Personal Note: USS Iowa BB-61

Yesterday USS Iowa (BB-61), the first ship I ever went to sea on (summer training cruise of 1955), left San Francisco Bay on her way to her new home in Southern California. She is to be transformed into an interactive naval museum at San Pedro, Port of Los Angeles.

This weekend also was the 75th anniversary of completion of the Golden Gate bridge. The bridge and I are the same age.


USS Iowa (BB-61) Midshipman training Cruise 1955

70 Years Ago: May 27, 1942 - Japanese Carriers Underway

Admiral Nagumo’s carrier force (Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu and Soryu) got underway to provide carrier air support for the planned invasion of Midway. Escorting the force were two battleships, three cruisers and many destroyers. Including the invasion force, the Japanese fleet numbered about ninety vessels. Japanese planners were certain that the US only had two carriers available, and expected them to be in Pearl Harbor, unable to reach Midway in time.

The Japanese Navy was unaware that US Navy cryptographers had broken the fleet's operational code, known to US analysts as JN-25.