HSMPS THANKS THE
WESTERN AEROSPACE MUSEUM
When
the U.S.S. Iowa was towed into the Bay, the Confederate Air Force sortied a
number of aircraft to greet the IOWA over Suisun Bay. The controlling
organization helping to arrange this salute to the IOWA was the Western
Aerospace Museum, located at the Oakland Airport. They were the focus of
considerable planning as both WW II fighters and trainers flew over the IOWA as
she was slowly towed into Suisun Bay. This feat required more than a little planning, as the Air Force was
also airborne over IOWA that day with a KC-10 air tanker. Merylin Wong again was our
representative, expressing our thanks to museum trustee George Ellison.
HSMPS PROUDLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE MARITIME ADMINISTRATION
IOWA
is now being cared for by the Maritime Administration. They have done a
wonderful job of maintaining the battleship. The relationship between the
HSMPS and the Maritime Administration is one typified by trust and
professionalism. Both organizations went before the Navy to support IOWA's
relocation to the Bay Area. This relocation confirmed MARAD's role as a vital participant
in the nation's defense. Just before IOWA left the East Coast, a
representative of the Navy commented to HSMPS that IOWA would be better cared
for in the Bay Area than on the East Coast. John Carlson visited
the MARAD inactive facility in Suisun Bay to express our thanks to facility
manager Joe Pecoraro.