USS Iowa (Battleship No. 4) was the first ship commissioned in honor of the 29th state and is notable for being America's first seagoing battleship. Iowa saw substantial action in the Spanish–American War. While she was an improvement over the Indiana class because of a superior design, the warship became obsolete quickly in the first quarter of the 20th century, and was Superior design

              

Both decks of Iowa were above sea-level, permitting a dryer, sturdier ride than previous vessels, with less gun maintenance.

        

Crewmen pose under the gun turrets of Iowa in 1898

 

The second half of the 19th century saw radical changes in shipbuilding design. Wood-built sailing ships with cannons were replaced by steam-powered warships armored with steel. There was great interest in new shipbuilding techniques and a search for stronger metal alloys, and discussion of new designs, centerboards, ventilating techniques, with active participation between private builders and naval designers.

 

The Congress of the United States authorized a 9,000 long tons (9,100 t) warship on 19 July 1892. Specifically, it was for a 'seagoing coastline battleship', to fill the Navy's desire for a ship that could sail and fight effectively in open waters; the preceding Indiana class— authorized by Congress as 'coast-defense battleships'— had many problems with endurance and speed.

 

Iowa had a unique design and did not belong to a specific ship class.She represented an upgrade from the Indianas.Iowa's keel was built by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 5 August 1893, who also built the coal-powered, 11,000 ihp (8,200 kW) vertical reciprocating steam engines.It had twin above-board 14 in (360 mm) torpedo tubes.She carried 1,795 short tons (1,628 t) of coal. Iowa was based on the earlier Indiana-class with similar armament layout and four 12 in (300 mm) guns in twin turrets fore and aft, supplemented by four twin 8 in (200 mm) turrets.There was extensive testing of new armor plating; at one point, Iowa was fired on in testing to assess the strength of its steel shell.Like Indiana, Iowa was made using "Harveyized steel".

 

Several design modifications made Iowa a far more powerful warship than its predecessors.The diameter of the main four largest guns was 12 in (300 mm)[10][11] and were hydraulically powered.The vessel had a larger margin of freeboard and a longer hull and forecastle, which resulted in a more stable and seaworthy ship.Further, the raised height made the gunnery area drier and further reduced the risk of malfunctions due to wet weather.By utilizing the Harvey process, Iowa's armor was thinner but stronger than the nickel-steel used in the Indianas.Compared to British warships, Iowa had excellent speed (18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)) but was 3,500 long tons (3,600 t) lighter.

            

The newly built USS Iowa (BB-4) in New York Harbor in 1898
 

Launching

           

On launch day from the Cramp Shipyards in Philadelphia, the USS Iowa was then the navy's largest battleship.
 

Iowa was launched on 28 March 1896, sponsored by the daughter of the Governor of Iowa named Miss Mary Lord Drake.Ms. Drake commissioned the vessel on 16 June 1897,[1][3] with CaptainWilliam T. Sampson in command.Iowa was known as "Battleship No. 4" during her lifespan and called BB-4 after the hull classification symbol system became standard in 1921.

 

Spanish–American War

         

USS Iowa (BB-4) fires its guns during the battle of Santiago
 

When the Spanish-American war broke out, Cuba belonged to Spain. There was some speculation that the Spanish military made a mistake by sending its fleet to Cuba instead of keeping it nearer to Spain where supplies were closer; instead, it was sent to the Americas, and was discovered in the harbor of Santiago.

 

Spanish warships

Six Spanish warships commanded by Admiral Cervera were Maria Teresa (flag), Vizcaya, Oquendo, Colon, and two torpedo boat destroyers.

 

United States warships

After shakedown off the Atlantic coast, Iowa was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and was ordered to blockade duty on 28 May 1898, off Santiago de Cuba.under the command of Captain Robley D. "Fighting Bob" Evans.She participated in a naval bombardment of the fort near Santiago.She joined many other American warships blockading Cuba including the USS Harvard, the Resolute, the New York, Oregon, New Orleans, Mayflower, Porter, Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Texas, Marblehead, Vixen, Suwanee, Dolphin, and St. Paul (a coal supply ship).

 

Sampson's Blockade

The Commander in Chief of the US North Atlantic Station, Rear Admiral Sampson, insisted the blockade be tight; "the escape of the Spanish vessels at this juncture would be a serious blow to our prestige, and to a speedy end to the war", he wrote.He wasn't worried about fire from shore batteries but was concerned about possible attack from a surface-going torpedo boat and urged captains to look for tell-tale signs of attacking boats such as smoke on the water.One issue was having enough coal.Since steam engines take time to build sufficient energy to drive larger turbines, engines were kept running to enable rapid start-up movement despite the usage of precious coal.Luckily, vessels could coal while maintaining a position in the blockade.

