Document dated March 1943
Context: The Battleship of Presidents
Since this document is dated March 1943, the closest major US battleship commissioning to that date was USS Iowa (BB-61), commissioned on February 22, 1943 — just days before March. Iowa was the lead ship of the Iowa class, the Navy’s last and largest class of battleships, renowned for their exceptional combination of speed and firepower.
USS Iowa (BB-61)
Commissioned under Captain John L. McCrea, Iowa was designed as a “supership” and became one of the most iconic warships in US naval history. She later earned fame as the “Battleship of Presidents” when President Franklin D. Roosevelt sailed aboard her in November 1943 en route to the Tehran Conference.
No US battleship was commissioned in March 1943 exactly. Iowa’s sister ship, USS New Jersey (BB-62), followed later — commissioned May 23, 1943. We have numerous pages on each of the Iowa-class ships, including videos of the USS Iowa broadside firing, loading the 16” guns, and 16” main battery fire control. You can also see the Iowa class celebrated as the top fighting ship of its era.
Browse all battleship pages in the Battleships index.
