the destroyers USS Izard, USS Charrette, USS Conner, USS Burns, USS Boyd, USS Bradford, USS Brown and USS Cowell bombarded Satawan. On 1 May 1944, Task Group 58.1 conducted air operations against Ponape. Also all battleships and fourteen destroyers were assigned to bombard the island. the Bombardment Group was organized as follows; BATDIV 7, made up of USS Iowa and USS New Jersey was escorted by the destroyers USS Owen, USS Miller, USS The Sullivans, USS Stephen Potter and USS Tingey. BATDIV 8, made up of USS North Carolina, USS Massachusetts and USS Indiana was escorted by the destroyers USS Converse, USS Thatcher, USS Prichett and USS Cassin Young. BATDIV 9, made up of USS South Dakota and USS Alabama was escorted by the destroyers USS Izard, USS Charette, USS Conner, USS Bell and USS Burns. The bombardment was carried out between 1530M/1 and 1649M/1. All forces involved in the operations against Ponape rejoined the other ships of Task Force 58 during the night of 1/2 May 1944.

Around 1430Y/3, USS Monongahela, USS Cahaba and USS Lackawanna parted company with Task Group 50.17 to proceed to Majuro escorted by the destroyers escorts USS Bangust (Lt.Cdr. C.F. MacNish, USNR, with COMCORTDIV 32, Cdr. R.H. Groff, USNR on board), USS Waterman (Lt.Cdr. W.B. Hinds, USNR) and USS Weaver (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Paret, USNR) which had joined about an hour earlier coming from Majuro. They arrived at Majuro the following day. The remainder of Task Group 50.17 proceeded to Pearl Harbour arriving there on 9 May. The destroyers of DesRon 55 had fuelled from the tankers on 3 May 1944 before the force split up. USS Callaghan had made a short stop at Majuro to replenish depth charges and pick up mail before she rejoined the Task Group.

Task Groups 58.1 parted company with the other two Task Groups to proceed to Kwajalein where it arrived on 4 May 1944. Task Groups 58.2 and 58.3 both arrived at Majuro on the same day.

20 Apr 1944
During the morning USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off five destroyers with fuel.

24 Apr 1944
During the morning the whole Task Force, including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), received fuel from the oilers from Task Group 50.17.

1 May 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) was ordered to bombard Ponape. She was ordered to form Task Unit 58.7.1 together with her sister ship USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) and the destroyers (DesDiv 103) USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), USS Miller (Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. C.H. Crichton, USN) and USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN).

The following is an extract from the action report of USS Iowa.

1400 hours - Formed up with the other ships of the Task Unit and set course towards Ponape.

1448 hours - Catapulted two aircraft for gunnery observation.

1532 hours - Opened fire with the 16" armament on the south-west slope of Tolen Palikir. Two 3-gun salvoes were fired from a range of 19600 yards. The spotting plane reported no evidence of enemy installations there so fire was shifted to airstrip number one at a range of 23000 yards. Two salvoes were fired in this area. The last one landing in the intersection area between two runways.

1557 hours - Two salvoes were then fired at the barracks and stores area near airstrip number one. The air spotter reported that five fires were started.

1614 hours - Fired six three-gun salvoes from 20000 to 22000 yards at Jakoj Island and Ponape town. The first of this group landed about 300 feet below the summit of Jokaj ridge, the second at the base of the ridge, the thrid straddled the ridge with one shot observed near the top of the ridge and one landing on the eastern shore of Jokaj Island. The last three landed in Ponape town and waterfrond area and stated several fires.

1630 hours - Fired nine salvoes at air strip number two butnot much damage was done.

1648 hours - The Task Unit retired to the northward. A total of 69 rounds of 16" had been fired in 23 salvoes.

4 May 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) returned to Majoro Atoll.

19 May 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Majoro Atoll for a two day exercise together with her sister ship USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), light carrier USS Belleau Wood (Capt. J. Perry, USN) and destroyers USS Izard (Cdr. M.T. Dayton, USN), USS Charrette (Cdr. E.S. Karpe, USN), USS Bell (Lt.Cdr. J.S.C. Gabbert, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. D.T. Eller, USN), USS Conner (Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Patterson (Lt.Cdr. A.F. White, USN) and USS Dorsey (Lt.Cdr. A.E. Teall, USN).

21 May 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) returned to Majoro Atoll.

6 Jun 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) departed Majuro Atoll for operation FORAGER. She was to provide cover for the landings on Saipan.

The successfull landing on Saipan were then followed by landings on Tinian and Guam (Operation STEVEDORE).

Late July 1944 Task Force 58 carried out a raid against Palau.

Iowa was part of Task Force 58 which was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 58.1
Aircraft carriers USS Hornet (Capt. W.D. Sample, USN), USS Yorktown (Capt. R.E. Jennings, USN), light carriers USS Belleau Wood (Capt. J. Perry, USN), USS Bataan (Capt. V.H. Schaeffer, USN), heavy cruisers USS Boston (Capt. E.E. Hermann, USN), USS Baltimore (Capt. W.C. Calhoun, USN), USS Canberra (Capt. A.R. Early, USN), light cruiser USS Oakland (Capt. W.K. Phillips, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 46) USS Izard (Cdr. M.T. Dayton, USN), USS Charrette (Lt.Cdr. G.P. Joyce, USN), USS Conner (Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Bell (Lt.Cdr. J.S.C. Gabbert, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. D.T. Eller, USN), USS Bradford (Cdr. R.L. Morris, USN), USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN) and USS Cowell (Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN).

Task Group 58.2
Aircraft carriers USS Bunker Hill (Capt. T.P. Jeter, USN), USS Wasp (Capt. C.A.F. Sprague, USN), light carriers USS Monterey (Capt. S.H. Ingersoll, USN), USS Cabot (Capt. S.J. Michael, USN), light cruisers USS Santa Fé (Capt. J. Wright, USN), USS Mobile (Capt. C.J. Wheeler, USN), USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN), USS San Juan (Capt. G.W. Clark, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 52) USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), USS Miller (Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. L.W. Pancoast, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Hickox (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN) and USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN)

Task Group 58.3
Aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (Capt. M.B. Gardner, USN), USS Lexington (Capt. E.W. Litch, USN), light cariers USS San Jacinto (Capt. H.M. Martin, USN), USS Princeton (Capt. W.H. Buracker, USN), heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (Capt. E.R. Johnson, USN), light cruisers USS Reno (Capt. R.C. Alexander, USN), USS Montpelier (Capt. H.D. Hoffman, USN), USS Cleveland (Capt. A.G. Shepard, USN), Birmingham (Capt. T.B. Inglis, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 50) USS Clarence K. Bronson (Cdr. G. Scull, USN), USS Cotten (Cdr. F.T. Sloat, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. W.J. Miller, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN) and USS Knapp (Cdr. F. Virden, USN).