 

The initial plan was for blockading ships to wait 6 nmi (11 km) out from Santiago harbor during the day, but this was tightened to 4 nmi (7 km) after a while.At night or in bad weather, the ships were brought in closer to prevent escapes. One squadron blocked the east side, another the west. Picket launches each evening were ordered one mile off shore. The admiral gave specific instructions about how to use search lights at night to sweep the horizon "steadily and slowly" and "not less than three minutes should be employed in sweeping through an arc of 90 degrees."As of 2 June 1898, Sampson headed one squadron which included New York, Iowa, Oregon, New Orleans, Mayflower, and Porter, while commander Schley headed the Brooklyn, Massachusetts, Texas, Marblehead, and Vixen.One squadron blocked the east side harbor exit; the other, the west.By 10 June, Spanish warships in Cuba's Santiago harbor were "neatly bottled up" according to Iowa's Captain Evans.

 

Fierce Battle

On Sunday morning, 3 July 1898, there were partly cloudy skies with fairly calm water.Six Spanish warships steamed out of Santiago harbor in a southwesterly direction.Iowa was the first to sight black ships Spanish cruisers approaching,telegraphed other American ships at 09:30, and fired the first shot in the Battle of Santiago.Iowa along with Indiana, Texas, Oregon and Brooklyn chased the Spanish cruisers.A second report includes Gloucester as being part of the chasing squadron and suggests Vixen's purpose was to protect Brooklyn from Spanish torpedo boats. A third report lists torpedo boat Ericsson as participating.

 

The two fleets engaged in a brief but intense naval battle off the shores of Cuba.There was speculation that two Spanish torpedo destroyers posed a serious risk.In a 20-minute battle with Infanta Maria Teresa and Almirante Oquendo, her effective fire set both ships aflame and drove them on the beach, according to several reports.Fire from both fleets was continuous and fast and furious.The two Spanish torpedo boats took on Gloucester which prevailed against both in a tense slugfest.Some reports suggest Iowa suffered from engine trouble during the battle and "limped along at 10 knots", as well as taking two hits from the Spanish warship Colon, which further reduced her speed.But later analysis suggests Iowa was a significant participant throughout the battle and this is inconsistent with a reduced speed.A dangerous fire in Iowa's lower decks happened during the battle, possibly caused by enemy fire, which threatened lethal explosions, but fast and brave work by Fireman Robert Penn extinguished the blaze, possibly sparing the ship, and he was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism.US warships pursued fleeing Spanish cruisers.Iowa and Gloucester sank Pluton and damaged Furor to the point where the Spanish warship ran aground.Colon was beached also.

 

Wrecks burned fiercely.Iowa then pursued Vizcaya and ran her aground.Spanish sailors on the beaches were being threatened by Cuban irregulars, but Captain Evans sent a boat ashore to warn them, and protected the captured sailors.

 

When Vizcaya exploded and beached at Playa de Aserraderos, Iowa lowered boats to rescue Spanish crewmen from shark-infested waters.Iowa received on board Spanish Admiral PascualCervera and the officers and crews of Vizcaya, Furor, and Pluton.Vizcaya's Captain Don Antonio Eulate was "soaked in oil and wearing a sooty, bloodstained bandage about the head." The captured captain tried to offer his sword as a gesture of surrender but it was returned to him by Captain Evans.When the Spanish captain cried "Adios, Vizcaya!" almost immediately afterward the flaming ship's magazine exploded and dramatically finished her destruction.

 

At one point Iowa's' Captain Evans directed Harvard to rescue prisoners.Some accounts suggest that it took 12 hours to rescue all the survivors. And for a while, several American warships were crowded with prisoners, including Iowa. A pig was rescued from Colon. There were 1,612 Spanish survivors in total who became U.S. prisoners of war until subsequent release during a prisoner exchange.It was a general victory for the US Navy. One unexpected circumstance was that an Austrian battleship also named Infanta Maria Theresa was in the vicinity wanting to enter Santiago harbor, but upon outbreak of hostilities, waited for orders from the Americans after seeing the conflict; her presence caused mild confusion at some points but there is no evidence of the Austrian vessel being fired on used as target practice and sunk 23 March 1923 in Panama Bay by a salvo of 14-inch shells