The Point Vicente Chapter NSDAR is pleased to be a continued supporter of the Battleship IOWA’s many goals. Members of the DAR chapter met with the non-profit to find out more about their latest project.

In celebration of the US Navy’s 250th birthday in 2025, the Battleship IOWA will launch the first and only National Museum dedicated to the Surface Navy “as a perpetual tribute to the history and continued impact of the men and women who embody the fleet’s tradition of excellence.” The

U.S.S. IOWA was built along with three other “IOWA-class” battleships in 1939-40. These ships were initially intended to intercept fast capital ships while also being capable of serving in a traditional battle line alongside slower battleships and act as it’s “fast wing.” They served during four major wars and were decommissioned in the early 1990’s and donated to non-profits to become museums.

The National Society DAR has been a supporter of the preservation of “our ship” (it really is in our back yard!) in the past, with a $10,000 grant to rehabilitate the decks. Patricia Mendez, our Historic Preservation and Grants Chair, arranged a meet to find out more about their project and see where we could help in their efforts over the next three years. What we discovered about the ship and its programs was as exciting as it was surprising! Did you know it is the 5th most popular tourist spot in Southern California?

We were met at the top of the gang plank by Kyle Aube and Melani Hurwitz, both extremely knowledgeable representatives of the non-profit. They toured us around the spaces that will be used for the new museum and explained the progress of the project. Currently they are in the process of clearing decks 2 and 3 of the many racks, or bunks, that are solid metal and welded to the floors. Needless to say, the work is time intensive and difficult. Much of the museum taking up those two decks will be an interactive experience with an emphasis on immersion and hands-on learning for kids. Everyone is very excited to find out what the designers (ex-Disney Imagineers) will come up with in the next few months!

We learned about the many programs already in place on the IOWA, designed around the non-profit’s three core principals of Education, Veterans and Community. These certainly spoke to our DAR values of Education, Patriotism & Historic Preservation!

For Education, the IOWA hosts free field trips, summer camps, virtual programs and is famed for the Camp Battleship experience where students eat at the authentic mess decks and sleep in the actual “racks” or bunks that sailors used when the ship was in active service.

The ship is also a hub for veterans, serving about 600 veterans per month. Their program’s goal of “improving quality of life for military, veterans, and their families with resources and experience” is realized through their Veterans Resource Center and Peer Access Network, which is led by veterans for veterans. It is a wonderful place for veterans and military to connect and form camaraderie.

During our tour we were taken through the Captain’s In-port Quarters, where FDR stayed during his time aboard IOWA sailing across the Atlantic. We also toured the existing museum that was built on site by a massive group of volunteers and veterans that work the ship. The creativity of their onsite crew was a marvel! There are several tours that visitors can take or simply do a self-guided

exploration of the ship and they even have an Escape Room Scavenger Hunt experience.

If you are interested in becoming involved with this wonderful non-profit, check out their website at www.pacificbattleship.com. You can even become a Plank Owner for the new museum at https://surfacenavymuseum.org/.