Task Group 58.4
Aircraft carrier USS Essex (Capt. R.A. Ofstie, USN), light carriers USS Langley (Capt. W.M. Dillon, USN), USS Cowpens (Capt. H.W. Taylor, USN), light cruisers USS San Diego (Capt. L.J. Hudson, USN), Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), Houston (Capt. W.W. Behrens, USN), Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN) and the destroyers USS Lansdowne (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN), USS Lardner (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Parker, USN), USS McCalla (Lt.Cdr. E.K. Jones, USN), USS Lang (Cdr. H. Payson, Jr., USN), USS Sterett (Lt.Cdr. F.J.L. Blouin, USN), USS Wilson (Lt.Cdr. C.K. Duncan, USN), USS Case (Cdr. C.M. Howe, 3rd, USN), USS Ellet (Lt.Cdr. E.C. Rider, USN), USS Charles Ausburne (Lt.Cdr. L.K. Reynolds, USN), USS Stanly (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Morland, USN), USS Dyson (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Babb, USN), USS Converse (Cdr. J.B. Colwell, USN), USS Spence (Cdr. H.J. Armstrong, Jr., USN) and USS Thatcher (Cdr. L.R. Lampman, USN).

Task Group 58.7
Battleships USS Washington (Capt. T.R. Cooley, USN), USS North Carolina (Capt. F.P. Thomas, USN), USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), USS Indiana (Capt. T.J. Keliher, USN), USS South Dakota (Capt. R.S. Riggs, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. F.D. Kirtland, USN), heavy cruisers USS Wichita (Capt. D.A. Spencer, USN), USS Minneapolis (Capt. H. Slocum, USN), USS New Orleans (Capt. J.D.H. Kane, USN), USS San Francisco (Capt. H.E. Overesch, USN) and the destroyers USS Mugford (Lt.Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), USS Conyngham (Lt.Cdr. B. Taylor, USN), USS Patterson (Lt.Cdr. A.F. White, USN), USS Bagley (Lt.Cdr. W.H. Shea, Jr., USN), USS Selfridge (Lt.Cdr. L.L. Snider, USN), USS Halford (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Hardy, USN), USS Guest (Cdr. M.G. Kennedy, USN), USS Bennett (Lt.Cdr. P.F. Hauck, USN), USS Fullam (Cdr. W.D. Kelly, USN), USS Hudson (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Pratt, USN), USS Yarnall (Cdr. B.F. Tompkins, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. E.K. Wakefield, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. E.P. Holmes, USN) and USS Monssen (Cdr. B.A. Feutsch, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

8 Jun 1944
Task Group 58.7 was dissolved and USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) joined Task Group 58.2.

11 Jun 1944
During the morning, the heavy ships including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), topped off the destroyers of the Task Group with fuel.

13 Jun 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) joined Task Unit 58.7.4 for a bombardment of Saipan and Tinian Island.

Besides Iowa Task Unit 58.7.4 was made up of her sister ship USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN) and the destroyers USS Mugford (Lt.Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), USS Patterson (Lt.Cdr. A.F. White, USN), USS Bagley (Lt.Cdr. W.H. Shea, Jr., USN) and USS Conyngham (Lt.Cdr. B. Taylor, USN).

The following is an extract from the action report of USS Iowa.
1015 hours - When north-west of Saipan, Task Unit 58.7.4, was detached to the bombardment area of Saipan.

1033 hours - Two aircraft were catapulted for gunnery observation purposes.

1100 hours - Commenced the bombardment according to the bombardment plan.

1315 hours - USS New Jersey retired to the west to recover and service her aircraft before catapulting them again.

1448 hours - USS New Jersey returned and now Iowa retired to the west to recover and service her aircraft before catapulting them again.

1634 hours - Iowa returned and resumed the bombardment.

1728 hours - Ceased fire and covered the retirement of the minesweepers.

1827 hours - Recovered our aircraft and then retired to the north-west. Iowa re-joined Task Group 58.2 early the following morning.

During the action Iowa had fired a total of 331 16" rounds and 1678 5" rounds.

14 Jun 1944
During the day, the heavy ships including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), topped off the destroyers of the Task Group with fuel.

16 Jun 1944
During the morning, the heavy ships including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN), topped off the destroyers of the Task Group with fuel. Iowa herself also received fuel from an oiler.

18 Jun 1944
Battle of the Philippine Sea.

While USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) was about 100 nautical miles west of Tinian Island at 1006 hours the Task Group she was part of made radar contact with a large number of unidentified aircraft proceeding eastwards. It soon became appartent that the enemy was out in force with the objection of inflicting damage to the US Fifth Fleet. The carriers launched fighters to intercept which was successful but some individual aircraft got through. The ships of the Task Group Iowa was part of claimed to have shot down eight enemy aircraft. Iowa herself claimed to have shot down an enemy torpedo plane and assisted in the destruction of two other planes.

23 Jun 1944
During the day all ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers.

26 Jun 1944
In the afternoon USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group with fuel.

27 Jun 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group with fuel.

29 Jun 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group with fuel.

1 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) fuelled from the USS Caliente (Lt.Cdr. A.E. Stiff, USNR).

3 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Clarence K. Bronson (Cdr. G. Scull, USN), with fuel.

7 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) anchored off Saipan Island and fuelled the destroyers USS Lardner (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Parker, USN) and USS McCalla (Lt.Cdr. E.K. Jones, USN). She got underway again later the same day.

10 Jul 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) were fuelled at sea from a group of oilers.

13 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) anchored off Saipan Island and fuelled the destroyers USS Lardner (Lt.Cdr. J.D. Parker, USN) and USS McCalla (Lt.Cdr. E.K. Jones, USN). She got underway again later the same day.

20 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) anchored off Saipan Island and fuelled the destroyers USS Caperton (Cdr. W.J. Miller, USN) and USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN). She got underway again later the same day.

22 Jul 1944
During the day all ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers.

25 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cotten (Cdr. F.T. Sloat, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN) and USS Sterett (Lt.Cdr. F.J.L. Blouin, USN), with fuel.

28 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Hickox (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN) and USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), with fuel.

30 Jul 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) fuelled from the USS Caliente (Lt.Cdr. A.E. Stiff, USNR).

4 Aug 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Morrison (Cdr. W.H. Price, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. K.M. Gentry, USN), USS Laws (Cdr. L.O. Wood, USN) and USS Miller (Cdr. T.H. Kobey, USN), with fuel.

11 Aug 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. McCrea, USN) arrived at Eniwetok after over two months at sea.

30 Aug 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) departed Eniwetok for exercises followed by raids against the Japanese to support future landing operations.

