View source for USS Iowa (BB-4)

{{Short description|Pre-dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy}}
{{other ships|USS Iowa}}
{{good article}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=October 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{| {{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = USS Iowa - NH 61211.jpg
| Ship caption = ''Iowa'' early in her career
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{USN flag|1919}}
| Ship name = ''Iowa''
| Ship namesake = [[Iowa]]
| Ship builder = [[William Cramp & Sons]], [[Philadelphia]]
| Ship laid down = 5 August 1893
| Ship launched = 28 March 1896
| Ship commissioned = 16 June 1897
| Ship decommissioned = 30 June 1908
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=yes
| Ship recommissioned = 2 May 1910
| Ship decommissioned = 23 May 1914
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header=yes
| Ship recommissioned = 23 April 1917
| Ship decommissioned= 31 March 1919
| Ship struck = 27 March 1923
| Ship fate = Sunk as a [[target ship]], 23 March 1923
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Class before={{sclass|Indiana|battleship|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Kearsarge|battleship|4}}
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption =
| Ship type = [[Pre-dreadnought battleship]]
| Ship displacement = 
*[[normal displacement|Normal]]: {{convert|11410|LT|t|lk=on}}
*[[Full load]]: {{convert|12647|LT|t}}
| Ship length = 
*{{cvt|360|ft}} ([[Length at the waterline|lwl]])
*{{cvt|362|ft|6|in}}([[Length overall|loa]])
| Ship beam = {{cvt|72|ft|3|in}}
| Ship draft = {{cvt|24|ft}}
| Ship power = 
*5 × [[fire-tube boiler]]s
*{{cvt|11000|ihp|lk=in}}
| Ship propulsion = 
*2 × [[triple-expansion steam engine]]s
*2 × [[screw propeller]]s
| Ship speed = {{cvt|16|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range = {{cvt|5140|nmi|lk=in}} at {{cvt|10|kn}}
| Ship complement = 
*36 officers
*540 enlisted men
| Ship armament = 
*4 × [[12"/35 caliber gun|{{cvt|12|in|0}}/35 caliber guns]]
*8 × [[8"/35 caliber gun|{{cvt|8|in|0}}/35 cal guns]]
*6 × [[4"/40 caliber gun|{{cvt|4|in}}/40 cal guns]]
*20 × [[QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss|6-pounder gun]]s
*4 × [[QF 1 pounder pom-pom|1-pounder gun]]s
*4 × [[M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun]]s
*2 x 14-inch (356 mm) [[torpedo tube]]s
| Ship armor = 
*[[Belt armour|Belt]]: {{cvt|14|-|4|in|0}}
*[[Barbette]]s: {{cvt|15|-|12.5|in|0}}
*[[Gun turret#Warships|Turret]]s : 15–{{cvt|17|in|0}}
*[[Conning tower|Conning Tower]]: {{cvt|10|in|0}}
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{cvt|3|in|0}}
}}
|}

'''USS ''Iowa''''' was a [[pre-dreadnought battleship]] built for the [[United States Navy]] in the mid-1890s. The ship was a marked improvement over the previous {{sclass|Indiana|battleship|1}}s, correcting many of the defects in the design of those vessels. Among the most important improvements were significantly better [[seaworthiness]] owing to her greater [[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] and a more efficient arrangement of the armament. ''Iowa'' was designed to operate on the [[high seas]], which had been the impetus to increase the freeboard. She was armed with a battery of four [[12"/35 caliber gun|{{convert|12|in|adj=on|0}} guns]] in two twin-[[gun turret]]s, supported by a secondary battery of eight [[8"/35 caliber gun|{{convert|8|in|adj=on|0}} guns]].

Upon entering service in June 1897, ''Iowa'' conducted training operations in the Atlantic Ocean before moving to the Caribbean in early 1898 as tensions between the United States and Spain over Cuba grew, leading to the [[Spanish–American War]]. The ship took part in the [[bombardment of San Juan]], Puerto Rico, and then participated in the [[blockade]] of Cuba during the war, and after the Spanish [[cruiser]] squadron was found in [[Santiago de Cuba]], she patrolled off the harbor to block their escape. In the [[Battle of Santiago de Cuba]] on 3 July, ''Iowa'' assisted in the destruction of three of the four Spanish cruisers. After the war, ''Iowa'' spent the next several years conducting routine training exercises, serving with the [[Pacific Squadron]] from 1898 to 1902, the [[South Atlantic Squadron]] until 1904, and the [[North Atlantic Squadron]] until 1906, when the latter two units were merged to form the [[United States Fleet Forces Command|Atlantic Fleet]].

''Iowa'' was modernized between 1908 and 1910; she thereafter served as a [[training ship]] for [[naval cadet]]s from the [[United States Naval Academy]] and for [[naval militia]] crews. Removed from service in 1913 and [[ship commissioning|decommissioned]] in 1914, she was reactivated after the United States entered [[World War I]] in April 1917, initially serving as a [[receiving ship]] and then as a training vessel and [[guard ship]]. She was decommissioned again in 1919, renamed '''''Coast Battleship No. 4''''', and converted into a radio-controlled [[target ship]]. She was used in bombing experiments off the [[Virginia Capes]] in 1921 before being sunk as part of [[Fleet Problem I]] off the coast of Panama in March 1923 by the battleship {{USS|Mississippi|BB-41|6}}.

==Design==
[[File:USS Indiana (BB-1) - NH 73975.jpg|thumb|left|The low-[[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] {{sclass|Indiana|battleship|0}} design]]

In the early 1880s, the [[United States Navy]] began to grapple with the question of coastal defense; the United States at that time had a significant isolationist streak and naval strategy had historically been grounded in [[commerce raiding]]. After building the interim armored vessels {{USS|Texas|1892|6}} and {{USS|Maine|ACR-1|2}}, the navy requested funding for additional ships in 1887, and one vessel was authorized for the following year. Conflicting ideas about the vessel that would be built delayed construction and led the [[Secretary of the Navy]], [[Benjamin F. Tracy]], to convene a Policy Board in January 1890. Tracy wanted to build sea-going battleships that could project American naval power overseas, though significant elements in the Navy and the [[United States Congress]] preferred shallow-[[draft (nautical)|draft]] [[coastal-defense ship]]s.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=17, 20–23}}

