Fundraising is underway to outfit the USS Iowa submarine. The warship was christened last month and is now undergoing sea trials for the next year before it’s cleared for active service.
Tom Hudson is executive director of the USS Iowa’s commissioning committee. “Our commissioning efforts are actually designed to provide improved habitability for the crew — recreational equipment, entertainment equipment, things that the shipbuilding appropriation doesn’t pay for,” Hudson says. “…The commissioning committee is out to raise money so we can improve the mattresses in their bunks, their athletic equipment to work out, stay healthy and stay fit.”
The committee has raised about $300,000 so far, a little over half of that has been spent to bring officers and sailors who’ll serve on the ship to Iowa to build connections here.
“For example, at the state fair, every year we’ve been bringing multiple crew members back,” Hudson says.
The committee’s goal is to raise another $200,000 over the next several months, before the USS Iowa is commissioned. Information about donating here.
In 1896, the Iowa legislature appropriated $5000 and had a Philadelphia firm design a silver service for use on the second USS Iowa battleship. The set includes a punch bowl, water pitcher, coffee pot and a fruit bowl as well as silver serving spoons and forks. The silver service was returned to the state in 1923 and then transferred to the next USS Iowa battleship in 1945 for use during ceremonies.
“When that battleship was decommissioned several years back that silver set was returned to the state of Iowa…That silver set is currently at the State Historical Museum in downtown Des Moines,” Hudson says. “There is some talk about taking one of the settings or a few of the pieces and sending to the submarine as a gift from the State of Iowa, but that’s to be determined.”
Women have served on Navy submarines since 2010, but vessels had to be retrofitted for co-ed living. Hudson notes the USS Iowa is the first Navy sub to be designed for male and female sailors and six female officers will serve on the U-S-S Iowa.
“That’s a really big milestone for us as well, too,” Hudson says. “We just ask people to join the cause and become aware because this ship’s going to carry the name Iowa for the next 30 years and we’d like that to sail proud and to be as well connected to our state as we can make it.”
It has taken eight years to build the 377 foot nuclear submarine. It weighs 7,800 tons and will be the first U.S. Navy submarine named after Iowa.