Iowa was part of Task Force 38 which was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 38.1
Aircraft carriers USS Wasp (Capt. O.A. Weller, USN), USS Hornet (Capt. A.K. Doyle, USN), light carriers USS Cowpens (Capt. H.W. Taylor, USN), USS Belleau Wood (Capt. J.A Perry, USN) (detached on 17 September and replaced by USS Monterey (Capt. S.H. Ingersoll, USN), the heavy cruisers USS Wichita (Capt D.A. Spencer, USN), USS Boston (Capt. E.E. Hermann, USN), USS Canberra (Capt. A.R. Early, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 46 / DesDiv 91) USS Izard (Cdr. M.T. Dayton, USN), USS Charrette (Lt.Cdr. G.P. Joyce, USN), USS Conner (Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Bell (Cdr. J.S.C. Gabbert, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. J.T. Bullen, Jr., USN), (DesRon 46 / DesDiv 92) USS Boyd (Cdr. U.S.G. Sharp, Jr., USN), USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN), USS Cowell (Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN), (DesRon 12 / DesDiv 23) USS Farenholt (Cdr. K.S. Shook, USN), USS McCalla (Lt.Cdr. E. Vinock, USN), USS Grayson (Cdr. W.V. Pratt, III, USN).

Task Group 38.2
Aircraft carriers USS Bunker Hill (Capt. M.R. Greer, USN), USS Intrepid (Capt. J.F. Bolger, USN), light carriers USS Cabot (Capt. S.J. Michael, USN), USS Independence (Capt. E.C. Ewen, USN) battleships USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), light cruisers USS Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), USS Houston (Capt. W.W. Behrens, USN), USS Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN), USS San Diego (Capt. W.E.A. Mulen, USN), USS Oakland (Capt. K.S. Reed, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 52 / DesDiv 103) USS Owen (Cdr. R.W. Wood, USN), USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN), USS The Sullivans (Lt.Cdr. R.J. Baum, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. L.W. Pancoast, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), (DesRon 52 / DesDiv 104) USS Hickox (Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN) (left for Manus on 15 September), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), (DesRon 53 / DesDiv 105) USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. D.T. Wilber, USN), USS Halsey Powell (Cdr. W.T. McGarry, USN), USS Benham (Cdr. F.S. Keeler, USN), (DesRon 53 / DesDiv 106) USS Yarnall (Cdr. J.H. Hogg, USN), USS Blue (Cdr. L. Ensey, USN) (left formation on 18 September), USS Stockham (Cdr. E.P. Holmes, USN), USS Wedderburn (Cdr. C.H. Kendall, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. E.K. Wakefield, USN) (joined the formation on 18 September).

Task Group 38.3
Aircraft carriers USS Lexington (Capt. E.W. Litch, USN), USS Essex (Capt. C.W. Wieber, USN), light carriers USS Princeton (Capt. W.H. Buracker, USN), USS Langley (Capt. W.M. Dillon, USN), battleships USS Washington (Capt. T.R. Cooley, USN), USS Indiana (Capt. T.J. Keliher, USN), USS Massachusetts (Capt. W.W. Warlick, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. V.R. Murphy, Jr., USN), light cruisers USS Santa Fé (Capt. J. Wright, USN), USS Birmingham (Capt. T.B. Inglis, USN), USS Mobile (Capt. C.C. Miller, USN), USS Reno (Capt. R.C. Alexander, USN) and the destroyers (DesDiv 100) USS Caperton (Cdr. G.K. Carmichael, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (Lt.Cdr. W.B. Brown, USN), USS Porterfield (Cdr. D.W. Wulzen, USN) (DesRon 55 / DesDiv 109) USS Callaghan (Cdr. F.J. Johnson, USN), USS Cassin Young (Cdr. E.T. Schreiber, USN), USS Irwin (Cdr. D.B. Miller, USN), USS Preston (Cdr. G.S. Patrick, USN), USS Laws (Cdr. L.O. Wood, USN), (DesRon 55 / DesDiv 110) USS Longshaw (Cdr. R.H. Speck, USN), USS Morrison (Cdr. W.H. Price, USN) and USS Prichett (Cdr. C.T. Caulfield, USN).

Task Group 38.4
Aircraft carriers USS Franklin (Capt. J.M. Shoemaker, USN), USS Enterprise (Capt. C.D. Glover, Jr., USN), light carriers USS Monterey (Capt. S.H. Ingersoll, USN), USS San Jacinto (Capt. H.M. Martin, USN), heavy cruiser USS New Orleans (Capt. J.E. Hurff, USN), light cruiser USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 6 / DesDiv 11) USS Maury (Cdr. J.W. Koenig, USN), USS Craven (Cdr. R.L. Fulton, USN), USS Gridley (Cdr. P.D. Quirk, USN), USS Helm (Cdr. S.K. Santmyers, USN), USS McCall (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Carroll, USN), (DesRon 6 / DesDiv 12) USS Mugford (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), USS Ralph Talbot (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Brown, USNR), USS Bagley (Cdr. W.H. Shea, Jr., USN), USS Patterson (Lt.Cdr. W.A. Hering, USN) (DesDiv 24) USS Wilkes (Lt.Cdr. F.E. McEntire, Jr., USN), USS Nicholson (Cdr. W.W. Vanous, USN) and USS Swanson (Lt.Cdr. W.K. Ratliff, USN).

Task Group 38.5
(This Task Group was dissolved on 11 September 1944, all ships then joined the other four Task Groups)
The ships in this group are already listed with the other Task Groups.

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

6 Sep 1944
Late in the afternoon, USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Dortch (Cdr. R.C. Young, USN), with fuel.

10 Sep 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) fuelled from the USS Guadalupe (Cdr. H.A. Anderson, USN).

16 Sep 1944
In the morning, USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), fuelled from the USS Lackawanna (Cdr. A.J. Homann, USN).

19 Sep 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were topped off by a group of oilers.

23 Sep 1944
In the morning USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) fuelled three destroyers attached to the Task Group, USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. L.W. Pancoast, USN) and USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN).

In the evening Iowa herself fuelled from the USS Chikaskia (Lt.Cdr. G. Zimmerman, USNR).

25 Sep 1944
Late in the afternoon, USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. L.W. Pancoast, USN), with fuel.

27 Sep 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers.

28 Sep 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) anchored off Saipan Island.

29 Sep 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) departed Saipan for Ulithi Atoll.

Iowa made the passage as part of Task Force 34 (Heavy Unit striking unit) which was made up of the following ships;
Battleships USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), USS Washington (Capt. T.R. Cooley, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. V.R. Murphy, Jr., USN), USS Massachusetts (Capt. W.W. Warlick, USN), light cruisers USS Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), USS Houston (Capt. W.W. Behrens, USN), USS Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN) destroyers USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. R.J. Baum, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. D.T. Wilber, USN), USS Halsey Powell (Cdr. W.T. McGarry, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.G. Hooper, USN), USS Hickox (Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), USS Yarnall (Cdr. J.H. Hogg, USN).

1 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) arrived at Ulithi Atoll.

3 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) departed Ulithi Atoll to ride out a storm at sea.

4 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) returned to Ulithi Atoll.

6 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) departed Ulithi for raids against the Japanese to support future landing operations.