The Board concluded that the distance between Europe and North America would hamper European naval attacks, but the power of the British [[Royal Navy]] and the possibility of future political developments warranted the construction of a powerful American battle fleet. The Policy Board issued a call for a fleet that would consist of eight first-class [[battleship]]s, ten slightly smaller second-class battleships, and five third-class ships, along with substantial numbers of lesser craft to support them. The fleet would be tasked with defending the [[East Coast of the United States]], which required an operational range that could cover as far south as the [[Caribbean Sea]], as the Board had determined that any hostile power would need to seize advance bases there to effectively operate against the United States. The three vessels already authorized—''Maine'', ''Texas'', and what became the [[armored cruiser]] {{USS|New York|ACR-2|2}} fit in the third category, so larger and more powerful vessels would have to be built to meet the Board's recommendations.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=23–25}}

Congress, dismayed by the Board's conclusions, nevertheless approved funding for three of the first-class battleships in April 1890, which became the {{sclass|Indiana|battleship|1}}s. These were low-[[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] vessels intended for local, coastal defense. They were badly overweight when completed, and as a result suffered from serious problems, including [[belt armor]] that was fully submerged when the ships were fully loaded, a tendency to ship excessive amounts of water, and poor handling characteristics. Changes in the control of Congress in late 1890 led to delays for the next ship to be authorized until 19 July 1892, when funds were allocated for a "seagoing coastline battleship". The vessel was to be built with a [[displacement (ship)|displacement]] of around {{convert|9000|LT|t|lk=on}}.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=24–29}}

The Policy Board had intended in its original plan that the seagoing ship would trade armor for greater range, but the [[Bureau of Construction and Repair]], responsible for the design of the vessel, decided to reduce the gun armament compared to the ''Indiana''s to free up displacement for greater fuel storage. The {{convert|13|in|adj=on}} [[main battery]] of the ''Indiana'' class would be replaced with {{convert|12|in|adj=on|0}} guns, while some of the {{convert|8|in|adj=on}} secondary guns would be replaced with faster-firing {{convert|4|in|adj=on}} [[quick-firing gun]]s. Weight would also be saved by the adoption of [[Harvey armor]], which was significantly more effective than [[compound armor]]; a thinner belt could thus be used to achieve the same level of protection. The intention to use the new ship for long-range deployments required other changes, in addition to increased coal storage. Since the vessel would necessarily have to operate on the [[high seas]], [[seaworthiness]] would have to be improved. This required a greater freeboard, so the ship that was to become ''Iowa'' was given a raised [[forecastle]] [[deck (ship)|deck]] that extended from the [[bow (ship)|bow]] to [[amidships]]. The [[hull (watercraft)|hull]] was lengthened and displaced more than the ''Indiana''s. In addition, the heavy 8-inch [[gun turret]]s were moved closer together amidships, which reduced the amount of weight toward the ends of the ship, also contributing to improved sea-keeping.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=29–30}} The arrangement also reduced blast interference between the 8-inch and the 12-inch guns.{{sfn|Herder|p=29}}

===General characteristics and machinery===
[[File:USS Iowa side and top view NH 76624.jpg|thumb|left|Top and profile illustration of the ''Iowa'' design]]

''Iowa'' had a [[length at the waterline]] of {{convert|360|ft}} and an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|362|ft|5|in}}. Her [[beam (nautical)|beam]] measured {{convert|72|ft|3|in}} and she had an average draft of {{convert|24|ft}}. She had a [[metacentric height]] of {{convert|4.01|ft}} and a [[righting arm]] of {{convert|2.23|ft}}. She displaced {{convert|11410|LT|t}} as designed and up to {{convert|12647|LT|t}} at [[full load]]. Steering was controlled with a single [[rudder]]; while steaming at {{convert|10|kn|lk=in}}, she could make a 180-degree turn in {{convert|550|yd}}, and at a speed of {{convert|14|kn}}, she could make the turn in {{convert|390|yd}}.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=426}}

Her hull featured a [[tumblehome]] shape, the only time an American battleship was designed that way. She was fitted with a [[naval ram|ram bow]], a customary feature of [[capital ship]]s of the period. It had much greater freeboard than the ''Indiana''s, providing her with significantly better sea-keeping qualities. She was completed with a single heavy [[military mast]] fitted with [[fighting top]]s, which was placed atop the forward [[conning tower]]. A large [[derrick]] was placed abreast the aft [[funnel (ship)|funnel]] to handle the boats carried aboard. She had a crew of 36&nbsp;officers and 540&nbsp;enlisted men.{{sfn|Herder|p=29}}{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=30, 426}}

The ship was powered by a pair of 3-cylinder, vertical [[triple-expansion steam engine]]s that each drove a [[screw propeller]]. Steam was provided by five coal burning [[fire-tube boiler]]s; three were double-ended boilers while the other two were single-ended versions. The boilers produced steam at {{convert|160|psi|lk=in}}. They were ducted into a pair of very tall funnels; these were adopted to improve [[Draft (boiler)|draft]] to the boilers. Like the ''Indiana'' class, ''Iowa'' was fitted for [[forced draft]], and she had mechanical hoists to remove ash from the [[fire room|boiler rooms]]. The propulsion system was rated to produce {{convert|11000|ihp|lk=on}} for a top speed of {{convert|16|kn}}, though on speed trials she reached {{cvt|11834|ihp}} and a maximum speed of {{convert|17.09|kn}}. Coal storage amounted to {{convert|1650|LT|t}}. At a speed of 10&nbsp;knots, she could steam for {{convert|5140|nmi|lk=in}}.{{sfn|Herder|p=29}}{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=30, 426}}

===Armament===
[[File:USS Iowa - NH 87.jpg|thumb|''Iowa''{{'}}s forward main battery turret; one of her secondary turrets is visible at right]]

