Iowa Class Battleship - Cultural Significance

Cultural Significance

The Iowa class has become culturally symbolic in the United States in many different ways, to the point where certain elements of the American public—such as the United States Naval Fire Support Association—are unwilling to part with the battleships despite their apparent obsolescence in the face of modern naval combat doctrine that places great emphasis on air supremacy and missile firepower. Although all have been officially struck from the Naval Vessel Register they have been spared scrapping and were donated for use as museum ships.

Their service records have added to their fame, ranging from their work as carrier escorts in World War II to their shore bombardment duties in North Korea, North Vietnam, and Iraq, as well as their service in the Cold War against the expanded Soviet Navy. Their reputation combined with the stories told concerning the firepower of these battleships' 16 inch guns are such that when they were brought out of retirement in the 1980s in response to increased Soviet Naval activity—and in particular, in response to the commissioning of the Kirov-class battlecruisers—the United States Navy was inundated with requests from former sailors pleading for a recall to active duty so they could serve aboard one of the battleships.

In part because of the service length and record of the class, members have made numerous appearances in television shows, video games, movies, and other media oriented mediums, including appearances in the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, the History Channel documentary series Battle 360: USS Enterprise, the Discovery Channel documentary The Top 10 Fighting Ships, the stealth action game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the Real Time Tactics game World in Conflict, the book turned movie A Glimpse of Hell, the 1989 song by Cher If I Could Turn Back Time, the 1992 film Under Siege, and the 2012 film Battleship, among other appearances. Japanese rock band Vamps performed the finale of their 2009 US tour on board the USS Missouri on September 19, 2009.