Iowa was part of Task Force 38 which was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 38.1
Aircraft carriers USS Wasp (Capt. O.A. Weller, USN), USS Hornet (Capt. A.K. Doyle, USN), light carriers USS Monterey (Capt. S.H. Ingersoll, USN), USS Cowpens (Capt. H.W. Taylor, USN), heavy cruisers USS Wichita (Capt D.A. Spencer, USN), USS Boston (Capt. E.E. Hermann, USN), USS Canberra (Capt. A.R. Early, USN) light cruiser USS Houston (Capt. W.W. Behrens, USN), destroyers USS Izard (Cdr. M.T. Dayton, USN), USS Charrette (Lt.Cdr. G.P. Joyce, USN), USS Conner (Cdr. W.E. Kaitner, USN), USS Bell (Lt.Cdr. J.S.C. Gabbert, USN), USS Burns (Cdr. J.T. Bullen, Jr., USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. H.T. Deutermann, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. G.K. Carmichael, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (Lt.Cdr. W.B. Brown, USN), USS Boyd (Cdr. U.S.G. Sharp, Jr., USN), USS Cowell (Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN), USS McCalla (Lt.Cdr. E. Vinock, USN), USS Grayson (Cdr. W.V. Pratt, III, USN), USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN), USS Woodworth (Cdr. C.R. Stephan, USN).

Task Group 38.2
Aircraft carriers USS Intrepid (Capt. J.F. Bolger, USN), USS Hancock (Capt. F.C. Dickey, USN), USS Bunker Hill (Capt. M.R. Greer, USN), light carriers USS Cabot (Capt. S.J. Michael, USN), USS Independence (Capt. E.C. Ewen, USN) battleships USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), light cruisers USS Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), USS Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN), USS San Diego (Capt. W.E.A. Mulen, USN), USS Oakland (Capt. K.S. Reed, USN), destroyers USS Owen (Cdr. C.B.Jones, USN), USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. R.J. Baum, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. L.W. Pancoast, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Hickox (Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), USS Halsey Powell (Cdr. S.D.B. Merrill, USN), USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. D.T. Wilber, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.G. Hooper, USN), USS Benham (Cdr. F.S. Keeler, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. E.P. Holmes, USN), USS Wedderburn (Cdr. C.H. Kendall, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. E.K. Wakefield, USN), USS Yarnall (Cdr. J.H. Hogg, USN).

Task Group 38.3
Aircraft carriers USS Essex (Capt. C.W. Wieber, USN), USS Lexington (Capt. E.W. Litch, USN), light carriers USS Princeton (Capt. W.H. Buracker, USN), USS Langley (Capt. J.F. Wegforth, USN), battleships USS Washington (Capt. T.R. Cooley, USN), USS Massachusetts (Capt. W.W. Warlick, USN), USS South Dakota (Capt. R.S. Riggs, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. V.R. Murphy, Jr., USN), light cruises USS Santa Fé (Capt. J. Wright, USN), USS Mobile (Capt. C.C. Miller, USN), USS Birmingham (Capt. T.B. Inglis, USN), USS Reno (Capt. R.C. Alexander, USN), destroyers USS Clarence K. Bronson (Cdr. G. Scull, USN), USS Cotten (Lt.Cdr. P.W. Winston, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.E. Myers, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Porterfield (Cdr. D.W. Wulzen, USN), USS Callaghan (Cdr. F.J. Johnson, USN), USS Cassin Young (Cdr. E.T. Schreiber, USN), USS Irwin (Cdr. D.B. Miller, USN), USS Preston (Cdr. G.S. Patrick, USN), USS Laws (Cdr. L.O. Wood, USN), USS Longshaw (Cdr. R.H. Speck, USN), USS Morrison (Cdr. W.H. Price, USN), USS Prichett (Cdr. C.T. Caulfield, USN).

Task Group 38.4 (which came from the Palau area)
Aircraft carriers USS Franklin (Capt. J.M. Shoemaker, USN), USS Enterprise (Capt. C.D. Glover, Jr., USN), light carriers USS San Jacinto (Capt. H.M. Martin, USN), USS Belleau Wood (Capt. J.A Perry, USN), heavy cruiser USS New Orleans (Capt. J.E. Hurff, USN), light cruiser USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN), destroyers USS Maury (Cdr. J.W. Koenig, USN), USS Gridley (Cdr. P.D. Quirk, USN), USS Helm (Cdr. S.K. Santmyers, USN), USS McCall (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Carroll, USN), USS Mugford (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), USS Bagley (Cdr. W.H. Shea, Jr., USN), USS Patterson (Lt.Cdr. W.A. Hering, USN), USS Ralph Talbot (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Brown, USNR), USS Wilkes (Lt.Cdr. F.E. McEntire, Jr., USN), USS Nicholson (Cdr. W.C. Bennett, Jr., USN) and USS Swanson (Lt.Cdr. W.K. Ratliff, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

8 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) fuelled the light cruiser USS San Diego (Capt. W.E.A. Mulen, USN) and two destroyers, USS Yarnall (Cdr. J.H. Hogg, USN) and USS Benham (Cdr. F.S. Keeler, USN).

Thereafter Iowa herself fuelled from the USS Neches (Cdr. H.G. Hansen, USN).

11 Oct 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Mississinewa (Cdr. P.G. Beck, USNR).

15 Oct 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Caliente (Lt.Cdr. A.E. Stiff, USNR) and the USS Schuylkill (Capt. F.A. Hardesty, USN).

17 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) fuelled the destroyers, USS Halsey Powell (Cdr. S.D.B. Merrill, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN) and USS Hickox (Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN).

19 Oct 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Lackawanna (Cdr. A.J. Homann, USN).

23 Oct 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Kennebago (Lt.Cdr. C.W. Brockway, USNR).

25 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) fuelled the destroyers, USS Colahan (Cdr. D.T. Wilber, USN) and USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN). Upon completion of the fuelling Iowa and other units of the Task Group formed Task Unit 34.5 and proceeded south at high speed (28 knots) towards San Bernardino Strait in the hope of intercepting the enemy force approaching that strait from the southward.

Task Unit 34.5 was made up of battleships USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), light cruisers USS Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN), USS Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN), destroyers USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN), USS Owen (Cdr. C.B.Jones, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. R.J. Baum, USN) and USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN).

26 Oct 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) and the Task Group she is part of continued on the south. At 0029 hours the destroyer USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN) reported a surface contact. The three light cruisers closed this contact and opened fire on it. The contact turned out to be the Japanese destroyer Nowaki which was sunk by the light cruisers USS Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), USS Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN), USS Biloxi (Capt. D.M. McGurl, USN) and the destroyers USS Owen (Cdr. C.B.Jones, USN) and USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN).

3 Nov 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Kaskaskia (Lt.Cdr. W.F. Patten, USNR).

7 Nov 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Nantahala (Capt. P.M. Gunnell, USN) but not before she had fuelled the destroyers USS Twining (Cdr. E.K. Wakefield, USN) and USS Stockham (Cdr. E.P. Holmes, USN) herself.