''Iowa'' was armed with a main battery of four [[12"/35 caliber gun|{{cvt|12|in|0}}/35 caliber guns]] mounted in two twin-gun turrets that were mounted on the [[centerline (nautical)|centerline]], one forward and the other aft of the [[superstructure]].{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=426}} The [[built-up gun]]s were the Mark II type, which were placed in elliptical Mark III turrets. The training gear was hydraulically operated, but elevation was hand-operated only. The gun mounts allowed [[Elevation (ballistics)|elevation]] to 14&nbsp;degrees and depression to −5&nbsp;degrees; to reload the guns, they had to be returned to 3&nbsp;degrees elevation. The ammunition hoists that retrieved [[Shell (projectile)|shells]] and [[propellant]] charges from the [[magazine (artillery)|magazines]] were also hydraulically operated. The guns fired an {{cvt|850|lb}} shell with a {{cvt|425|lb}} charge of [[brown powder]]. [[Muzzle velocity]] was {{cvt|2100|ft/s}}, and at the muzzle, the shells could penetrate up to {{cvt|24|in|0}} of [[mild steel]]; at a range of {{cvt|2500|yd}}, their penetration capability fell to {{cvt|19|in|0}}. The average [[rate of fire]] was one shot every five minutes, though fresh, well-trained crews could achieve rates as fast as one shot every three minutes.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|pp=167–168}}

The primary armament was supported by a [[secondary armament|secondary battery]] of eight [[8"/35 caliber gun|{{cvt|8|in|0}}/35 cal guns]] that were carried in four twin-gun [[wing turret]]s. Two were placed on either side of the ship, abreast of the funnels. Since the 12-inch guns had a long reloading time, the 8-inch guns were incorporated to increase the number of weapons that could defeat light armor.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=30, 426}} The 8-inch guns were the Mark IV version, which had a rate of fire of one shot per minute. They had a muzzle velocity of {{cvt|2080|ft/s}}, firing {{cvt|250|lb}} armor-piercing shells. They were initially supplied with brown powder charges, but after the advent of [[smokeless powder]], new, smokeless charges were adopted that increased the rate of fire by twenty seconds. Mounted in Mark VIII turrets with a range of elevation from −7 to 13&nbsp;degrees, reloading was fixed at 0&nbsp;degrees.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|pp=174–176}}

Six [[4"/40 caliber gun|{{cvt|4|in}}/40 cal quick-firing guns]] rounded out the secondary battery; these were intended to use their high rate of fire, coupled with [[high-explosive]] shells to damage unarmored parts of enemy warships. Four of these were placed in individual [[casemate]]s in the forecastle deck, two in [[sponson]]s in the bow and the other two located amidships. The remaining two guns were in open [[gun shield|shielded]] mounts on the aft superstructure, [[superfire|superfiring]] over the rear main battery turret.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=30, 426}} They fired a {{cvt|33|lb}} high-explosive shell at a muzzle velocity of {{cvt|2000|ft/s}}.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=187}} For defense against [[torpedo boat]]s, the ship carried a battery of twenty [[QF 6 pounder Hotchkiss|{{cvt|57|mm}} 6-pounder Hotchkiss gun]]s and four [[QF 1 pounder pom-pom|{{cvt|37|mm}} 1-pounder gun]]s These guns were dispersed around the ship in a variety of individual mounts, including in the fighting top of the military mast, the superstructure, and in sponsons in the hull. She also carried four [[M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun]]s chambered in [[6mm Lee Navy]].{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=426}}

As was standard practice for capital ships of the era, ''Iowa'' carried four above-water, {{convert|14|in|0|adj=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s in her hull, two on each [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]. These launched the [[Howell torpedo]],{{sfn|Herder|p=29}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=426}} which had a range of {{convert|400|yd}} and traveled at a speed of {{convert|25|kn}}. They carried a {{cvt|400|lb}} [[warhead]].{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

===Armor===
''Iowa'' was protected with Harvey armor, which was fabricated with a new type of process that produced steel that was significantly stronger than traditional compound armor. The main [[armor belt]] was 14&nbsp;in thick in the central portion, where it protected the magazines and propulsion machinery spaces. It extended from {{cvt|3|ft}} above the [[waterline]] and {{cvt|4|ft|6|in}} below the line, and it extended for a length of {{cvt|186|ft}} of the hull. The belt tapered to {{cvt|7|in|0}} at the lower edge. At either end of the belt, angled [[bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] that were 12&nbsp;in thick connected the belt to the [[barbette]]s for the main battery turrets. She had a {{cvt|2.75|in|0}} thick armor deck that was level with the top edge of the belt. On either end of the belt, the deck sloped down on the sides and was increased slightly to {{cvt|3|in|0}} to provide the bow and stern with a measure of protection against light guns. Above the belt was a thinner [[strake]] of armor that was {{cvt|5|in|0}} thick where it protected the 4-inch guns and reduced to {{cvt|2|in|0}} where it covered the 57&nbsp;mm and 37&nbsp;mm guns.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=426}}

''Iowa''{{'}}s main battery turrets were protected with {{cvt|15|in|0}} on the sides and 2&nbsp;in thick crowns; the rears of the turrets were {{cvt|17|in|0}} thick, with the greater weight being used to balance the turret. Their barbettes were also 15&nbsp;in thick on the exposed sides and reduced to {{cvt|12.5|in|0}} where it was protected by the belt. The secondary turrets had 8&nbsp;in on the outboard sides and {{cvt|6|in|0}} on the inboard sides, where they were less vulnerable. They also had 2-inch roofs. Their barbettes were 8&nbsp;in thick. Her conning tower had {{cvt|10|in|0}} thick sides.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=426}}

==Service history==

[[File:USS Iowa BB-4 Sliding Into Water.jpg|thumb|alt=picture of large boat entering the water|''Iowa'' at her [[ship launching|launching]] on 16 June 1897]]

The [[keel]] for ''Iowa'' was [[keel laying|laid down]] on 5 August 1893 at the [[William Cramp & Sons]] shipyard in [[Philadelphia]]. Her completed hull was [[ship launching|launched]] on 28 March 1896, and after completing [[fitting out]], the vessel was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] into service on 16 June 1897. [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[William T. Sampson]] served as the ship's first commanding officer. ''Iowa'' got underway to begin her [[shakedown cruise]] on 13 July, steaming first to [[Newport, Rhode Island]] from 16 July to 11 August, moving to [[Provincetown, Massachusetts]] the next day. She next departed on 14 August for [[Portland, Maine]], where she stayed from 16 to 23 August, before sailing for [[Bar Harbor, Maine]] the next day, where she spent the rest of the month. She then steamed south to Virginia, visiting [[Hampton Roads]] from 12 to 16 September, [[Newport News]] from 16 to 19 September, a second stop at Hampton Roads from the 16th to the 19th, and finally [[Yorktown, Virginia|Yorktown]] from 27 September to 4 October. ''Iowa'' then sailed back north for a second visit to Provincetown that lasted from 12 to 14 October and then moved to [[Boston]], staying there from 15 to 22 October.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