9 Nov 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) returned to Ulithi Atoll.

14 Nov 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) departed Ulithi for more raids against the Japanese in the Philippines.

Iowa was part of Task Force 38.2 which was made up of the following ships;
Aircraft carriers USS Intrepid (Capt. J.F. Bolger, USN), USS Hancock (Capt. F.C. Dickey, USN), light carriers USS Cabot (Capt. S.J. Michael, USN), USS Independence (Capt. E.C. Ewen, USN), battleships USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN), USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), light cruisers USS Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), USS Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN), USS Pasadena (Capt. R.B. Tuggle, USN) (until 16 November), destroyers (DesRon 52 / DesDiv 103) USS Owen (Cdr. C.B.Jones, USN), USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. R.J. Baum, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. L.W. Pancoast, USN) (joined on 16 November), (Desron 52 / DesDiv 104) USS Hickox (Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN) (joined on 17 November), (DesRon 53 / DesDiv 105) USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN) (departed the formation on 20 November), USS Halsey Powell (Cdr. S.D.B. Merrill, USN) (departed the formation on 20 November), USS Wedderburn (Cdr. C.H. Kendall, USN) (joined on 16 November, departed the formation on 23 November), USS Benham (Cdr. F.S. Keeler, USN) (joined on 17 November, departed the formation on 20 November), USS Colahan (Cdr. D.T. Wilber, USN) (joined on 23 November), (DesRon 53 / Desdiv 106) USS Yarnall (Cdr. J.H. Hogg, USN) (departed the formation on 23 November), USS Stockham (Cdr. E.P. Holmes, USN) (departed the formation on 23 November), USS Twining (Cdr. E.K. Wakefield, USN) (departed the formation on 18 November), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.G. Hooper, USN) (joined on 17 November, departed the formation on 20 November), (DesRon 46 / DesDiv 92) USS Boyd (Cdr. A.E. Teall, USN), USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN), USS Cowell (Cdr. C.W. Parker, USN) (this division joined on 20 November), (DesRon 51 / DesDiv 102) USS Capps (Cdr. J.W. Wood, USN), USS David W. Taylor (Cdr. W.H. Johnsen, USN), USS John D. Henley (Cdr. C.H. Smith, USN) (this division joined on 23 November). The following destroyers were with this Task Force only briefly; USS Mugford (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), USS Ralph Talbot (Lt.Cdr. W.S. Brown, USNR) (both departed the formation on 16 November), USS Cogswell (Cdr. R.E. Lockwood, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. G.K. Carmichael, USN), Halford and USS Knapp (Lt.Cdr. W.B. Brown, USN) (these four destroyers departed the formaton even earlier, on 15 November).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

16 Nov 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Neosho (Lt.Cdr. F.P. Parkinson, USNR). Iowa herself refuelled the destroyers USS Hickox (Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN) and USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN).

18 Nov 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) fuelled the destroyers USS Twining (Cdr. E.K. Wakefield, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. E.P. Holmes, USN) and USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN).

21 Nov 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Kankakee (Lt.Cdr. W.G. Frundt, USNR).

23 Nov 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) fuelled the destroyers, USS Miller, USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN) and USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN).

24 Nov 1944
All heavy ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Guadalupe (Cdr. H.A. Anderson, USN).

27 Nov 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. A.R. McCann, USN) returned to Ulithi Atoll.

11 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) departed Ulithi for raids against the Japanese to support future landing operations.

Iowa was part of Task Force 38 which was made up of the following ships;

Task Group 38.1
Aircraft carriers Yorktown, USS Wasp (Capt. O.A. Weller, USN), light carriers, USS Cowpens (Capt. G.H. DeBaun, USN), USS Monterey (Capt. S.H. Ingersoll, USN), battleships, USS Massachusetts (Capt. W.W. Warlick, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. V.R. Murphy, Jr., USN), heavy cruisers, USS Boston (Capt. E.E. Hermann, USN), USS Baltimore (Capt. C.K. Fink, USN), USS San Francisco (Capt. H.E. Overesch, USN), USS New Orleans (Capt. J.E. Hurff, USN), light cruisers, USS San Diego (Capt. W.E.A. Mulen, USN) and destroyers (DesRon 53 / DesDiv 105) USS Halsey Powell (Cdr. S.D.B. Merrill, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. D.T. Wilber, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.G. Hooper, USN), USS Benham (Cdr. F.S. Keeler, USN), USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN), (DesDiv 106) USS Yarnall (Cdr. J.H. Hogg, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. E.K. Wakefield, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. E.P. Holmes, USN), USS Wedderburn (Cdr. C.H. Kendall, USN), (DesRon 47 made up of destroyers from several divisions) USS McCord (Cdr. F.D. Michael, USN), USS Haggard (Cdr. D.A. Harris, USN), USS Franks (Cdr. D.R. Stephan, USN), USS Hobby (Cdr. G.W. Pressey, USN), USS Welles (Lt.Cdr. J.S. Slaughter, USN), USS Buchanan (Cdr. R.W. Curtis, USN) and USS Brown (Cdr. T.H. Copeman, USN).

Task Group 38.2
Aircraft carriers USS Lexington (Capt. E.W. Litch, USN), USS Hancock (Capt. R.F. Hickey, USN), USS Hornet (Capt. A.K. Doyle, USN), light carriers USS Independence (Capt. E.C. Ewen, USN), USS Cabot (Capt. S.J. Michael, USN), battleships USS New Jersey (Capt. C.F. Holden, USN), USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), USS Wisconsin (Capt. E.V. Stone, USN), light cruisers USS Pasadena (Capt. R.B. Tuggle, USN), USS Astoria (Capt. G.C. Dyer, USN), USS Vincennes (Capt. A.D. Brown, USN), USS Miami (Capt. J.G. Crawford, USN), USS San Juan (Capt. J.F. Donovan, Jr., USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 52 / DesDiv 103) USS Owen (Cdr. C.B.Jones, USN), USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN), USS The Sullivans (Cdr. R.J. Baum, USN), USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN), USS Stephen Potter (Cdr. L.W. Pancoast, USN), (DesDiv 104) USS Hickox (Cdr. J.H. Wesson, USN), USS Hunt (Cdr. H.A. Knoertzer, USN), USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), USS Marshall (Cdr. J.D. McKinney, USN), (DesRon 61 / DesDiv 121) USS De Haven (Cdr. J.B. Dimmick, USN), USS Mansfield (Cdr. R.E. Braddy, Jr., USN), USS Lyman K. Swenson (Cdr. F.T. Williamson, USN), USS Collett (Cdr. J.D. Collett, USN), USS Maddox (Cdr. J.S. Willis, USN), (DesDiv 122) USS Blue (Cdr. L. Ensey, USN), USS Brush (Cdr. J.E. Edwards, USN), USS Taussig (Cdr. J.A. Robbins, USN), USS Samuel N. Moore (Cdr. H.A. Lincoln, USN) and two more destroyers USS Dyson (Cdr. L.E. Ruff, USN) and USS Spence (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Andrea, USN).

Task Group 38.3
Aircraft carriers USS Essex (Capt. C.W. Wieber, USN), USS Ticonderoga (Capt. E.W. Kiefer, USN), light carriers, USS Langley (Capt. J.F. Wegforth, USN), USS San Jacinto (Capt. M.H. Kernodle, USN), battleships USS North Carolina (Capt. F.G. Fahrion, USN), USS Washington (Capt. R.F. Good, USN), USS South Dakota (Capt. R.S. Riggs, USN), light cruisers USS Mobile (Capt. C.C. Miller, USN), USS Biloxi (Capt. P.R. Heineman, USN), USS Santa Fé (Capt. H.C. Fitz, USN), USS Oakland (Capt. K.S. Reed, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 50 / DesDiv 99) USS Clarence K. Bronson (Cdr. G. Scull, USN), USS Cotten (Cdr. P.W. Winston, USN), USS Gatling (Cdr. A.F. Richardson, USN), USS Healy (Cdr. J.C. Atkeson, USN), USS Dortch (Cdr. R.E. Myers, USN) (DesDiv 100) USS Cogswell (Cdr. R.E. Lockwood, USN), USS Caperton (Cdr. G.K. Carmichael, USN), USS Ingersoll (Cdr. A.C. Veasey, USN), USS Knapp (Lt.Cdr. W.B. Brown, USN), (DesRon 55 / DesDiv 109) USS Porterfield (Cdr. D.W. Wulzen, USN), USS Callaghan (Cdr. C.M. Bertholf, USN), USS Cassin Young (Cdr. J.W. Ailes, III, USN), USS Preston (Cdr. G.S. Patrick, USN), (DesDiv 110) USS Laws (Cdr. L.O. Wood, USN), USS Longshaw (Cdr. R.H. Speck, USN), USS Prichett (Cdr. C.M. Bowley, USN) and USS Thatcher (Cdr. W.A. Cockell, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

13 Dec 1944
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers.

17 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Brush (Cdr. J.E. Edwards, USN) and USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), with fuel.

19 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN) and USS Miller (Lt.Cdr. D.L. Johnson, USN), with fuel. Iowa herself was fuelled by the oiler USS Cache (Lt.Cdr. C.R. Cosgrove, USNR).

22 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Lewis Hancock (Cdr. W.M. Searles, USN), with fuel. Iowa herself was fuelled by the oiler USS Mascoma (Lt.Cdr. H.P. Timmers, USNR).

23 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) developed excessive vibration in no.3 shaft. Course was set for Ulithi for inspection of the damage. Iowa was escorted by the destroyers USS Owen (Cdr. C.B.Jones, USN) and USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN) towards Ulithi.

24 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at Ulithi where her no.3 shaft was inpected by divers. It was decided that it was required to dock Iowa for repairs.

Later the same day Iowa departed Ulithi for Seeadler Harbour. She was escorted by the destroyers USS Tingey (Cdr. J.O. Miner, USN) and USS The Sullivans (Cdr. R.J. Baum, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

27 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at Seeadler Harbour where she was immediately docked in drydock ABSD-2.

29 Dec 1944
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) was undocked and then departed Seeadler Harbour for Pearl Harbour. No.3 propeller had been removed and sucured on the deck of the ship. During the trip to Pearl Harbour Iowa was escorted by the destroyers USS Caldwell (Lt.Cdr. D.R. Robinson, USNR), USS Killen (Cdr. H.G. Corey, USN) and USS Lamson (Cdr. J.V. Noel, Jr., USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

6 Jan 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at Pearl Harbour.

9 Jan 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) departed Pearl Harbour for San Francisco. She was escorted by the destroyers USS Caldwell (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Harlan, USN) and USS Killen (Cdr. H.G. Corey, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

15 Jan 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at the Hunters Point Navy Yard, San Francisco.

8 Mar 1945
During 8/9 March 1945, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), conducted trials off San Francisco.

18 Mar 1945
With her refit completed, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), departed San Francisco for San Pedro. Iowa had no surface escort during this passage.

19 Mar 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at San Pedro to begin a training period.

21 Mar 1945
During 21/29 March 1945, USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), conducted exercises off San Pedro. During the entire period she was escorted by the destroyer USS Shields (Cdr. G.B. Madden, USN).

31 Mar 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) departed San Pedro for Pearl Harbour. She was not escorted.

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

7 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at Pearl Harbour.

8 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) departed Pearl Harbour for Eniwetok. She made the passage together with the heavy cruiser USS New Orleans (Capt. J.E. Hurff, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

15 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at Eniwetok and after fuelling she departed that base for Ulithi later the same day. She was still in company with heavy cruiser USS New Orleans (Capt. J.E. Hurff, USN) but they were now escorted by the destroyer USS Caldwell (Lt.Cdr. D.R. Robinson, USNR).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during this passage see the map below.

18 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at Ulithi.

21 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) departed Ulithi for the Okinawa area. Passage was made together with the aircraft carrier Shangri La (Capt. J.D. Barner, USN). They were escorted by the destroyers Haggard (Lt.Cdr. V.J. Soballe, USN) and USS Stembel (Cdr. M.S. Schmidling, USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

24 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived in the Okinawa area and joined Task Force 58.4 which was made up of the following ships;
Aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (Capt. W.F. Boone, USN), light carriers USS Langley (Capt. J.F. Wegforth, USN), USS Independence (Capt. N.M. Kindell, USN), battleships USS Wisconsin (Capt. J.W. Roper, USN), USS Missouri (Capt. W.M. Callaghan, USN), large cruisers USS Alaska (Capt. K.H. Noble, USN), USS Guam (Capt. L.P. Lovette, USN), light cruisers USS San Diego (Capt. W.E.A. Mulen, USN), USS Flint (Capt. C.R. Will, USN) and destroyers USS Remey (Cdr. R.P. Fiala, USN), USS Norman Scott (Cdr. W.B. Porter, USN), USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN), USS Monssen (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Sanderson, USN), USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN), USS McGowan (Cdr. W.R. Cox, USN), USS McNair (Cdr. M.L. McCullough, Jr., USN), USS McCord (Cdr. F.D. Michael, USN), USS Trathen (Cdr. J.R. Millett, USN), USS Hazelwood (Cdr. V.P. Douw, USN), USS Heerman (Cdr. A.T. Hathaway, USN), USS Hailey (Lt.Cdr. J.R. Payne, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN), USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN) and USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN).

Upon joining this Task Group USS Iowa was fuelled by an oiler.

27 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group with fuel.

28 Apr 1945
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers.

30 Apr 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS McCord (Cdr. F.D. Michael, USN) and USS Bullard (Cdr. B.W. Freund, USN), with fuel.

2 May 1945
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers.

4 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN) and USS Heerman (Cdr. A.T. Hathaway, USN), with fuel.