She made one last port call, in [[Tompkinsville, New York]], from 24 to 29 October, before entering the [[New York Navy Yard]] for repairs that lasted from 29 October to 5 January 1898. After emerging from the [[dry dock]], ''Iowa'' sailed for Virginia, alternating between Hampton Roads and Newport News through mid-January, before departing for [[Key West]], Florida. She then spent the next month and a half cruising between Key West and the [[Dry Tortugas]] to the west. During this period, ''Maine'' exploded and sank in [[Havana]], Cuba; the accidental explosion was initially blamed on a deliberately detonated Spanish [[naval mine]]. Sampson was appointed to serve as President of the Board of Inquiry that was sent to investigate the sinking, so Captain [[Robley D. Evans (admiral)|Robley D. Evans]] took his place as ''Iowa''{{'}}s commander on 24 March. The ship remained in the [[Florida Keys]] through 22 April, by which time the [[Spanish–American War]] had broken out.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

===Spanish–American War===
{{main|Spanish–American War}}
[[File:USS Iowa - NH 53257.jpg|thumb|left|''Iowa'' seen from the [[stern]], c. 1898]]
On 22 April, [[President of the United States|President]] [[William McKinley]] declared a [[blockade]] of western Cuba and three days later, Congress declared war on Spain, retroactively effective as of 21 April. Sampson had by this time taken command of the [[North Atlantic Squadron]], which ''Iowa'' joined; she took part in the blockade operation from 22 April to 1 May before returning to Key West to replenish fuel. By that time, Sampson had been informed that a Spanish squadron of four armored cruisers and three torpedo boats commanded by [[Rear Admiral]] [[Pascual Cervera y Topete]] had crossed the Atlantic to attack the blockade squadron; he gathered his ships on 4 May to search for them. Sampson had at his disposal his [[flagship]], ''New York'', ''Iowa'', {{USS|Indiana|BB-1|2}}, and the [[unprotected cruiser]] {{USS|Detroit|C-10|2}}, and these ships were soon reinforced by the unprotected cruiser {{USS|Montgomery|C-9|2}} and the [[monitor (warship)|monitors]] {{USS|Amphitrite|BM-2|2}} and {{USS|Terror|BM-4|2}}, and later the armored cruiser {{USS|Brooklyn|ACR-3|2}}.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

The Americans searched the harbor at Puerto Rico on 12 May, but found no Spanish warships, and so [[Bombardment of San Juan|bombarded the port]], focusing their fire on [[Castillo San Felipe del Morro]], an old coastal fortress. ''Iowa'' led the American [[line of battle]] on several passes in front of the fort, and she was struck once by a Spanish shell that wounded three men and inflicted minor splinter damage to the ship. During her last 12-inch salvo, one of her forward guns inflicted blast damage to the deck and parts of the superstructure. One man was killed aboard ''Brooklyn'' and three more were wounded aboard other vessels, but none of the ships was seriously damaged by Spanish fire; American shelling was equally ineffective. Assuming that Cervera was headed for Havana, Sampson took his squadron there, but while en route he learned that the Spanish had been coaling in [[Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands|Saint Thomas]] in the [[Danish West Indies]]. Sampson instead decided to take his ships back to Key West, arriving there on 18 May, while Cervera reached [[Santiago de Cuba]] the following day. Sampson detached ''Iowa'' to reinforce the [[Flying Squadron (United States Navy)|Flying Squadron]] under [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] [[Winfield Scott Schley]], which was conducting the blockade of Cuba. She joined the squadron off [[Cienfuegos]] on 22 May.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

The Flying Squadron, which by then consisted of ''Iowa'', ''Texas'', the battleship {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-2|2}}, ''New York'', ''Brooklyn'', the unprotected cruiser {{USS|Marblehead|C-11|2}}, and several [[gunboat]]s, [[auxiliary cruiser]]s, and supporting vessels, spent the next week patrolling off the coast of Cuba, searching for Cervera's squadron. On the morning of 29 May, lookouts aboard ''Marblehead'' reported spotting the Spanish cruiser {{ship|Spanish cruiser|Cristóbal Colón||2}} in the [[roadstead]] outside Santiago de Cuba. The American squadron converged on the port over the next two days and prepared for action; ''Iowa'' coaled at sea on 30 May during this period. Schley made an initial attack on the afternoon of 31 May; he led the line with his flagship ''Massachusetts'', followed by the [[protected cruiser]] {{USS|New Orleans|CL-22|2}}, and then ''Iowa'' on a pass in front of Cervera's ships, opening fire at long range at 14:05. The American shells fell short and they gradually shifted their fire, but they failed to score any hits, though Evans noted that he believed they had inflicted splinter damage. Spanish return fire was similarly inaccurate, and both sides had checked fire by 15:10, by which time the American ships had broken off.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

The next day, Sampson arrived on the scene and boarded ''New York'' to take command of the blockade. The approach to Santiago de Cuba was guarded by [[coastal artillery]] and mines, which prevented Sampson's ships from breaking into the inner harbor without taking serious damage. But the American squadron was too powerful for the Spanish to attempt to break out. Both sides spent the next month in the resulting stalemate; the Americans preferred to wait until ground forces could attack the port from the land side and seize the coastal batteries. During this period, ''Iowa'' withdrew to [[Guantánamo Bay]] from 18 to 28 June, which had been seized by American forces by that time. She returned to bombard the coastal fortifications on 1 and 2 July in company with ''Indiana'' and the battleship {{USS|Oregon|BB-3|2}}. By early July, American troops were beginning to approach the hills outside Santiago de Cuba, threatening the coastal batteries that protected Cervera's ships, and prompting the Spanish command to order him to attempt a break out. Cervera did not believe he possessed a significant chance of success, as his ships were in poor condition by that time and most of his ships' crews were poorly trained. He nevertheless complied with the directive and sent a gunboat to surreptitiously clear a path in the minefield on the night of 2 July.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

====Battle of Santiago de Cuba====
{{main|Battle of Santiago de Cuba}}

[[File:Battle of Santiago, 3 July 1898 - NH 1132.jpg|left|thumb|alt=picture of large guns of USS Iowa with smoke coming out|''Iowa''{{'}}s crewmen watch the U.S. fleet's gunfire during the Battle of Santiago&nbsp;de&nbsp;Cuba.]]