6 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS McCord (Cdr. F.D. Michael, USN) and USS Cushing (Cdr. L.F. Volk, USN), with fuel.

9 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Heerman (Cdr. A.T. Hathaway, USN) and USS McCord (Cdr. F.D. Michael, USN), with fuel.

14 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at Ulithi.

24 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) departed Ulithi for more raids against the Japanese. She was still part of Task Force 58.4. Light carrier USS Langley (Capt. J.F. Wegforth, USN) had been detached from that force but aircraft carriers USS Ticonderoga (Capt. W. Sinton, USN) and USS Shangri La (Capt. J.D. Barner, USN) had been added.

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

27 May 1945
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers.

28 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN) and USS Heerman (Cdr. A.T. Hathaway, USN), with fuel.

29 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN) and USS Trathen (Cdr. J.R. Millett, USN), with fuel.

31 May 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off one of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Heerman (Cdr. A.T. Hathaway, USN), with fuel.

1 Jun 1945
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Sabine (Lt.Cdr. H.C. von Weien, USNR).

3 Jun 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN) and USS McCord (Cdr. F.D. Michael, USN), with fuel.

4 Jun 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Heerman (Cdr. A.T. Hathaway, USN) and USS USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN), with fuel.

5 Jun 1945
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Platte (Cdr. L.M. Fabian, USNR). Fueling was stopped at 1900 hours and continued the following morning.

7 Jun 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Heerman (Cdr. A.T. Hathaway, USN) and USS McCord (Cdr. F.D. Michael, USN), with fuel.

7 Jun 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN), USS Watts (Lt.Cdr. C.S. Hart, USN) and USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN), with fuel.

9 Jun 1945
All ships of the Task Group including USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) were fuelled by a group of oilers. Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Chicopee (Cdr. C.O. Peak, USNR). Iowa also received stores from the USS Aldebaran (Lt.Cdr. S.L.M. Cole, USNR).

13 Jun 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) arrived at San Pedro Bay, Philippines.

1 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) departed Ulithi for more raids against the Japanese in their home waters. She was still part of Task Force 58.4 which was now made up of the following ships
Aircraft carriers USS Yorktown (Capt. W.F. Boone, USN), USS Shangri La (Capt. J.D. Barner, USN), USS Bon Homme Richard (Capt. A.O. Rule, Jr., USN), light carriers USS Independence (Capt. N.M. Kindell, USN), USS Cowpens (Capt. G.H. DeBaun, USN), battleships USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN), USS Missouri (Capt. S.S. Murray, USN), USS Wisconsin (Capt. J.W. Roper, USN), heavy cruisers USS Quincy (Capt. E.M. Senn, USN), USS Chicago (Capt. R.R. Hartung, USN) (joined on 8 July), light cruisers USS Flint (Capt. C.R. Will, USN), USS San Diego (Capt. W.E.A. Mulen, USN), destroyers (DesRon 53 / DesDiv 105) USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN), USS Benham (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Poindexter, USN) (DesDiv 106) USS Wedderburn (Lt.Cdr. R.W. Clark, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. D.L. Moody, USN) (joined 8 July) (DesRon 54 / DesDiv 107) USS Remey (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Balch, USN), USS Wadleigh (Cdr. R.C. Morton, USN), USS Norman Scott (Cdr. W.B. Porter, USN), USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN), USS Monssen (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Sanderson, USN), (DesDiv 108) USS McDermut (Cdr. C.B. Jennings, USN), USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), USS McNair (Cdr. B.P. Ross, USN), USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN), (DesRon 57 / Desdiv 113) USS Rowe (Cdr. A.L. Young, Jr., USN), USS Smalley (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Cassidy, Jr., USN), USS Stoddard (G.W. Unmacht, USN), USS Watts (Lt.Cdr. C.S. Hart, USN), USS Wren (Cdr. E.A. McDonald, USN) and the Radar-Picket-destroyer USS Frank Knox (Cdr. J.C. Ford, Jr., USN).

For the daily positions of USS Iowa during these operations see the map below.

3 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS McNair (Cdr. B.P. Ross, USN) and USS Wadleigh (Cdr. R.C. Morton, USN), with fuel.

4 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Wren (Cdr. E.A. McDonald, USN), USS Watts (Lt.Cdr. C.S. Hart, USN) and USS Remey (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Balch, USN), with fuel.

5 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS McDermut (Cdr. C.B. Jennings, USN), USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN) and USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN), with fuel.

6 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN), USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), USS Monssen (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Sanderson, USN) and USS Rowe (Cdr. A.L. Young, Jr., USN), with fuel.

8 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN) and USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), with fuel before Iowa herself was fuelled by the USS Cahaba (Lt.Cdr. J. Burnbaum, USNR).

9 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. D.L. Moody, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN) and USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), with fuel.

11 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN) and USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN), with fuel.

12 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) was fuelled by the USS Chipola (Cdr. E.G. Genthner, USNR).

13 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off five of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN), USS Wedderburn (Lt.Cdr. R.W. Clark, USN), USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN) and USS Smalley (Lt.Cdr. H.A. Cassidy, Jr., USN), with fuel.

15 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) joined Task Unit 34.8.2 for a bombardment of Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan.

Besides Iowa Task Unit 34.8.2 was made up of her sister ships USS Wisconsin (Capt. J.W. Roper, USN), USS Missouri (Capt. S.S. Murray, USN), the light cruisers Atlanta (Capt. B.H. Colyear, USN), Dayton (Capt. P.W. Steinhagen, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 54 / DesDiv 107) USS Norman Scott (Cdr. W.B. Porter, USN), USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN), USS Monssen (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Sanderson, USN), USS Remey (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Balch, USN), (DesDiv 108) USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), USS McNair (Cdr. B.P. Ross, USN) and USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN).

The following is an extract from the action report of USS Iowa.
0040 hours - Left formation to form as a unit of Task Unit 34.8.2 and set course for the bombardment of Muroran, Hokkaida, Japan.

0434 hours - Catapulted two planes for transfer to USS Chicago to prevent damage during the bombardment.

0439 hours - Streamed paravanes.

0630 hours (approx.) - Paravanes carried away.

0810 hours - Sounded general quarters for the bombardment.

0815 hours - Sighted Esan Saki visually. A low cloud ceiling was seen over the hills.

0823 hours - Radar contact on Chikyu Saki at a range of 29 miles.

0936 hours - Received the signal to commence the bombardment. Opened fire on the Nihon Steel Company plant from a range of about 30000 yards.

0941 hours - The target area was now full of thick smoke. No large fires of explosions were observed.

0959 hours - Ceased firing after having expended 133 rounds of 16" on this target.

1003 hours - Opened fire on the second target, the Wanishi Iron Works. Range was a little over 30500 yards.

1030 hours - Ceased firing after having expended 139 rounds of 16" on this target.

1033 hours - Changed course and went to 20 knots and started to retire from the area.