At 08:45 on 3 July, Cervera sortied with his flag aboard the cruiser {{ship|Spanish cruiser|Infanta Maria Teresa||2}}, followed by ''Cristóbal Colón'', {{ship|Spanish cruiser|Vizcaya||2}} and {{ship|Spanish cruiser|Almirante Oquendo||2}} and the destroyers {{ship|Spanish destroyer|Plutón||2}} and {{ship|Spanish destroyer|Furor||2}}. ''Iowa'' was in her blockade station, steaming at about {{convert|5|kn}} when her men were called from their quarters for the morning inspection at 09:15. The Spaniards cleared the roadstead at 09:35; luckily for the Spanish, ''New York'' was out of position at the time and ''Massachusetts'' was replenishing her coal at Guantánamo Bay. Toward the end of inspection aboard ''Iowa'', lookouts aboard ''Brooklyn'' spotted Cervera approaching and fired one of her guns to warn the other American ships, which quickly ordered their crews to [[general quarters]]. As the Spanish ships attempted to break out to the west, Cervera charged at ''Brooklyn'' with ''Infanta Maria Teresa'' to delay the American pursuit and give his other ships time to escape. The Spanish coastal batteries also contributed their fire in the first stage of the battle but had little effect.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

''Iowa'', ''Brooklyn'', and ''Texas'' opened fire at about 09:40 at a range of about {{convert|6000|yd}}. ''Iowa'' quickly got steam in her boilers up to increase speed to close with the fleeing cruisers; the range fell steadily until she was just {{convert|2500|yd}} away from ''Infanta Maria Theresa''. ''Iowa'' fired a broadside at the cruiser and then turned to port to [[cross the t]] of ''Vizcaya'', though the Spanish cruiser turned to avoid the maneuver. ''Iowa'' nevertheless fired a broadside at a range of {{convert|1800|yd}} before turning to port and then back to starboard to come alongside ''Cristóbal Colón''. The two ships were about {{convert|1400|yd}} apart and ''Iowa''{{'}}s entire battery opened fire, enveloping her in thick black smoke and hampering her gunners' ability to spot targets. ''Cristóbal Colón'' and ''Almirante Oquendo'' engaged ''Iowa'', and one of the vessels struck her with what was estimated to be a {{convert|6|in|adj=on|0}} shell. It failed to explode, but still tore a large hole in the side of her hull. A second shell from one of the cruisers struck ''Iowa'' and exploded, causing relatively minor damage and starting a fire that was quickly put out. Several small shells struck her upper works, including her [[bridge (nautical)|bridge]] and funnels, but the damage inflicted was minimal.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

By this point in the battle, heavy American gunfire had set ''Infanta Maria Theresa'' on fire, and, fearing a magazine explosion, Cervara ordered her [[ship grounding|run aground]] at 10:25. ''Almirante Oquendo''{{'}}s captain issued similar instructions five minutes later, as his ship, too, was burning badly. ''Vizcaya'' was also forced ashore shortly thereafter, but her flag remained flying, so ''Iowa'' continued to bombard the vessel until she hauled it down at 10:36, a sign of surrender. Meanwhile, the two Spanish destroyers had also been badly damaged by the American battleships; ''Indiana'' had nearly cut ''Plutón'' in half with a 13-inch shell, forcing her to run aground, where she exploded. And ''Furor'' had been savaged by ''Iowa''{{'}}s, ''Oregon''{{'}}s, and ''Indiana''{{'}}s secondary batteries, leading her crew to surrender to the gunboat {{USS|Gloucester|1891|2}}. ''Cristóbal Colón'' managed to break away from the American fleet for a time, but she also ran aground later in the day.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

At around 11:00, ''Iowa'' lowered five of her [[Cutter (boat)|cutters]] to pick up the crews of the wrecked cruisers. Among the men rescued was Captain Antonio Eulate, ''Vizcaya''{{'}}s commander; he attempted to surrender his sword to Evans, but he returned it to Eulate. In total, ''Iowa'' picked up 23&nbsp;officers and 248&nbsp;enlisted men, of whom 32 were wounded. Her crew also recovered the bodies of five men who were then buried with military honors. In addition, ''Iowa''{{'}}s boats also transferred men to other vessels in the American fleet. On 20 July, four days after the Spanish garrison at Santiago de Cuba surrendered, ''Iowa'' suffered a boiler accident while she was patrolling off the city. The manhole gasket on one of her boilers blew out, sending boiling water out into the boiler room. The crew set a board across a bucket and Fireman 2nd Class [[Robert Penn (Medal of Honor)|Robert Penn]] climbed across to shut off the boiler, risking being badly burned, and he was later awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

===1898–1904===
[[File:USS Iowa - NH 61212.jpg|thumb|left|''Iowa'' at the [[naval review]] held to celebrate the American victory]]

''Iowa'' left Cuban waters after Spain surrendered in August, arriving in New York on 20 August. Captain [[Silas Terry]] took command of the ship on 24 September and on 12 October, she departed for the [[West Coast of the United States]], where she was to join the [[Pacific Squadron]]. The next year passed uneventfully and ''Iowa'' put into the [[Puget Sound Navy Yard]] for an overhaul that began on 11 June 1899. She took part in training exercises off [[San Diego]], California from 20 December to 15 January 1900. On the first day of the exercises, ''Iowa'' lost one of her Howell torpedoes after the practice warhead likely detached after it was launched. In March 2012, a pair of dolphins that were part of the Navy's [[United States Navy Marine Mammal Program|Marine Mammal Program]] recovered the torpedo, which was missing the practice warhead;{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}} the section recovered was later transferred to the [[Underwater Archaeology Branch, Naval History & Heritage Command|Underwater Archaeology Branch]] for preservation. The torpedo is one of three Howell torpedoes known to exist.{{sfn|Naval Historical Center}} During the period in San Diego, she received a pair of 3-inch [[field gun]]s and four M1895 Colt-Brownings that were chambered in [[.30-40 Krag]] for use by landing parties ashore. After the training exercises, ''Iowa'' underwent a refit, after which she resumed her peacetime routine of training exercises, shooting practice, and cruises in the eastern Pacific. Captain [[Philip H. Cooper]] took command of the ship on 9 June, serving as her commander until 1 April 1901.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}} On 8 September, the sailing ship {{SV|Mary Flint||2}} collided with her while she was at anchor in [[San Francisco Bay]] and then collided with a [[barque]] and sank.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435066693110&view=1up&seq=28 |page={{#expr:28-6}} |title=Annual report of the Supervising Inspector-general Steamboat-inspection Service, Year ending June 30, 1901 |location=Washington |publisher=Government Printing Office |date=1901|via=Haithi Trust |access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

In early February 1902, she was transferred to the [[South Atlantic Squadron]] to serve as its flagship. During this period, she visited a number of foreign ports, including [[Montevideo]], Uruguay from late July to 2 August, [[Santos, Brazil]] from 6 to 7 August, [[Salvador, Bahia|Salvador, Brazil]] from 11 August to 8 September, [[Trade Island]] from 8 to 14 September, Montevideo again from 22 to 28 September, [[Puerto Belgrano]], Argentina from 28 September to 19 October, Montevideo a third time from 22 October to 6 November, and [[Rio de Janeiro]], Brazil from 10 to 18 November. From there, she steamed north to the [[West Indies]], stopping in the [[Gulf of Paria]] from 29 November to 4 December. She then took part in a search exercise off [[Mayagüez, Puerto Rico]] from 9 to 10 December. She then joined maneuvers off [[Culebra, Puerto Rico]] between 11 and 19 December, before steaming to visit [[Saint Lucia]] on 21 December. The next day, she traveled to [[Port of Spain]], Trinidad, where she stayed until 28 December. ''Iowa'' returned to Culebra on 30 December and lay there through 1 February 1903. The ship visited [[St. Kitts]] from 2 to 6 February and [[Ponce, Puerto Rico]] from 6 to 11 February before turning north for New York the next day. She took an indirect route, visiting [[Galveston]], Texas, from 18 to 26 February and [[Pensacola, Florida]], from 28 February to 1 April. She took part in shooting practice there from 1 to 9 April, during which one of her main battery guns exploded. She underwent repairs at the [[Pensacola Navy Yard]] from 9 to 23 April, and then resumed her voyage northward. She reached [[Cape Henry, Virginia]], staying there from 28 to 30 April, then Tompkinsville from 1 to 7 May; she finally reached the New York Navy Yard later on 7 May. She was decommissioned there on 30 June.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=167}}

[[File:LC-DIG-DET-4a14261 (18565145659).jpg|thumb|''Iowa'' passing under the [[Brooklyn Bridge]]]]

On 23 December, ''Iowa'' was recommissioned and underwent a refit that included replacing the 4-inch guns on her aft superstructure with a pair of 6-pounder guns in early January 1904. She then joined the North Atlantic Squadron, which was then in European waters. She visited [[Piraeus]], Greece, from 30 June to 6 July, the island of [[Corfu]] from 8 to 9 July, and then [[Trieste]] and [[Fiume]] in [[Austria-Hungary]] for the rest of the month. On 2 August, she crossed the [[Adriatic]] to [[Palermo]], Italy, staying there for three days before getting underway for [[Gibraltar]], which she visited from 9 to 13 August. She then re-crossed the Atlantic, stopping in [[Horta, Azores|Horta]] in the [[Azores]] from 18 to 20 August. The ship reached [[Menemsha, Massachusetts]] on 29 August and stayed there until 5 September, waiting for her turn at the Navy's target range off [[Martha's Vineyard]]. She conducted gunnery practice there from 5 to 19 September before returning to Tompkinsville from 30 September to 5 October and then moved to New York City, anchoring in the [[Hudson River]] from 5 to 20 October, while she waited for a dry dock to open up at the [[Norfolk Navy Yard]]. She then sailed south to Norfolk and arrived on 22 October, where she was docked from 24 October to 24 December for periodic maintenance; she was then moved to [[Newport News Shipbuilding]] for dry-docking from 24 to 30 December.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

===1905–1908===

After emerging from dry dock, ''Iowa'' rejoined the fleet on 3 January 1905 at Hampton Roads and Captain [[Benjamin Franklin Tilley]] took command of the vessel on 14 January. The ship then took part in a series of maneuvers with the rest of the squadron off Culebra in mid January, Guantánamo Bay from 19 February to 22 March, and then Pensacola from 27 March to 3 May. She then returned to Hampton Roads on 7 May for repairs at Norfolk that lasted from 9 May to 24 June. She helped to test the new floating dry dock {{USS|Dewey|YFD-1|2}} from 25 to 30 June, thereafter returning to Newport News for periodic maintenance from 30 June to 3 July. ''Iowa'' then sailed north to [[New England]], visiting several ports, including Provincetown, Newport, Bar Harbor, Boston, and New York over the course of the next four months. She arrived back in Hampton Roads on 13 October, where she remained until the end of the month, when she sailed to visit [[Annapolis, Maryland]], from 30 October to 7 November.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

''Iowa'' then steamed to [[North River, New York]], staying there from 8 to 20 November, before returning to Hampton Roads for another refit at the Norfolk Navy Yard from 22 November to 23 December. She then returned to New York for a short dry-docking from 26 to 28 December before sailing back south to Hampton Roads on the last day of the year. She lay there through 17 January 1906 before getting underway for the Caribbean, stopping in Culebra from 22 January to 6 February, [[Barbados]] from 8 to 15 February, and then Guantánamo Bay from 19 February to 31 March. Shooting practice followed from 1 to 10 April off [[Cape Cruz]], Cuba. ''Iowa'' then steamed north to Annapolis to participate in the ceremonial return of [[John Paul Jones]] after his remains had been exhumed from his original grave in [[Paris]] so they could be re-interred at the [[US Naval Academy]]. The battleship then operated off the East Coast, stopping in Hampton Roads, Newport News, and New York between late April and mid-May. While in New York in early May, she had two of her torpedo tubes removed. She then underwent an overhaul in Norfolk from 14 May to 30 June.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

[[File:USS Iowa - NH 63501.jpg|thumb|''Iowa'' in New York, c. 1911]]