16 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) was fuelled by the USS Chipola (Cdr. E.G. Genthner, USNR).

17 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN) and USS Monssen (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Sanderson, USN) with fuel.

Later in the afternoon USS Iowa joined Task Unit 34.8.2 for a bombardment of Hitachi, Ibaraki, Honshu, Japan. Besides Iowa Task Unit 34.8.2 was made up the battleships USS Wisconsin (Capt. J.W. Roper, USN), USS Missouri (Capt. S.S. Murray, USN), USS North Carolina (Capt. B.H. Hanlon, USN), USS Alabama (Capt. W.B. Goggins, USN), the light cruisers Atlanta (Capt. B.H. Colyear, USN), Dayton (Capt. P.W. Steinhagen, USN) and the destroyers (DesRon 54 / DesDiv 107) USS Remey (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Balch, USN), USS Norman Scott (Cdr. W.B. Porter, USN), USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN), USS Monssen (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Sanderson, USN) plus USS Frank Knox (Cdr. J.C. Ford, Jr., USN), (DesDiv 108) USS McDermut (Cdr. C.B. Jennings, USN), USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), USS McNair (Cdr. B.P. Ross, USN) and USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN). The British Task Unit 37.1.6. made up of the battleship HMS King George V (Capt. B.B. Schofield, CBE, RN) and the destroyers HMS Quality (Cdr. the Viscount Jocelyn, RN) and HMAS Quiberon (Lt.Cdr. G.F.E. Knox, RAN) also joined for the bombardment.

The following is an extract from the action report of USS Iowa.
17 July 1945
1642 hours - Left formation to form as a unit of Task Unit 34.8.2 and set course for the bombardment of Hitachi, Ibaraki, Honshu, Japan.

1646 hours - Streamed paravanes.

2057 hours - Sounded general quarters for the bombardment.

2315 hours - Received the signal to commence the bombardment. Opened fire on the Hitachi refinery from a range of 30700 yards.

2317 hours - Ceased firing after having expended 36 rounds of 16" on this target.

2318 hours - Opened fire on our second target, Hitachi Engeneering Works Densen plant from a range of a little over 30700 yards.

2321 hours - Ceased firing after having expended 36 rounds of 16" on this target.

2322 hours - Opened fire on our thrid target, Hitachi Engeneering Works Taga plant from a range of a little over 30000 yards.

2337 hours - Ceased firing after having expended 99 rounds of 16" on this target.

2358 hours - Opened fire on our fouth target, Hitachi Arms Factory from a range of a little over 31000 yards.

18 July 1945
0006 hours - Ceased firing after having expended 76 rounds of 16" on this target.

0013 hours - Retired from the area at a speed of 22 knots.

19 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS McDermut (Cdr. C.B. Jennings, USN), USS Remey (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Balch, USN), USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN) and USS Mertz (Cdr. W.S. Maddox, USN), with fuel.

20 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) received ammunition from the ammunition ship USS Shasta (Lt.Cdr. W.M.H.St. George, USNR).

21 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) received stores from the USS Aldebaran (Lt.Cdr. S.L.M. Cole, USNR).

22 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) received ammunition from the ammunition ship USS Mauna Loa (Lt.Cdr. K.L. Rawson, USNR).

23 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. J.L. Holloway, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), USS McDermut (Cdr. C.B. Jennings, USN) and USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), with fuel.

29 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS McDermut (Cdr. C.B. Jennings, USN), USS Monssen (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Sanderson, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. D.L. Moody, USN) and USS Benham (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Poindexter, USN), with fuel.

31 Jul 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) was fuelled by the USS Sabine (Lt.Cdr. H.C. von Weien, USNR).

3 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) was fuelled by the USS Cacapon (Cdr. G.D. Arntz, USNR).

4 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN) and USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), with fuel.

5 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN) and USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN), with fuel.

6 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN) and USS McGowan (Lt.Cdr. T.H.W. Conner, USN), with fuel.

7 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) was fuelled by the USS Neches (Cdr. H.G. Hansen, USNR).

8 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN) and USS Benham (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Poindexter, USN), with fuel.

10 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Benham (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Poindexter, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN) and USS Melvin (Cdr. B.K. Atkins, USN), with fuel.

11 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Benham (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Poindexter, USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. R.N. Perley, Jr., USN), USS Uhlmann (Cdr. S.C. Small, USN) and USS Stockham (Cdr. D.L. Moody, USN), with fuel. Following the fuelling of these destroyers Iowa herself was fuelled by the oiler USS Neches (Cdr. H.G. Hansen, USN).

12 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN) and USS Benham (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Poindexter, USN), with fuel.

14 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Benham (Lt.Cdr. W.L. Poindexter, USN) and USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN), with fuel. Following the fuelling of these destroyers Iowa herself was fuelled by the oiler USS Escambia (Lt.Cdr. R. Goorgian, USNR).

16 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), USS Cogswell (Cdr. R.N. Perley, Jr., USN) and USS Wedderburn (Lt.Cdr. R.W. Clark, USN), with fuel.

17 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN) and USS Colahan (Cdr. M.A. Shellabarger, USN), with fuel.

18 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off two of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Cushing (Lt.Cdr. W.D. Adams, USN) and USS Buchanan (Lt.Cdr. D.E. Henry, USN), with fuel. Following the fuelling of these destroyers Iowa herself was fuelled by the oiler USS Atascosa (Cdr. H.L. de Riviera, USN).

19 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) received ammunition from the ammunition ship USS Mazama (Capt. P.V.R. Harris, USNR).

21 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off four of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Wedderburn (Lt.Cdr. R.W. Clark, USN), USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. D.L. Moody, USN) and USS Frazier, with fuel.

22 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Woodworth (Lt.Cdr. W.P. Mack, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. D.L. Moody, USN) and USS Twining (Cdr. F.V. List, USN), with fuel. Following the fuelling of these destroyers Iowa herself was fuelled by the oiler USS Kennebago (Lt.Cdr. C.W. Brockway, USNR).

24 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) topped off three of the destroyers of the Task Group, USS Wedderburn (Lt.Cdr. R.W. Clark, USN), USS Stockham (Cdr. D.L. Moody, USN) and USS Twining, with fuel.

27 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) was part of the force that entered Sagami Wan (outer Tokyo Bay).

29 Aug 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) shifted from Sagami Wan to Tokyo Bay.

20 Sep 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) departed Tokyo Bay for Okinawa.

23 Sep 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) arrived at Buckner Bay, Okinawa.

24 Sep 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) departed Buckner Bay, Okinawa for the United States via Pearl Harbour.

15 Oct 1945
USS Iowa (Capt. C. Wellborn, Jr., USN) arrived at Seattle, Washinton.

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USS Iowa (BB 61)

Battleship of the Iowa class

Commands listed for USS Iowa (BB 61)

Notable events involving Iowa include:

Operations of Task Force 58 from 13 April 1944 to 4 May 1944.

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