The ship next moved to Tompkinsville in early July, coaling there before being dry-docked at the New York Navy Yard for repairs from 6 to 15 July. She then joined the ships of the Second Division of what was now the [[United States Fleet Forces Command|Atlantic Fleet]] for a tour of New England, stopping in a series of ports in the region through the end of August. She was present for a fleet review held on 1–2 September, which was observed by President [[Theodore Roosevelt]]. She then returned to New England waters for shooting practice in late September and early October, after which she steamed south to Norfolk for repairs. She took part in tests with equipment that would allow the ship to replenish coal while underway in mid-December. The ship ended the year cruising with the rest of the fleet off the central East Coast, putting in at Hampton Roads on 31 December. The fleet steamed south to Cuba in early January 1907 for maneuvers that were held off Guantánamo Bay from 7 January to 10 February. ''Iowa'' then visited Cienfuegos in mid February and Guantánamo from mid-February to mid-March. Further gunnery practice was held from 16 March to 6 April.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

''Iowa'' was present for the [[Jamestown Exposition]] later in April, which marked the 300th anniversary of the foundation of the [[Jamestown Colony]]. The ship rejoined the fleet for a visit to North River from 16 May to 5 June, after which she operated with the Fourth Division for maneuvers off the coast of Virginia. After returning to Hampton Roads on 28 June, she was reduced to [[reserve fleet|reserve]] on 6 July at the Norfolk Navy Yard. That day, [[Lieutenant commander (United States)|Lieutenant Commander]] [[Clarence Stewart Williams]] took command of the vessel. The ship was moved to Philadelphia and was decommissioned there on 23 July 1908. While out of service, the ship had a series of improvements made, including the installation of new hydraulic equipment for her 12-inch turrets and a [[lattice mast]] aft of her funnels. The magazines and shell hoists for her 4-inch guns were modified to improve shell handling.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

===1910–1919===
[[File:USS Iowa - 19-N-1985.jpg|thumb|left|''Iowa'' underway in 1918 during [[World War I]]]]

''Iowa'' was moved to the New York Navy Yard, where she was recommissioned on 2 May 1910, with Commander [[William H. G. Bullard]] serving as her captain. She got underway on 23 May, joining the Naval Academy Practice Squadron the next day. After embarking contingents of [[midshipmen]] from the Naval Academy, the ships in the squadron began a training cruise to Europe. Stops on the tour included [[Plymouth]], Great Britain, from 23 to 30 June; [[Marseille]], France, from 8 to 15 July; Gibraltar from 19 to 24 July; [[Funchal]], [[Madeira]], from 27 July to 2 August; and Horta, Azores from 5 to 12 August. The ships then returned to the United States, disembarking the midshipmen at the end of the month. From 6 to 19 September, she was in dock at the New York Navy Yard to have another coaling-at-sea apparatus installed; she conducted tests with the [[collier (ship)|collier]] {{USS|Vestal||2}} on 22 September. ''Iowa'' then returned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard four days later, where she was again reduced to reserve.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

On 3 May 1911, ''Iowa'' returned to active service for another cruise with the Naval Academy Practice Squadron from 13 May to 5 June.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}} While en route to join the squadron on 12 May, she and {{SS|Hamilton|1899|6}} rescued passengers from the sinking Ward liner {{SS|Merida|1906|2}} after she collided with the United Fruit Company's steamship ''Admiral Farragut'' some {{convert|55|nmi}} east of [[Cape Charles, Virginia]] in dense fog; all 319 passengers on ''Merida'' remained alive.{{sfn|''The New York Times''}} The ships then took on midshipmen for another voyage to Europe, stopping at [[Queenstown, Ireland]] from 18 to 27 June; [[Kiel]], Germany from 2 to 12 July; [[Bergen]], Norway from 14 to 24 July; and Gibraltar from 2 to 8 August. After returning to the United States, the ships disembarked their cadets at Annapolis on 28–29 August. ''Iowa'' was again decommissioned in Philadelphia on 1 September. She was briefly [[mobilization|mobilized]] between 28 October and 2 November as part of a mobilization exercise, during which she was moved to New York and then returned to Philadelphia.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

''Iowa'' was recommissioned in July 1912 for a training cruise for [[naval militia]] members. The cruise, conducted between 2 and 21 July, included stops in Newport, [[Tangier Sound]], [[Chesapeake Bay]], [[Baltimore]], Maryland, New York, and Annapolis. The next day, she was assigned to the [[Atlantic Reserve Fleet]], based in Philadelphia. She was detached on 8 October to take part in a fleet review held in Philadelphia from 10 to 15 October. She was placed [[in ordinary]] on 30 April 1913 in Philadelphia and was formally decommissioned on 23 May 1914.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

After the [[American entry into World War I|United States entered World War I]] on 6 April 1917, ''Iowa'' was placed in limited commission on 23 April for use as a [[receiving ship]] for naval recruits. She remained in Philadelphia for six months before being moved to Hampton Roads, where she spent the rest of [[World War I|the conflict]]. While there, she was employed as a [[training ship|training vessel]] for new recruits and a [[guard ship]] defending the entrance to Chesapeake Bay through the end of the war in November 1918. On 31 March 1919, ''Iowa'' was decommissioned for the last time, and on 30 April, she was renamed ''Coast Battleship No. 4'' so that her name could be reused for the {{sclass|South Dakota|battleship|1||1920}} {{USS|Iowa|BB-53|2}}. The new ship was laid down the next year, but was cancelled before completion as a result of the 1922 [[Washington Naval Treaty]].{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}

===Target ship===
[[File:Coast Battleship No. 4 - NH 64518.jpg|thumb|''Coast Battleship No. 4'' on 22 March 1923, damaged by gunfire from {{USS|Mississippi|BB-41|6}}]]

With no further use for the ship by 1919, the Navy decided to convert ''Coast Battleship No. 4'' into a radio-controlled [[target ship]]. She was briefly struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] on 4 February 1920 before the order was reversed six days later. She was subsequently turned over to the captain of the battleship {{USS|Ohio|BB-12|6}} on 2 August.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}} ''Coast Battleship No. 4'' was converted for radio control in Philadelphia, with a wireless receiver that could control both the steering and speed of the ship as well as pumps to control the boilers, which were replaced with [[fuel oil|oil]]-fired versions. She was then moved from Philadelphia to Hampton Roads under radio control, departing on 17 August without any crew aboard, her speed and course being directed from the deck of ''Ohio''. Tests to determine the effectiveness of control from ''Ohio'' were conducted there through 10 September, when the Navy was informed of their success.{{sfn|Jones|p=206}}{{sfn|Everett|p=121}}

In June 1921, the Navy and Army conducted a series of bombing tests off the [[Virginia Capes]] to evaluate the effectiveness of aircraft against warships. The Navy also sought to determine the ability of [[watertight compartment|internal compartmentalization]] to resist flooding from bomb attacks. ''Coast Battleship No. 4'' was used as part of these experiments on 29 June as a moving target. It took Navy aircraft nearly two hours to locate her after being informed of her presence in a {{convert|25000|sqmi|adj=on}} area; she was then attacked with dummy bombs. The aircraft scored two hits, out of eighty bombs dropped. The Army refused to participate in the attacks on ''Iowa'', as General [[Billy Mitchell]] complained that attacking with simulated bombs had little merit. The ability of the ship to maneuver significantly hindered the aircrews' ability to locate and attack the vessel, and the Navy called off further attempts with live munitions that the Army requested.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}{{sfn|Everett|p=124}}

''Coast Battleship No. 4'' was then [[laid up]] in Philadelphia, where she was reclassified as an "unclassified miscellaneous auxiliary" with the [[hull number]] of IX-6 on 21 July. She next went to sea in April 1922 for shooting practice off the Virginia Capes with {{USS|Shawmut|CM-4|2}} now serving as her control ship, but the exercises were cancelled and she returned to port. The ship was moved to the Pacific Ocean via the Panama Canal for shooting practice with the new battleship {{USS|Mississippi|BB-41|2}} as part of [[Fleet Problem I]] in February 1923, which was to simulate an attack on the [[Canal Zone]]. ''Shawmut'' reprised her role as command ship. The first set of drills consisted of 5-inch fire from ''Mississippi''{{'}}s secondary battery at a range of around {{convert|8000|yd}}. Two further sets of practice shoots involved her 14-inch main guns at longer ranges. The second of these was conducted on 23 March, and ''Coast Battleship No. 4'' was struck by three of the projectiles, which inflicted serious damage and sank her. The battleship {{USS|Maryland|BB-46|2}} fired a [[21-gun salute]] as the old battleship sank. She was formally stricken from the register on 27 March, and her wreck was sold to [[marine salvor]]s on 8 November.{{sfn|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}{{sfn|Everett|p=127}}

==Footnotes==
{{reflist|20em}}

==References==
* {{cite book
  | last = Campbell
  | first = N. J. M.
  | chapter = United States of America
  | pages = 114–169
  | editor1-last = Chesneau
  | editor1-first = Roger
  | editor2-last = Kolesnik
  | editor2-first = Eugene M.
  | year = 1979
  | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905
  | publisher = Conway Maritime Press
  | location = Greenwich
  | isbn = 978-0-85177-133-5
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Campbell}}
  | url-access = registration
  | url = https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2
  | name-list-style=amp
  }}
* {{cite DANFS
  | last = Evans
  | first = Mark L.
  | title = Iowa II (Battleship No. 4)
  | url = http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/i/iowa-ii.html
  | access-date = 13 November 2019
  | date = 1 October 2015
  | ref = {{sfnRef|DANFS Iowa (BB-4)}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Everett
  |first=H. R.
  |title=Unmanned Systems of World Wars I and II
  |year=2015
  |location=Cambridge
  |publisher=MIT Press
  |isbn=978-0-262-33177-7
  |ref={{sfnRef|Everett}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | year = 2011
  | title = Naval Weapons of World War One
  | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
  | location = Annapolis
  | isbn = 978-1-84832-100-7
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman 2011}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | year = 1985
  | title = U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History
  | location = Annapolis
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | isbn = 978-0-87021-715-9
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman 1985}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  |last=Herder
  |first=Brian Lane
  |title=US Navy Battleships 1886–98: The Pre-dreadnoughts and Monitors That Fought the Spanish-American War
  |year=2019
  |location=Oxford
  |publisher=Osprey Publishing
  |isbn=978-1-4728-3503-1
  |ref={{sfnRef|Herder}}
  }}
* {{cite journal
  |last=Johns
  |first=E. B.
  |title=Radio Control of Ships
  |journal=Sea Power
  |year=1920
  |volume=IX
  |number=4
  |location=Washington, D. C.
  |publisher=Navy League of the United States
  |ref={{sfnRef|Jones}}
  |page=206
  |issn=0199-1337
  }}
* {{cite news
  | title = Sunk in Sea Crash; 319 Persons Saved
  | newspaper = The New York Times
  | date = 13 May 1911
  | url = https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/05/13/105027453.pdf
  | access-date = 9 September 2009
  | ref = {{sfnRef|''The New York Times''}}
  }}
* {{cite web
  | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/news-and-events/news/2014/underwater-archeology-branch-sifts-through-the-sands-of-time-wit.html
  | title = Underwater Archeology Branch Sifts through the Sands of Time with Howell Torpedo
  | publisher = Department of the Navy – Naval Historical Center
  | date = 31 January 2014
  | access-date = 20 November 2019
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Naval Historical Center}}
  }}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book | last = Alden | first = John D. | year = 1989 | title = American Steel Navy: A Photographic History of the U.S. Navy from the Introduction of the Steel Hull in 1883 to the Cruise of the Great White Fleet | location = Annapolis| publisher = Naval Institute Press | isbn = 978-0-87021-248-2}}
*{{cite book | last1 = Reilly | first1 = John C. | last2 = Scheina | first2 = Robert L. | year = 1980 | title = American Battleships 1886–1923: Predreadnought Design and Construction | publisher = Naval Institute Press | location = Annapolis| isbn = 978-0-87021-524-7  | name-list-style=amp}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{navsource|01/04a|Iowa}}
*[http://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/us-navy-ships/battleships/iowa-bb-4.html Naval Historical Center&nbsp; – USS ''Iowa'' (Battleship # 4), 1897–1923. Later renamed Coast Battleship # 4]

{{USS Iowa (BB-4)}}
{{WWI US ships}}
{{1923 shipwrecks}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord missing|Pacific Ocean}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iowa (BB-4)}}
[[Category:Spanish–American War battleships of the United States]]
[[Category:World War I battleships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built by William Cramp & Sons]]
[[Category:1896 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in March 1923]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as targets]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean]]